Nizza Monferrato
Encyclopedia
Nizza Monferrato is a comune
(municipality) in the Province of Asti
in the Italian
region of Piedmont
, located about 60 km southeast of Turin
and about 20 km southeast of Asti
.
Nizza Monferrato borders the following municipalities: Calamandrana
, Castel Boglione
, Castelnuovo Belbo
, Castelnuovo Calcea
, Fontanile
, Incisa Scapaccino
, Mombaruzzo
, San Marzano Oliveto
, Vaglio Serra
, and Vinchio
.
in Provence
: both Nizza Monferrato and the part of Provence that includes Nice (Nizza Marittima in Italian, Nissa dël Mar in Piedmontese) were at one time part of the Duchy of Savoy
.
, 30 km from the town of Asti
. The comune is rich in vineyard
s, and is traversed by the river Belbo
.
. It was elevated to the status of comune ten years later, and in 1264 it joined the March of Montferrat
(also called the Marquisate of Monferrato).
In its history Nizza was besieged several times: firstly, in 1268, it resisted a siege by the troops of Charles I of Anjou for forty days. The city changed hands several times: at first it was under the control of the Aleramici, then the Paleologi, and in 1391 the town was devastated by the militias of the Count of Armagnac
. The city then passed under the control of the Gonzaga
, who were eager to steal its resources. After a period of relative prosperity, the town repulsed an attack of Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy in 1613. It was then repeatedly attacked by the French and Spanish in 1625, 1628 and in 1629.
In 1630 it was brought to its knees by famine and plague, and was again attacked by the French and Spanish in 1637. Ten years later, the town was razed to the ground and its walls torn down by an army from Aragon
. The second half of the 17th century was an equally disastrous period: Charles IV of Mantua
, anxious to pay the debts incurred by his maladministration of his duchy, completely emptied Nizza of everything of value, stripping away all the resources of the area.
The end of this turbulent period came when the town passed to the House of Savoy
in 1703. The economy, which had fallen apart in the times of war, began to flourish in the late 18th century: in particular, the town became noted for the production of silk. The revolutionary winds that blew in 1799 passed the town by: residents responded to the bands of insurgents that arrived from neighboring towns with the counter-revolutionary cry of "Long live the king, long live Savoy".
After the Congress of Vienna
the Savoy monarchy was restored, and the town resumed its development. Under the careful administration a new mayor, Pio Corsi from Bonsasco, the town was illuminated with oil lamps, an urban road network was created, a sewage system was installed, and the first trade incentives were initiated.
The painter Franco Sassi (1912 to 1993) was a great admirer of the town, its countryside and its landscape. This multifaceted artist - painter, draftsman, engraver and graphic designer - was a friend of Arturo Bersano http://www.bersano.it/Inglese/flash/bersano.swf, creating the labels for his wines. His famous black and white Monferrato Home (or The Farmhouse at Vinchio) depicts landscapes of Nizza. He created small masterpieces for Piedmont wine houses such as Gancia, Enrico Serafino, Giuseppe Parodi Spumanti of Canelli, Guasti Clemente Wines of Nizza, Giorgio Barbero and Sons of Canelli, and others. His art is a highlight of the region.
Nizza was the capital of the Partisan Republic of Monferrato in 1944, and was awarded the Silver Medal for the Military Valor for the sacrifices of its people and their participation in the partisan struggle against fascism
during World War II
.
In the autumn of 1968 the town was severely flooded when the Belbo
and Nizza rivers burst their banks: the town narrowly avoided a repeat of this disaster in November 1994.
. On the ground floor it has a broad internal arcade fronted by four arches, each supported by a large pillar. The coat of arms of the town is displayed above the wrought-iron balcony that links the two central windows on the first floor. The most important feature is, however, the ancient bell tower of the Town Hall, known by the citizens of Nizza as el campanone.
The palace remained in the possession of the descendants of the barons Crova di Vaglio, the original owners of the building, until the early decades of the 20th century. It now houses the town library, a restaurant with a regional enoteca
, and the offices of the Colline Nicesi (Nizza Hills) branch of the Slow Food
movement and the Barbera d'Asti
producers association, as well the Cardo Gobbo di Nizza headquarters.
Nizza Monferrato is represented at the Festival delle sagre astigiane (Asti's 'Festival of Festivals') by belecàuda and by pasta di meliga - maize paste, the basis of polenta.
