![Flag of Montferrat](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Flag_of_Montferrat.svg)
Montferrat (, ; it, Monferrato ; pms, Monfrà , locally ; la, Mons Ferratus) is part of the region of
Piedmont
it, Piemontese
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographics1_title1 =
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in northern
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
. It comprises roughly (and its extent has varied over time) the modern provinces of
Alessandria
Alessandria (; pms, Lissandria ) is a city and ''comune'' in Piedmont, Italy, and the capital of the Province of Alessandria. The city is sited on the alluvial plain between the Tanaro and the Bormida rivers, about east of Turin.
Alessandria ...
and
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 ...
. Montferrat is one of the most important wine districts of Italy. It also has a strong literary tradition, including the 18th century Asti-born poet and dramatist
Vittorio Alfieri
Count Vittorio Alfieri (, also , ; 16 January 17498 October 1803) was an Italian dramatist and poet, considered the "founder of Italian tragedy." He wrote nineteen tragedies, sonnets, satires, and a notable autobiography.
Early life
Alfieri was b ...
and the Alessandrian
Umberto Eco
Umberto Eco (5 January 1932 – 19 February 2016) was an Italian medievalist, philosopher, semiotician, novelist, cultural critic, and political and social commentator. In English, he is best known for his popular 1980 novel ''The Name of the ...
.
The territory is cut in two by the river
Tanaro
The Tanaro (; pms, Tane ; ; la, Tanarus), is a long river in northwestern Italy. The river begins in the Ligurian Alps, near the border with France, and is the most significant right-side tributary to the Po in terms of length, size of drai ...
. The northern part (the Basso Monferrato, "Low Montferrat"), which lies between that river and the
Po, is an area of rolling hills and plains. The southern part (the Alto Monferrato, "High Montferrat") rises from the banks of the Tanaro into the mountains of the
Apennines
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains (; grc-gre, links=no, Ἀπέννινα ὄρη or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; la, Appenninus or – a singular with plural meaning;''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which wou ...
and the
water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, ridgeline, watershed, water parting or height of land is elevated terrain that separates neighboring drainage basins. On rugged land, the divide lies along topographical ridges, and may be in the form of a singl ...
between Piedmont and
Liguria
Liguria (; lij, Ligûria ; french: Ligurie) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is ...
.
On 22 June 2014, Montferrat was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
CNN - UNESCO's newest World Heritage sites
/ref>
History
Originally a county, it was elevated to a margravate
Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Emp ...
of the Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
under Count Aleramo in 961, following the transition of power in Northern Italy from Berengar of Ivrea
Berengar II ( 900 – 4 August 966) was the King of Italy from 950 until his deposition in 961. He was a scion of the Anscarid and Unruoching dynasties, and was named after his maternal grandfather, Berengar I. He succeeded his father as Marg ...
to Otto I of Germany. Its ''marchesi'' (marquesses) and their family members were related to the Kings of France
France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the Kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions.
Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I () as the first ...
and the Holy Roman Emperors
The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperator ...
. Members of the family participated frequently in the Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...
, and intermarried with the royal family of Jerusalem
Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
and the Byzantine
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
Imperial families of Comnenus
Komnenos ( gr, Κομνηνός; Latinized Comnenus; plural Komnenoi or Comneni (Κομνηνοί, )) was a Byzantine Greek noble family who ruled the Byzantine Empire from 1081 to 1185, and later, as the Grand Komnenoi (Μεγαλοκομνην ...
, Angelus
The Angelus (; Latin for "angel") is a Catholic devotion commemorating the Incarnation of Christ. As with many Catholic prayers, the name ''Angelus'' is derived from its incipit—the first few words of the text: ("The Angel of the Lord ...
and Palaeologus
The House of Palaiologos ( Palaiologoi; grc-gre, Παλαιολόγος, pl. , female version Palaiologina; grc-gre, Παλαιολογίνα), also found in English-language literature as Palaeologus or Palaeologue, was a Byzantine Greek ...
. The March of Montferrat
The March (also ''margraviate'' or ''marquisate'') of Montferrat was a frontier march of the Kingdom of Italy during the Middle Ages and a state of the Holy Roman Empire. The margraviate was raised to become the Duchy of Montferrat in 1574.
Or ...
was briefly controlled by Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
(1533–1536) before it passed to the Gonzaga Dukes of Mantua (1536–1708). In 1574, Montferrat was raised to a Duchy
A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a Middle Ages, medieval country, territory, fiefdom, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or Queen regnant, queen in Western European tradition.
