Orba (torrente)
Encyclopedia
The Orba is a torrent
( — a stream whose flow shows a very marked seasonal variation) of northern Italy
. Its c. 70 km course runs northwards through Piedmont
from its springs in the Apennines
to its confluence with the Bormida, a right tributary of the Po
. The Orba flows from a mountain region, where there are attractive villages such as Tiglieto
, Molare
and then it comes to Monferrato's hills.
Ovada
is the biggest town in Orba's valley, and it has a central role among all other villages on top of hills: Rocca Grimalda
, Tagliolo, Cremolino
, Silvano d'Orba
, Carpeneto
, Castelletto d'Orba
, Predosa
are only some of villages which were built around their own castles on top of rocky hills close to the river, surrounded by vineyard and woods.
Tasty and appreciated wines are produced in this valley: Dolcetto di Ovada, Barbera del Monferrato, Cortese di Gavi are well-known wines which has developed an international market.
Orba is a toponym which is quite frequent in Europe, especially in Italy
, France
and Spain
in a variety of different forms and spelling.
The name has a Celtic
origin related with celtic mythology and as toponym is often associated with rivers whose sand were found to be rich in gold.
Gold
was extracted from Orba's sand long before the Romans
founded a town in this forested area. Rondinaria is supposed to have been an important centre for gold extraction until the end of the Western Roman Empire
: during the following centuries almost all traces of this old centre disappeared and the valley was again completely covered by forests. From 1700, many and expensive efforts were done in order to find out the gold field where the precious metal came from but nobody managed to detect it.
Gold extraction from sand grew up during the Fascist period, as answer to the embargo imposed by other nations on Italian gold trade. Today this activity turned into a local popular hobby and a museum of gold extraction was founded in Predosa
, with collections of relics from the past of this old and glorious activity.
Torrente
Torrente may refer to:* Torrent, Valencia, a municipality located within the metropolitan area of the city of the Spanish city Valencia* Torrente , a Parisian haute couture fashion house founded by designer Rosette Torrente-Mett in 1969; current creative director Julien Fournie* Gonzalo Torrente...
( — a stream whose flow shows a very marked seasonal variation) of northern Italy
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...
. Its c. 70 km course runs northwards through 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...
from its springs in the Apennines
Apennine mountains
The Apennines or Apennine Mountains or Greek oros but just as often used alone as a noun. The ancient Greeks and Romans typically but not always used "mountain" in the singular to mean one or a range; thus, "the Apennine mountain" refers to the entire chain and is translated "the Apennine...
to its confluence with the Bormida, a right tributary of the Po
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
. The Orba flows from a mountain region, where there are attractive villages such as Tiglieto
Tiglieto
Tiglieto is a comune in the Province of Genoa in the Italian region Liguria, located about 52 km northwest of Genoa.Tiglieto borders the following municipalities: Campo Ligure, Genoa, Masone, Molare, Ponzone, Rossiglione, Sassello, Urbe.-History:In 1120 Tiglieto Abbey was the first...
, Molare
Molare
Molare is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 km southeast of Turin and about 35 km south of Alessandria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 2,101 and an area of 32.8 km².Molare borders the following municipalities:...
and then it comes to Monferrato's hills.
Ovada
Ovada
Ovada is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 km southeast of Turin and about 30 km south of Alessandria....
is the biggest town in Orba's valley, and it has a central role among all other villages on top of hills: Rocca Grimalda
Rocca Grimalda
Rocca Grimalda is a village and comune in the Province of Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy. It lies in Alto Monferrato, an historical region of Piedmont, and it was built upon a rocky hill on the Orba's left bank...
, Tagliolo, Cremolino
Cremolino
Cremolino is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 km southeast of Turin and about 35 km south of Alessandria...
, Silvano d'Orba
Silvano d'Orba
Silvano d'Orba is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 km southeast of Turin and about 25 km south of Alessandria...
, Carpeneto
Carpeneto
Carpeneto 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. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 923 and an area of 13.6 km².Carpeneto borders the following...
, Castelletto d'Orba
Castelletto d'Orba
Castelletto d'Orba is a comune in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 km southeast of Turin and about 25 km south of Alessandria...
, Predosa
Predosa
Predosa 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....
are only some of villages which were built around their own castles on top of rocky hills close to the river, surrounded by vineyard and woods.
Tasty and appreciated wines are produced in this valley: Dolcetto di Ovada, Barbera del Monferrato, Cortese di Gavi are well-known wines which has developed an international market.
Orba is a toponym which is quite frequent in Europe, especially in Italy
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...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in a variety of different forms and spelling.
The name has a Celtic
Celtic languages
The Celtic languages are descended from Proto-Celtic, or "Common Celtic"; a branch of the greater Indo-European language family...
origin related with celtic mythology and as toponym is often associated with rivers whose sand were found to be rich in gold.
Gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
was extracted from Orba's sand long before the Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
founded a town in this forested area. Rondinaria is supposed to have been an important centre for gold extraction until the end of the Western Roman Empire
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire was the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 285; the other half of the Roman Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire, commonly referred to today as the Byzantine Empire....
: during the following centuries almost all traces of this old centre disappeared and the valley was again completely covered by forests. From 1700, many and expensive efforts were done in order to find out the gold field where the precious metal came from but nobody managed to detect it.
Gold extraction from sand grew up during the Fascist period, as answer to the embargo imposed by other nations on Italian gold trade. Today this activity turned into a local popular hobby and a museum of gold extraction was founded in Predosa
Predosa
Predosa 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....
, with collections of relics from the past of this old and glorious activity.