Nizza Monferrato is one the comuni in the province of Asti that take part in the Palio di Asti
on the third Sunday of September, in Asti. Nizza won the race in 1986 with the jockey Leonardo Viti on the horse Elf.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) in the Province of Asti
Province of Asti
The Province of Asti is a province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Asti. To the north west it borders on the province of Turin; to the south west it borders on the province of Cuneo. To the east it borders on the province of Alessandria, while in the south it...
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 of 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...
, located about 60 km southeast of Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and about 20 km southeast of Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
.
Nizza Monferrato borders the following municipalities: Calamandrana
Calamandrana
Calamandrana is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 20 km southeast of Asti...
, Castel Boglione
Castel Boglione
Castel Boglione 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....
, Castelnuovo Belbo
Castelnuovo Belbo
Castelnuovo Belbo is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 20 km southeast of Asti....
, Castelnuovo Calcea
Castelnuovo Calcea
Castelnuovo Calcea is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 15 km southeast of Asti.-Main sights:*Parish church, built in the late 17th century...
, Fontanile
Fontanile
Fontanile 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...
, Incisa Scapaccino
Incisa Scapaccino
Incisa Scapaccino is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 15 km southeast of Asti....
, 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....
, San Marzano Oliveto
San Marzano Oliveto
San Marzano Oliveto is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 20 km southeast of Asti.-Geography:...
, Vaglio Serra
Vaglio Serra
Vaglio Serra is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 15 km southeast of Asti. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 293 and an area of 4.6 km².Vaglio Serra borders the following municipalities:...
, and Vinchio
Vinchio
Vinchio is a comune in the Province of Asti in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km southeast of Turin and about 13 km southeast of Asti....
.
Name
Nizza Monferrato is also called Nizza della Paglia - "Nizza with straw", i.e. in the countryside. The suffix Monferrato (or Paglia) is needed to distinguish it from NiceNice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
: both Nizza Monferrato and the part of Provence that includes Nice (Nizza Marittima in Italian, Nissa dël Mar in Piedmontese) were at one time part of the Duchy of Savoy
Duchy of Savoy
From 1416 to 1847, the House of Savoy ruled the eponymous Duchy of Savoy . The Duchy was a state in the northern part of the Italian Peninsula, with some territories that are now in France. It was a continuation of the County of Savoy...
.
Geography
Nizza Monferrato is located in the Upper Monferrat, in the south of the Province of AstiProvince of Asti
The Province of Asti is a province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Asti. To the north west it borders on the province of Turin; to the south west it borders on the province of Cuneo. To the east it borders on the province of Alessandria, while in the south it...
, 30 km from the town of Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
. The comune is rich in vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s, and is traversed by the river Belbo
Belbo
The Belbo is a river of southern Piedmont, Italy. It is a right-side tributary of the Tanaro.The Belbo rises in the Langhe, on the borders between Piedmont and Liguria in the hills of Montezemolo....
.
History
It is believed that Nizza Monferrato was founded in 1225 by inhabitants of the area after the destruction of some castles in the area of Alessandria. The town was built around the Abbey of San Giovanni in Lanero, close to the river BelboBelbo
The Belbo is a river of southern Piedmont, Italy. It is a right-side tributary of the Tanaro.The Belbo rises in the Langhe, on the borders between Piedmont and Liguria in the hills of Montezemolo....
. It was elevated to the status of comune ten years later, and in 1264 it joined the March of Montferrat
March of Montferrat
The March of Montferrat was frontier march of the Kingdom of Italy during the Middle Ages and state of the Holy Roman Empire...
(also called the Marquisate of Monferrato).
In its history Nizza was besieged several times: firstly, in 1268, it resisted a siege by the troops of Charles I of Anjou for forty days. The city changed hands several times: at first it was under the control of the Aleramici, then the Paleologi, and in 1391 the town was devastated by the militias of the Count of Armagnac
Count of Armagnac
The following is a list of rulers of the county of Armagnac:-House of Armagnac:*William Count of Fézensac and Armagnac ?– 960*Bernard the Suspicious, First count privative of Armagnac 960– ?*Gerald I Trancaléon ? –1020*Bernard I Tumapaler 1020–1061...