There once exis ...
by Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian II (31 July 1527 – 12 October 1576) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1564 until his death in 1576. A member of the Austrian House of Habsburg, he was crowned King of Bohemia in Prague on 14 May 1562 and elected King of Germany (King ...
. With the War of the Mantuan Succession
The War of the Mantuan Succession (1628–1631) was a related conflict of the Thirty Years' War, caused by the death in December 1627 of Vincenzo II Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, Vincenzo II, last male heir in the direct line of the House of Gonzaga ...
(1628–1631) a piece of the duchy passed to the Duchy of Savoy
The Duchy of Savoy ( it, Ducato di Savoia; french: Duché de Savoie) was a country in Western Europe that existed from 1416.
It was created when Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, raised the County of Savoy into a duchy for Amadeus VIII. The duc ...
, the remainder passing to Savoy in 1708, as Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
Leopold I (Leopold Ignaz Joseph Balthasar Franz Felician; hu, I. Lipót; 9 June 1640 – 5 May 1705) was Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary, Croatia, and Bohemia. The second son of Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, by his first wife, Maria An ...
gained possession of the Gonzaga territory. The next heir of the House of Gonzaga
)
, type = Noble house
, country =
, estates = Ducal Palace (Mantua) Ducal Palace (Nevers)
, titles =
* Prince of Arches
* Duke of Montferrat
* Duke of Mantua
* Duke of Guastalla
* Duke of Nevers
* Duke ...
was later compensated by giving Duchy of Teschen
The Duchy of Teschen (german: Herzogtum Teschen), also Duchy of Cieszyn ( pl, Księstwo Cieszyńskie) or Duchy of Těšín ( cs, Těšínské knížectví), was one of the Duchies of Silesia centered on Cieszyn () in Upper Silesia. It was split o ...
in Silesia
Silesia (, also , ) is a historical region of Central Europe that lies mostly within Poland, with small parts in the Czech Republic and Germany. Its area is approximately , and the population is estimated at around 8,000,000. Silesia is split ...
to them.
Etymology
There are various interpretations and assumptions concerning the etymology of ''Montferrat'', but to date none are certain. There are many opinions, with Aldo Ricaldone stating the name was derived from "Mount" and — a variety of wheat. Another claim is that it comes from the Latin meaning "fertile and rich mountain". Still another refers to the irons (Latin ) left by the Romans in their conquest, . Finally, an interpretation derived from a legend according to which Aleramo of Montferrat Aleram ( it, Aleramo; died 991) was the first Marquis of Montferrat and Liguria (the ''marca Aleramica'') in Northern Italy until his death. He was son of William I of Montferrat and is mentioned in documents for the first time in 933 when he receiv ...
, the legendary founder of its march, wanting to shoe a horse, and not finding a hammer, used a brick ( in the local dialect of Piedmontese), and thereby the horse was shod (, deriving from the same mentioned above), hence the name yielding ''Montferrat''.
Geography
Montferrat can be divided into three main parts:
*Basso Monferrato (low Montferrat) or Casalese is characterized by its soft hills, to the exclusion of the Sacred Mount of Crea (455 m) (Unesco World Heritage), never reach heights of over 400 meters; territorially includes part of the province of Alessandria consisting of the countryside near Casale Monferrato. It is bounded on the north and east by the rivers Po and Tanaro.
*Monferrato Astigiano (Astesan Montferrat): Identifies virtually the entire Province of Asti (with the exception of Langa Astigiana) and is characterized by a hilly conformation and several historic towns such Nizza Monferrato, Cortanze, Cocconato, Montiglio and Canelli. Asti is the geographical heart of this macro-region, bordered on the south by the valley of the river Belbo and west roughly from the path of the stream Versa and whose right side Asti is located. The highest point of the area is the hill of Albugnano of 549 meters above sea level.
*Alto Monferrato (high Montferrat): extending south from the Val Bormida up to lick the foot of the Ligurian region, is bounded to the west by the valley of the Bormida Spigno and east by the western portion of the middle valley Scrivia. The main centre is Acqui Terme.
Geology
20 million years ago the Alps were formed, in the Mediterranean area was produced a new rising heat from the Earth's mantle which resulted in the buckle and rupture of the European crust from which detached the Sardinian-Course block, the micro Sardinian plate did pin on the Ligurian Gulf executing a counterclockwise rotation of 50° and forming the Ligurian Sea. The sea covered the hill 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 ...
, the Langhe
The Langhe (; ''Langa'' is from old dialect Mons Langa et Bassa Langa) is a hilly area to the south and east of the river Tanaro in the province of Cuneo and in the province of Asti in Piedmont, northern Italy.
It is famous for its wines, chees ...
