Castelnuovo Don Bosco, formerly Castelnuovo d'Asti (

Piedmontese Piedmontese (; autonym: or , in it, piemontese) is a language spoken by some 2,000,000 people mostly in Piedmont, northwestern region of Italy. Although considered by most linguists a separate language, in Italy it is often mistakenly regard ...

: ''Castelneuv d'Ast'') is a ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

'' (municipality) in the

province of Asti The Province of Asti ( it, Provincia di Asti, Piedmontese: ''Provincia d’Ast'') is a province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Asti. To the northwest it borders on the Metropolitan City of Turin; to the sou ...

in the

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

region

Piedmont it, Piemontese , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

, located about east of

Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...

and about northwest of

Asti Asti ( , , ; pms, Ast ) is a ''comune'' of 74,348 inhabitants (1-1-2021) located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and it is deemed t ...

, on a hill near the confluence of the Nevissano and Bardella. Castelnuovo Don Bosco borders the following municipalities: Albugnano, Buttigliera d'Asti,

Capriglio Capriglio is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin and about northwest of Asti. coordinates = coordinates = coordinates = Capriglio borders the following mun ...

, Moncucco Torinese, Moriondo Torinese,

Passerano Marmorito Passerano Marmorito is a small rural ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, about east of Turin and about northwest of Asti. Geography The ''capoluogo'' of the commune, and the site of its town hall, is ...

, and Pino d'Asti.

History

Castenlnuovo's origins, as attested by the name (meaning "New Castle") are connected to a castle built before 1000 AD, around which a burgh grew as time passed. It was once divided in two by the lords of

Riva Riva may refer to: People * Riva (surname) * Riva Castleman (1930–2014), American art historian, art curator and author * Riva Ganguly Das (born 1961), Indian diplomat * Riva (footballer), Brazilian former footballer Rivadávio Alves Pereira ...

and the

counts of Biandrate Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

, until it was given by the

German emperors The German Emperor (german: Deutscher Kaiser, ) was the official title of the head of state and hereditary ruler of the German Empire. A specifically chosen term, it was introduced with the 1 January 1871 constitution and lasted until the offi ...

to the

marquesses of Montferrat The Marquises and Dukes of Montferrat were the rulers of a territory in Piedmont south of the Po and east of Turin called Montferrat. The March of Montferrat was created by Berengar II of Italy in 950 during a redistribution of power in the no ...

. Subsequently, it was under the

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

of Asti, then a fief of the lords of Rivalba and of those of

Piea Piea is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is t ...

, until it returned to

Montferrat Montferrat (, ; it, Monferrato ; pms, Monfrà , locally ; la, Mons Ferratus) is part of the region of Piedmont in northern Italy. It comprises roughly (and its extent has varied over time) the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Mo ...

. Later it was acquired by the

house of Savoy The House of Savoy ( it, Casa Savoia) was a royal dynasty that was established in 1003 in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, the family grew in power from ruling a small Alpine county north-west of Italy to absolute rule of ...

. It was a fief of the Simiana until the late 18th century. It was named Castelnuovo d'Asti, prior to being renamed in honor of

John Bosco John Melchior Bosco ( it, Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco; pms, Gioann Melchior Bòsch; 16 August 181531 January 1888), popularly known as Don Bosco , was an Catholic Church in Italy, Italian Catholic priest, educator, writer and saint of the 19t ...

Main sights

*Medieval tower, one of the few remains of the castle once overlooking the burgh. In the nearby is a Baroque sanctuary of the Madonna. *''Parrocchiale of Sant'Andrea''. *''Villa Filipello'', in

Liberty style Liberty style ( it, Stile Liberty) was the Italian variant of Art Nouveau, which flourished between about 1890 and 1914. It was also sometimes known as ''stile floreale'', ''arte nuova'', or ''stile moderno''. It took its name from Arthur Lasenby ...

. *''Palazzo dei Rivalba''. *''

Basilica of Don Bosco In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building gave its nam ...

'', in the saint's native quarter. *Romanesque church of ''Sant'Eusebio'', on the road leading to

Berzano San Pietro Berzano di San Pietro is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northwest of Asti. Berzano di San Pietro borders the following municipalities: Albugnano, Arame ...

. *Also in Romanesque style is ''Santa Maria di Rasetto'', in the locality of Garesio outside the town. In the ''

frazione A ''frazione'' (plural: ) is a type of subdivision of a ''comune'' (municipality) in Italy, often a small village or hamlet outside the main town. Most ''frazioni'' were created during the Fascist era (1922–1943) as a way to consolidate territ ...

'' of Mondonio are the notable ''Castello di Rivalba'', with a large square tower, and a Baroque parish church.

Notable Castelnovesi

Giuseppe Cafasso Joseph Cafasso ( it, Giuseppe Cafasso; 15 January 1811 – 23 June 1860) was an Italian Roman Catholic priest who was a significant social reformer in Turin. He was one of the so-called "Social Saints" who emerged during that particular er ...

(1811–1860), saint, was born here. *

Don Bosco John Melchior Bosco ( it, Giovanni Melchiorre Bosco; pms, Gioann Melchior Bòsch; 16 August 181531 January 1888), popularly known as Don Bosco , was an Italian Catholic priest, educator, writer and saint of the 19th century. While working ...

(1815–1888), saint, was born in the ''

'' (hamlet) of Becchi. *

Domenico Savio Dominic Savio ( it, Domenico Savio; 2 April 1842 – 9 March 1857) was an Italian student of John Bosco. He was studying to be a priest when he became ill and died at the age of 14, possibly from pleurisy. He was noted for his piety and devotio ...

(1842–1857), saint, moved here from his birthplace,

Chieri Chieri (; pms, Cher) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont (Italy), located about southeast of Turin, by rail and by road. It borders the following municipalities: Baldissero Torinese, Pavarolo, Montaldo Torine ...

, at the age of about 12 months.

References

External links

Official website
Castles in Italy {{Asti-geo-stub