. The city then passed under the control of the Gonzaga
House of Gonzaga
The Gonzaga family ruled Mantua in Northern Italy from 1328 to 1708.-History:In 1433, Gianfrancesco I assumed the title of Marquis of Mantua, and in 1530 Federico II received the title of Duke of Mantua. In 1531, the family acquired the Duchy of Monferrato through marriage...
, who were eager to steal its resources. After a period of relative prosperity, the town repulsed an attack of Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy in 1613. It was then repeatedly attacked by the French and Spanish in 1625, 1628 and in 1629.
In 1630 it was brought to its knees by famine and plague, and was again attacked by the French and Spanish in 1637. Ten years later, the town was razed to the ground and its walls torn down by an army from Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
. The second half of the 17th century was an equally disastrous period: Charles IV of Mantua
Charles IV, Duke of Mantua
Ferdinando Carlo Gonzaga was the only child of Duke Charles II of Mantua and Montferrat, and the last ruler of the Duchy of Mantua of the House of Gonzaga.-Biography:...
, anxious to pay the debts incurred by his maladministration of his duchy, completely emptied Nizza of everything of value, stripping away all the resources of the area.
The end of this turbulent period came when the town passed to the House of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
in 1703. The economy, which had fallen apart in the times of war, began to flourish in the late 18th century: in particular, the town became noted for the production of silk. The revolutionary winds that blew in 1799 passed the town by: residents responded to the bands of insurgents that arrived from neighboring towns with the counter-revolutionary cry of "Long live the king, long live Savoy".
After the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
the Savoy monarchy was restored, and the town resumed its development. Under the careful administration a new mayor, Pio Corsi from Bonsasco, the town was illuminated with oil lamps, an urban road network was created, a sewage system was installed, and the first trade incentives were initiated.
The painter Franco Sassi (1912 to 1993) was a great admirer of the town, its countryside and its landscape. This multifaceted artist - painter, draftsman, engraver and graphic designer - was a friend of Arturo Bersano http://www.bersano.it/Inglese/flash/bersano.swf, creating the labels for his wines. His famous black and white Monferrato Home (or The Farmhouse at Vinchio) depicts landscapes of Nizza. He created small masterpieces for Piedmont wine houses such as Gancia, Enrico Serafino, Giuseppe Parodi Spumanti of Canelli, Guasti Clemente Wines of Nizza, Giorgio Barbero and Sons of Canelli, and others. His art is a highlight of the region.
Nizza was the capital of the Partisan Republic of Monferrato in 1944, and was awarded the Silver Medal for the Military Valor for the sacrifices of its people and their participation in the partisan struggle against fascism
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In the autumn of 1968 the town was severely flooded when the Belbo
Belbo
The Belbo is a river of southern Piedmont, Italy. It is a right-side tributary of the Tanaro.The Belbo rises in the Langhe, on the borders between Piedmont and Liguria in the hills of Montezemolo....
and Nizza rivers burst their banks: the town narrowly avoided a repeat of this disaster in November 1994.
The Town Hall and bell tower
The Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall) is an imposing building with a natural brick facade dating from around the 14th or 15th century: it has served since its beginning as the seat of Nizza's local government. The building has two upper floors, each of which has four windows, with cornice ornamentation in the form of an arched lunetteLunette
In architecture, a lunette is a half-moon shaped space, either filled with recessed masonry or void. A lunette is formed when a horizontal cornice transects a round-headed arch at the level of the imposts, where the arch springs. If a door is set within a round-headed arch, the space within the...
. On the ground floor it has a broad internal arcade fronted by four arches, each supported by a large pillar. The coat of arms of the town is displayed above the wrought-iron balcony that links the two central windows on the first floor. The most important feature is, however, the ancient bell tower of the Town Hall, known by the citizens of Nizza as el campanone.
Palazzo Crova
Palazzo Crova is located in the Via Pio Corsi. Surrounded by narrow streets, it is a classic 18th century example of a town residence of the nobility. Designed by the architect Robilant, it has a garden enclosed by high walls.The palace remained in the possession of the descendants of the barons Crova di Vaglio, the original owners of the building, until the early decades of the 20th century. It now houses the town library, a restaurant with a regional enoteca
Enoteca
Enoteca is an Italian word, derived from the Greek word Οινοθήκη, which literally means ”wine repository” , but is used to describe a special type of local or regional wine shop that originated in Italy. The concept of an enoteca has also spread to some other countries...