, Montferrat and the Po Valley. The rotation of the Corsica-Sardinia block opposed by the African block produced a pressure that gave rise to the Apennines. 8 million years ago to the east of the Corsica-Sardinia block opened a wide north–south divide that separated the Italian peninsula from Corsica and Sardinia, this gap widened to become the Tyrrhenian Sea. In the period from 7 to 5 million years ago, the Mediterranean Sea was closed and remained isolated from the Atlantic Ocean. This resulted in the increase of the temperature of the water that turned the Mediterranean into a low-salt lake with many areas dried up, this condition lasted for several hundreds of thousands of years was deposited sediment type saline evaporites. Subsequently, the Mediterranean Sea was opened, and the ocean water began to circulate between the Alps and the Apennines had formed a triangular gulf that covered the entire Po Valley. Due to the continuous lifting of the Alps and the Apennines to the sea withdrew from this gulf and the accumulation of sediments carried by the rivers gave rise to a flood plain which corresponds to the Po Valley. The marine deposits of this period are visible in the area 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 ...
.
Economy
Monferrato is one of the most famous Italian wine regions in the world, especially regarding red wines and sparkling wines. The climate is dry continental with hot summers prone to drought and cold winters and the particular hydrogeological soil are favourable for viticulture, which, however, is dominant throughout, making the wine not only an element of economic wealth for the entire region but also a true symbol of the culture and tradition "Monferrina". The widespread dissemination of indigenous grapes and consequently a wide variety of wines, witness them. Among the wines (DOC and DOCG
The following four classifications of wine constitute the Italian system of labelling and legally protecting Italian wine:
* ''Denominazione di origine'' (DO, rarely used; ; English: “designation of origin”),
* ''Indicazione geografica tipi ...
), the most famous are Barbera d'Asti
Barbera d'Asti is an Italian red wine made from the Barbera grape. It is produced in the hilly areas of the provinces of Asti (67 municipalities) and Alexandria (51 municipalities). Barbera d'Asti was accredited with DOC status in 1970, and DOCG ...
, Asti spumante, Moscato d'Asti
Moscato d'Asti is a DOCG sparkling white wine made from the Moscato bianco grape and produced mainly in the province of Asti, northwest Italy, and in smaller nearby regions in the provinces of Alessandria and Cuneo. The wine is sweet and low in a ...
, Cortese
Cortese is a white Italian wine grape variety predominantly grown in the southeastern regions of Piedmont in the provinces of Alessandria and Asti. It is the primary grape of the ''Denominazione di origine controllata'' (DOC) wines of Cortese ...
, Malvasia
Malvasia (, also known as Malvazia) is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands and the island of Madeira, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world. I ...
, and Grignolino
Grignolino () is a red Italian wine grape variety commonly grown in the Piedmont (wine), Piedmont region. It makes light colored wines and rosés with very fruity aromas (wine), aromas, strong acidity (wine), acidity and grape tannins, tannins. ...
.
The Monferrato, together with Alba
''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scottish people, Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed i ...
, is also known for the production of truffles; there are many fairs in this trade, for example, the regional fair of truffles held in Montechiaro d'Asti
Montechiaro d'Asti (Piedmontese: ''Monciàir'') is a town and ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northwest of Asti.
Montechiaro d'Asti borders the following mu ...
.
Viticulture
DOC
DOC, Doc, doc or DoC may refer to:
In film and television
* ''Doc'' (2001 TV series), a 2001–2004 PAX series
* ''Doc'' (1975 TV series), a 1975–1976 CBS sitcom
* "D.O.C." (''Lost''), a television episode
* ''Doc'' (film), a 1971 Wester ...
and DOCG
The following four classifications of wine constitute the Italian system of labelling and legally protecting Italian wine:
* ''Denominazione di origine'' (DO, rarely used; ; English: “designation of origin”),
* ''Indicazione geografica tipi ...
wines produced in this area include:
Reds
*Barbera d'Asti
Barbera d'Asti is an Italian red wine made from the Barbera grape. It is produced in the hilly areas of the provinces of Asti (67 municipalities) and Alexandria (51 municipalities). Barbera d'Asti was accredited with DOC status in 1970, and DOCG ...
* Barbera d'Asti Superiore
*Nizza DOCG
Nizza (also Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza before 2014) is a DOCG red Italian wine produced in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. It is made from the Barbera grape, and the zone of production is limited to the ''comuni'' (municipalities) of ...
(from Barbera
Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy (after Sangiovese and Montepulciano). It produces good yields and is known for deep color, full body, low tannins and high levels ...
grapes)
* Barbera del Monferrato
* Monferrato Rosso
*Ruché
Ruché (pronounced in English , ) is a red Italian wine grape variety from the Piedmont region. It is largely used in making Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato, a small production red varietal wine which was granted ''Denominazione di Origine Contr ...
