Cassine
Encyclopedia
Cassine is a town and commune
of the Province of Alessandria
in the Italian
region Piedmont
. It is located 21 km southwest of the town of Alessandria
on the left of the lower course of the Bormida in the Alto Monferrato Acquese. The town lies partly in the hills, where the ancient nucleus of the settlement formed, and partly on the plain. Its economic character is agricultural: the hills are rich in vineyards where the wines Moscato d’Asti, Barbera
and Freisa
are produced as well as grappa
.
Cassine borders the following communes: Alice Bel Colle
, Castelnuovo Bormida
, Gamalero
, Maranzana
, Mombaruzzo
, Ricaldone
, Rivalta Bormida
, Sezzadio
, and Strevi
.
. However, located at the edge of the Ghibelline
marquisate, control of Cassine was contested by the Guelfs of Alessandria
who conquered and destroyed the town in 1231 and subsequently exacted an annual tribute. In 1404 it was occupied by the condottiere Facino Cane
. Subsequently it was fortified. In 1451 the town was besieged by the Marquis of Montferrat. It was occupied by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
in 1556and in 1644 it was taken control of by the French. In 1707 Cassine was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia
and from that time on its fortunes followed those of other towns in Piedmont.
Commune
Commune may refer to:In society:* Commune, a human community in which resources are shared* Commune , a township or municipality* One of the Communes of France* An Italian Comune...
of the Province of Alessandria
Province of Alessandria
The Province of Alessandria is an Italian province, with a population of some 430,000, which forms the southeastern part of the region of Piedmont. The provincial capital is the city of Alessandria....
in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
region Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
. It is located 21 km southwest of the town of Alessandria
Alessandria
-Monuments:* The Citadel * The church of Santa Maria di Castello * The church of Santa Maria del Carmine * Palazzo Ghilini * Università del Piemonte Orientale-Museums:* The Marengo Battle Museum...
on the left of the lower course of the Bormida in the Alto Monferrato Acquese. The town lies partly in the hills, where the ancient nucleus of the settlement formed, and partly on the plain. Its economic character is agricultural: the hills are rich in vineyards where the wines Moscato d’Asti, Barbera
Barbera
Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy . It produces good yields and is known for deep color, low tannins and high levels of acid...
and Freisa
Freisa
Freisa is a red Italian wine grape variety grown in the Piedmont region of north-west Italy, primarily in Monferrato and in the Langhe, but also further north in the provinces of Turin and Biella. Freisa is a vigorous and productive vine whose round, blue-black grapes are harvested in early...
are produced as well as grappa
Grappa
Grappa is an alcoholic beverage, a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume...
.
Municipal subdivisions and neighbours
In addition to the nucleus of Cassine itself (the capoluogo) three frazioni fall within the boundaries of the commune: Caranzano, Gavonata, and Sant'Andrea.Cassine borders the following communes: Alice Bel Colle
Alice Bel Colle
Alice Bel Colle is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km southeast of Turin and about 25 km southwest of Alessandria....
, Castelnuovo Bormida
Castelnuovo Bormida
Castelnuovo Bormida is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 km southeast of Turin and about 20 km south of Alessandria....
, Gamalero
Gamalero
Gamalero is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km southeast of Turin and about 13 km southwest of Alessandria....
, Maranzana
Maranzana
Maranzana is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km southeast of Turin and about 25 km southeast of Asti. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 317 and an area of 4.5 km²....
, Mombaruzzo
Mombaruzzo
Mombaruzzo is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km southeast of Turin and about 25 km southeast of Asti....
, Ricaldone
Ricaldone
Ricaldone is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 km southeast of Turin and about 25 km southwest of Alessandria...
, Rivalta Bormida
Rivalta Bormida
Rivalta Bormida is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 km southeast of Turin and about 25 km south of Alessandria....
, Sezzadio
Sezzadio
Sezzadio is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 km southeast of Turin and about 15 km south of Alessandria....
, and Strevi
Strevi
Strevi is a comune and small town in the province of Alessandria, Italy, located immediately north-east of Acqui Terme. It is one of the principle winemaking communes of the Italian DOCG wine Brachetto d'Acqui....
.
History
During the 10th century the town was within the domains of the Bishops of Acqui. In 1164, Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa granted it to the Marquis of MontferratRulers 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 northwest of his kingdom. It was originally named after...
. However, located at the edge of the Ghibelline
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
marquisate, control of Cassine was contested by the Guelfs of Alessandria
Alessandria
-Monuments:* The Citadel * The church of Santa Maria di Castello * The church of Santa Maria del Carmine * Palazzo Ghilini * Università del Piemonte Orientale-Museums:* The Marengo Battle Museum...
who conquered and destroyed the town in 1231 and subsequently exacted an annual tribute. In 1404 it was occupied by the condottiere Facino Cane
Facino Cane
thumb|Facino Cane.Facino Cane da Casale , born Bonifacio Cane, was an Italian condottiero.-Biography:Cane was born in Casale Monferrato to a noble family....
. Subsequently it was fortified. In 1451 the town was besieged by the Marquis of Montferrat. It was occupied by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
in 1556and in 1644 it was taken control of by the French. In 1707 Cassine was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia
Kingdom of Sardinia
The Kingdom of Sardinia consisted of the island of Sardinia first as a part of the Crown of Aragon and subsequently the Spanish Empire , and second as a part of the composite state of the House of Savoy . Its capital was originally Cagliari, in the south of the island, and later Turin, on the...
and from that time on its fortunes followed those of other towns in Piedmont.
Main sights
- The church of St. Francis (12th century), in Lombard-GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
style, has a brickwork façade decorated with arches and two bell towers (one more recent, dating from 1644) - Palazzo Zoppi (14th century) has 15th century frescoes in the interior. A chapel in the courtyard houses a notable 14th century panel from the Piedmontese school.
Notable Cassinesi
- Saint Bernardino Realino, podestàPodestàPodestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
of Cassine in the mid-sixteenth century. - Pietro RavaPietro RavaPietro Rava was an Italian football defender and coach. He won the 1936 Summer Olympics and the 1938 FIFA World Cup with the Italian national team....
(1916–2006), footballer. - Luigi TencoLuigi TencoLuigi Tenco was an Italian singer, songwriter and actor.-Biography:Tenco was born in Cassine in 1938, the son of Teresa Zoccola and Giuseppe Tenco. He never knew his father, who died in unclear circumstances...
(1938–1967), popular Italian singer, songwriter and actor.