Cassine, Acqui Terme, Monastero Bormida (23/12/2024)

A short drive from Alessandria, my brother and I reached the town of Cassine, located on a hilly outcrop above the Bormida river. We parked the car and then headed uphill to reach the city center. Walking through the old town streets, we first stopped to visit the church of Santa Caterina, a baroque building from the 18th century with the typical exposed brick style of the area. After that, we continued uphill and reached the large, irregular square in front of the town hall. Here, on the highest spot in town, were the 16th-century oratories of San Bernardino and that of the Santissima Trinità, as well as the beautiful brick Gothic church of San Francesco built between the 13th and 14th centuries. Unfortunately, the church was closed and we couldn't visit the nice interior, which included a small museum and traces of medieval frescoes. From behind the complex, a grassy area granted a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape with the river valley below, and in the distance, the snow-capped mountains. Moving on through town, we passed by the 14th-century Zoppi palace, which started as a stronghold and was later transformed into a residential palace. On the same street, we then passed two more churches, the highly refurbished 12th-century church of San Giacomo and the 18th-century church of San Lorenzo. Once we had reached the end of the old town, we turned back and walked back through all the way back to the car. We then drove southwards and reached the city of Acqui Terme. We found parking and then headed to visit the old town, starting with the nearby church of San Francesco, which was completely rebuilt in neoclassical style in the 19th century. Right in front of the church, next to a small square, was a small archaeological site which consisted of a public fountain from the ancient Roman period. Moving on, we reached the western end of town, where we then visited the Basilica of San Pietro. The church has early Christian origins and was rebuilt in Romanesque style in the 11th century, before being heavily altered during the 18th century in baroque style, but then returned to its Romanesque style during the 20th century. The interior was empty and whitewashed, and there was only a trace of one medieval fresco surviving. From there, we headed deep into the city center, walking through the pretty streets lined with old buildings. We then took a staircase which led us to the elongated Piazza Duomo, at the end of which stood the Cathedral. Built around the 11th century in a Romanesque style, it then received a Gothic bell tower, cloister, and main decorated portal in the 15th century, and its interior was refurbished in the baroque style between the 17th and 18th centuries, with some additions also in the 19th century. Once inside, we marveled at the use of marbles and gold as well as the frescoes decorating the ceiling. Noteworthy was the crypt dating to the original construction of the church with 98 columns. We also visited the Gothic cloister and were surprised we were the only visitors. After visiting the cathedral, we headed further uphill until we reached the highest point where the Castello dei Paleologi is located. This castle originally dates to the 11th century but was rebuilt in the 15th century. Despite holding a museum, it was closed as we arrived, and so we just admired the view of the city from up there. Continuing onwards, we walked through some pretty and narrow streets passing by the baroque church of Sant'Antonio, which was closed. Down one of the streets, we then reached the remains of the ancient Roman theatre. Nearby, we then decided to stop to have lunch at the restaurant La Loggia, from where we had while eating a great view over the town's rooftops while eating. After lunch, we eventually walked down to what is Acqui's main square, the Piazza della Bollente. The name comes from the large octagonal marble shrine sitting at the center of the square and built in 1879. It was built around a thermal spring from which 74.5 °C of a sulfurous-salty-bromine-iodine water, known to be used since ancient Roman times, comes gushing out. It was incredible to be able to just walk up to it and warm our hands on this sunny yet still slightly cold day. Even just standing next to the water spout with the evaporating water gave us such a warm and nice feeling. On the same square on the western part is the civic tower, an old medieval gate which was expanded in 1763 and turned into a clock tower. From there, we walked on to reach the southern end of the old town, where, at the end of the 19th century, the Nuove Terme, a spa, was built, still in use to this day. We had finished the tour of the city and headed back to the car to leave. Just outside the city center, to the south, across the Bormida river, we stopped briefly to admire the ruins of the ancient Roman aqueduct, with a section of four large arches still standing. From there, we drove on and reached the town of Monastero Bormida. We had stopped here just briefly for a photo a few years before, but this time intended to visit its nice old town. We parked the car and then again stood on the riverbank, the Bormida, to admire the picturesque view of the Romanesque bridge with the castle and old town. We crossed the bridge and walked up to the castle, heading inside its inner courtyard. The castle actually began as a monastery and was only developed as a defensive structure starting from the 15th century. In fact, its square structure with defensive towers at each corner was then connected to what seems to be a solitary 27m high tower, which was once actually the monastery's bell tower then turned into a defensive one. In front of the castle, on the eastern side of the town's main square, we then visited the church of Santa Giulia, dating to the 18th century with a few later neoclassical refurbishments. After visiting the church, we then had a walk through the rest of the town and headed back to the car. We then decided to drive up one of the nearby hills where a large bench, like many others scattered throughout the region, was set. From there, we had a great view of the town from above. Leaving the area we then drove through the nice hills, but with really narrow roads, until we reached the hilltop village of Castelletto d'Erro. Here we visited its 13th-century medieval tower, sitting at the center of the town on the highest point, and once part of the castle that stood there. From the part which we could reach by climbing halfway up, we had a beautiful view of the surroundings. We could see many old towns scattered around the hills, with some medieval towers in the distance on top of other hilltops. We could also see the alpine range in the far distance, with some peaks easily recognizable, such as Monviso, especially as sunset was approaching. After the nice view, we drove back down the hills and passed Acqui Terme once again to reach the small town of Visone. Here, for our last stop, we visited the Malaspina castle, originally dating to the 10th century but heavily refurbished during the 15th century. Now only part of the main keep survives, as in 1861, a heavy flood from the nearby Bormida river took down with it part of the old town and part of the castle perimeter. From the castle, we then walked around the rest of the town, stopping at the small oratory of San Rocco, with a nice Christmas nativity scene, and the nearby 16th-century Palazzo Madama Rossi. Once back at the car we then drove home.