*Albugnano (from Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo (, ; pms, nebieul ) is an Italian red wine grape variety predominantly associated with its native Piedmont region, where it makes the ''Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita'' (DOCG) wines of Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, G ...
grapes)
* Dolcetto d’Asti
* Freisa d’Asti
*Grignolino
Grignolino () is a red Italian wine grape variety commonly grown in the Piedmont (wine), Piedmont region. It makes light colored wines and rosés with very fruity aromas (wine), aromas, strong acidity (wine), acidity and grape tannins, tannins. ...
* Malvasia di Casorzo
* Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco
*Dolcetto di Ovada
Piemonte wine is the range of Italian wines made in the region of Piedmont in the northwestern corner of Italy.
The best-known wines from the region include Barolo and Barbaresco. They are made from the Nebbiolo grape. These wines are ideal for ...
Whites
*Moscato d'Asti
Moscato d'Asti is a DOCG sparkling white wine made from the Moscato bianco grape and produced mainly in the province of Asti, northwest Italy, and in smaller nearby regions in the provinces of Alessandria and Cuneo. The wine is sweet and low in a ...
* Asti Spumante
*Cortese dell’Alto Monferrato (from Cortese
Cortese is a white Italian wine grape variety predominantly grown in the southeastern regions of Piedmont in the provinces of Alessandria and Asti. It is the primary grape of the ''Denominazione di origine controllata'' (DOC) wines of Cortese ...
grape)
* Loazzolo (wine)
Culture
Cuisine
The traditional cuisine of Montferrat, in addition to the award-winning wines, includes a wide variety of foods ranging from meat, fish, vegetables, and cheeses. Typical Monferrato dishes, which have now achieved a reputation not only nationally but also internationally include, among the first courses, agnolotti
Agnolotti (; pms, agnolòt ) is a type of pasta typical of the Piedmont region of Italy, made with small pieces of flattened pasta dough, folded over a filling of roasted meat or vegetables. ''Agnolotti'' is the plural form of the Italian word ...
"al plin" (literally "pinched"), "Tajarin" (noodles for rich eggs seasoned with various sauces), risotto of Casale, rice with mushrooms and red wine, vegetable soups, polenta
Polenta (, ) is a dish of boiled cornmeal that was historically made from other grains. The dish comes from Italy. It may be served as a hot porridge, or it may be allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled. ...
with fried cod or "loan". Worthy of mention and especially well known is Bagna càuda
Bagna càuda (, meaning "hot dip", "hot gravy") is a hot dish made from garlic and anchovies, originating in Piedmont, Italy, during the 16th century. The dish is served and consumed in a manner similar to fondue, sometimes as an appetizer, with r ...
. Among the meats: tripe, paws (batciuà), chickpeas with head, oxtail (now cooked with Barbera) and the cooked sausage.
Literature
In the second half of the 15th century stands in the field of dialect literature Gian Giorgio Allioni of Asti, poet, playwright and writer who knowing poetry in French and Italian, wrote several farces in dialect, expressing "an Astezan" and providing a vivid picture of customs and life of the period and the Italian theatre of the 16th century, often steeped in satire and mockery. It was not until the 18th century to find two other versifiers Monferrato dialect that is the prior Incisa and Captain Joseph Stefano della Rocca, while in more recent times and in the 19th century that stands out the most famous Angelo Brofferio, politician, journalist and deputy linked to the Risorgimento, who wrote songs in dialect, plays and works of history.
Art
Artists active in the Montferrat include Gian Martino Spanzotti of Casale and Andrea Pozzo
Andrea Pozzo (; Latinized version: ''Andreas Puteus''; 30 November 1642 – 31 August 1709) was an Italian Jesuit brother, Baroque painter, architect, decorator, stage designer, and art theoretician.
Pozzo was best known for his grandiose fresc ...
, Renaissance painter and architect active in the 17th century, the painter Pier Francesco Guala
Pier Francesco Guala (15 September 1698 – 27 February 1757), also known as Pierfrancesco and Pietro Francesco, was an eighteenth-century Italian painter active for the most part in the region of his place of birth, Casale Monferrato.
Guala wa ...
; Macrino d'Alba
Macrino d'Alba (c. 1460–1465 – c. 1510–1520) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance period, active mainly in Piedmont, who is known for his altarpieces and portraits. His birth name was ''Gian Giacomo de' Alladio''.
Life
The lack o ...