, and the offices of the Colline Nicesi (Nizza Hills) branch of the Slow Food
Slow Food
Slow Food is an international movement founded by Carlo Petrini in 1986. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and encourages farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem. It was the first established part of...
movement and the Barbera d'Asti
Barbera d'Asti
Barbera d'Asti is an Italian red wine made from the Barbera grape variety. It is produced in the hilly areas of the provinces of Asti and Alexandria...
producers association, as well the Cardo Gobbo di Nizza headquarters.
Cattle Market
The Cattle Market (Foro Boario) is located on the south side spacious Piazza Garibaldi, the square that is the focal point of Nizza. Built around 1800, it a brick building with arches along its entire length, covered by a roof that rests on wooden trusses, now reinforced by metal inserts. The Foro is a symbol of trade and of the cultural events that take place there. In 2008 it was completely the restructured: it is now furnished with offices, toilets, new flooring, heating, lighting and large windows that enclose the entire structure, making it ideal for events, conferences and exhibitions. It is also the new location of the Tourist Information Office.Via Maestra
Via Carlo Alberto, better known as the Via Maestra, connects Piazza Garibaldi with Piazza XX Settembre. Nizza's most important thoroughfare, it is lined with the low rounded arches of ancient arcades, below which one can often find the original metal reinforcing rods. Many of the first-floor homes have fine wrought iron balconies, while at ground level there are many shops, full of Nizza character, that date from the 18th and 19th centuries.Museums
- Rural Museum (Museo delle Contadinerie) - which also includes an exhibition of artwork used by the local wine maker Bersano.
Food
Nizza Monferrato is famous for:- Barbera d'AstiBarbera d'AstiBarbera d'Asti is an Italian red wine made from the Barbera grape variety. It is produced in the hilly areas of the provinces of Asti and Alexandria...
Superiore Nizza, whose production is restricted to 18 local municipalities. - Cardo Gobbo (the hunchback cardoonCardoonThe cardoon , also called the artichoke thistle, cardone, cardoni, carduni or cardi, is a thistle-like plant in the aster family Asteraceae. It is the naturally occurring form of the same species as the globe artichoke, and has many cultivated varieties...
), a winter vegetable, low in calories, ideal with bagna caudaBagna CaudaBagna càuda, is a warm dip typical of Piedmont, Italy, but with numerous local variations...
, that takes its name from the stooping gait of the local gravediggers. Nizza is recognised as the origin of Cardo Gobbo by the Slow FoodSlow FoodSlow Food is an international movement founded by Carlo Petrini in 1986. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and encourages farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem. It was the first established part of...
movement. - La belecàuda, in Nizza dialect, denotes chickpea flour cooked in a wood oven. It is a specialty of Genoese origin that then spread along trade routes to the Ligurian hinterland.
Nizza Monferrato is represented at the Festival delle sagre astigiane (Asti's 'Festival of Festivals') by belecàuda and by pasta di meliga - maize paste, the basis of polenta.
Famous people
- Felice BorelFelice BorelFelice Placido Borel was an Italian football player who played as a striker.His older brother Aldo Borel played football professionally, spending 10 seasons in the Serie A, and their father Ernesto Borel played for OGC Nice, AS Cannes and Juventus F.C. in the 1900s and 1910s...
, footballer - Francesco CirioFrancesco CirioFrancesco Cirio was an Italian businessman and the inventor of canned vegetables and meat. He was born in Nizza Monferrato, then part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, to a poor and illiterate family. When he was 14 years old he came to the capital of the kingdom, Turin...
, founder of the Cirio food company - Maria Domenica Mazzarello, saint
Events
- Antiques Market; 3rd Sunday of every month
- Fiera del Santo Cristo (Santo Cristo Fair); 2nd Sunday in April
- Barbera in festa (BarberaBarberaBarbera 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...
Wine Festival); in May - Corsa delle botti (Barrel Race); 1st Sunday in June
- Monferrato in Tavola (Monferrato Table); 1st weekend in June
- Wine Cellars are open to the public on the Sunday after the harvest; in September
- Fiera di San Carlo (San Carlo Fair); 1st week of November (since 1516)
Nizza Monferrato is one the comuni in the province of Asti that take part in the Palio di Asti
Palio di Asti
The Palio di Asti is a traditional Italian festival of medieval origin that culminates with a bareback horse race....
on the third Sunday of September, in Asti. Nizza won the race in 1986 with the jockey Leonardo Viti on the horse Elf.