, a contemporary of Spanzotti, whose works are in private and public collections in the United States and Turin. His most important works can, however, identify a triptych housed in the castle of Camino, a ''Madonna Enthroned'' kept in the Sanctuary of the Sacro Monte di Crea
The Sacro Monte di Crea (literally "Sacred Mountain of Crea", although it is built on a hill rather than a mountain) is a Roman Catholic sanctuary in the ''comune'' of Serralunga di Crea, Piedmont, northern Italy. It is reached via a steeply asc ...
, another ''Madonna'' in the church of St. John the Baptist to Alba and a ''Marriage of St. Catherine'' that adorns the church of Neviglie in the Langhe. Guglielmo Caccia
Guglielmo Caccia called il Moncalvo (9 May 15681625) was an Italian painter of sacred subjects in a Mannerist style.
Biography
He was born in Montabone near Acqui. He is said to have been a pupil of Lorenzo Sabbatini. He started painting in Milan ...
, nicknamed "The Moncalvo", executed works such as a "Redeemer" statue from Museum of Asti and "Resurrection" in the cathedral; several of his paintings can be found in the parishes of Grazzano Badoglio, Villadeati, Casale Monferrato, San Salvatore Monferrato, Moncalvo and Castagnito.
Architecture
The architecture flourished in Montferrat from the year 1000 onwards and is clearly visible in the numerous buildings, churches, castles and palaces of various periods many of which are still well preserved. Architecture was influenced by current Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance trends, before becoming, from the 17th century onwards, a current of Piedmontese Baroque. Architects who worked in Montferrat include Benedetto Alfieri
180px, Benedetto Alfieri from the treatise of "Leben des Vittorio Alfieri"
Benedetto Innocenzo Alfieri (8 June 1699 - 9 December 1767) was an Italian architect, a representative of the late-Baroque or Rococo style.
Biography and works
Born in R ...
(1707-1767) of Asti, considered the successor to Filippo Juvarra
Filippo is an Italian male given name, which is the equivalent of the English name Philip, from the Greek ''Philippos'', meaning "amante dei cavalli".''Behind the Name''"Given Name Philip" Retrieved on 23 January 2016. The female variant is Filip ...
, and Francesco Gallo (1672-1750) of Mondovì, as well as Francesco Ottavio Magnocavalli, born in Casale Monferrato.
Sacred Mount of Crea
The Sacred Mountain of Crea (Italian: ''Sacro Monte di Crea'') is a Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
sanctuary in the ''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 ...
'' of Serralunga di Crea
Serralunga di Crea (Piedmontese: ''Seralonga 'd Crea'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin and about northwest of Alessandria.
It is most famous for the Sacro ...
(Montferrat), near Alessandria
Alessandria (; pms, Lissandria ) is a city and ''comune'' in Piedmont, Italy, and the capital of the Province of Alessandria. The city is sited on the alluvial plain between the Tanaro and the Bormida rivers, about east of Turin.
Alessandria ...
. It is one of the nine Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy
The (plural of , Italian for "Sacred Mountain") of Piedmont and Lombardy are a series of nine calvaries or groups of chapels and other architectural features created in northern Italy during the late sixteenth century and the seventeenth century ...
, included in UNESCO World Heritage
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
list.
Its construction was begun in 1589, around a former Sanctuary of St. Mary whose creation is traditionally attributed to St. Eusebius, who first Christianized the site around 350 AD.
See also
*Rulers 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 ...
, for a full list of marquesses and dukes
*March of Montferrat
The March (also ''margraviate'' or ''marquisate'') of Montferrat was a frontier march of the Kingdom of Italy during the Middle Ages and a state of the Holy Roman Empire. The margraviate was raised to become the Duchy of Montferrat in 1574.
Or ...
*Duchy of Montferrat
The Duchy of Montferrat was a state located in Northern Italy. It was created out of what was left of the medieval March of Montferrat after the last Palaeologus heir had died (1533) and the margraviate had been briefly controlled by the Emperor C ...
* Iudiciaria Torrensis
References
Sources
Official web site for European Sacred Mounts
Money in the Montferrat from Medieval to Modern Times (italian/english)
External links
Monferrato Expo 2015
Basso Monferrato Tourist Board
Alto Monferrato Tourist Board
Monferrato's wines
Sacro Monte di Crea
Communities of hills between Langhe and Monferrato
MonferratoArte
A historical and bibliographical directory of artists active in the extra-urban Churches of the Diocese of Casale Monferrato.
Official UNESCO photo selection
Complete UNESCO photo gallery before selection
{{Authority control
Monferrato
Wine regions of Italy
Vineyard Landscape of Piedmont: Langhe-Roero and Monferrato