The main square in Cassine

View of the Alps

The other side of the main square

The church of San Giacomo

The Basilica of San Pietro in Acqui Terme

View of the Catehdral

The interior of the Cathedrak

The crypt

The cloister

The Castle

The Bollente fountain

A street in the old town

The Roman acqueduct

View of Monastero Bormida

The church of Santa Giulia

The castle

View of Castelletto d'Erro

The medieval tower

View of the Alps and Monviso

The castle of Visone

Trip north of Vicenza (21/12/2024)

I decided to visit a few towns north of Vicenza, which I had previously visited. I started out with Costabissara, where I first headed to visit its main church, San Giorgio Martire. It was built in 1920 to replace the smaller one located on a nearby hilltop in order to serve the growing population of the town, which was expanding on the lower part. In front of the church stands the memorial to the victims of the First World War. From there, a short walk took me to the main street where I passed a nice 15th-century house with the fresco of the Lion of St Mark's and in the background an old view of Costabissara, probably dating to the 18th century. Right across from it, I passed the small oratory of Sant'Apollonia, dating to the 17th century in a baroque style. As I walked to the southwestern edge of town, I reached another small oratory, San Valentino, built in 1684 and with a beautifully decorated facade. At that point, I started walking uphill and reached the old church of San Giorgio, once the main one in town before the construction of the new one. Supposedly of Langobard origin, it was rebuilt in a Romanesque style during the 15th century and then partially refurbished in the 17th century, and then again in the 19th century when it got some Neo-Gothic features. Nowadays, it is used by the local Romanian Orthodox church. From there, I then walked on and passed the large Villa San Carlo, an 18th-century villa that is currently used as a house for spiritual exercises of the catholic church and is surrounded by a beautiful park. Not far from there, I passed the Castello Bissari Sforza Colleoni, once a 12th-century castle, then refurbished and turned into a villa in the 19th century. From there, I then walked back to the car and drove on to the nearby town of Castelnovo. Here, I first visited the main church, San Vitale, built in 1912 alongside the old church, which was eventually demolished a decade later. From the church, I then started heading uphill and passed by two medieval towers, once part of the castle that dominated the town from up there. A little further, I then reached the church of San Lorenzo, a small medieval church dating to the 10th century and rebuilt in a Romanesque style in the 12th century. It was closed but from up there I still admired the beautiful panorama of the snow-covered mountains, not too far. Once back down in town, after taking the car, a short drive brought me to Isola Vincentina. I first climbed up the hilltop to reach the church and convent of Santa Maria del Cengio. Originally dating to the 12th century, it was then enlarged with a convent in the 15th century. It features a small church and a nice cloister, and the view from the hilltop was great, with the whole plain in front and the mountains in the background. Back down from the hilltop, I then passed by the town's main church, San Pietro Apostolo, built at the beginning of the 20th century over a previous one. It was closed, so I continued on, passing through the small main square where a nice fountain was located. At the eastern end of town, I then reached the 18th-century Villa Cerchiari, now used as the local library. Back at the car, I then drove on to the next town, Malo. Once there, I first walked up the hilltop to reach the sanctuary of Santa Maria Liberatrice. Built around the 12th century, where once was the castle, it was expanded and refurbished, particularly in the 17th century when it took its current baroque form. Among the interior decorations is a painting of the Madonna from the 13th century, considered one of the oldest depictions of the Madonna in the province. Just outside, next to the church, I then had a great view of the nearby mountains of Carega and Pasubio. Descending back down into town, I then reached the southeastern end of town where the Villa Clementi is set, an 18th-century villa refurbished during the 19th century and now holding the town's library. Continuing on through some nice streets lined by old buildings, I passed another villa, Muzani Castellani Fancon, and its annexed church of San Francesco with a nice Gothic bell tower. Further on, I passed another church, San Nicola, late Gothic in style and from the beginning of the 17th century, and then another at the northern end of town, San Bernardino, built in the 15th century, and now used as a council chamber. From there, I walked along the main street and then took a side street to reach the large Duomo. This 19th-century neoclassical church replaced an older 16th-century one, while its bell tower still has its medieval 13th-century aspect. Once I was back at the car, a short drive led me to the next town, San Vito di Leguzzano. Once there, I first headed to the main church, Santi Vito, Modesto e Crescenzia, located slightly uphill from the center. It was built in the 18th century, and after finding it open, I headed inside to visit it; at one point, though, a man who was fixing some lightning inside noticed me and told me that the church was actually closed. I told him I wasn't aware, and he still let me take a few pictures before leaving. Heading back into town, I walked along the main street and reached another, smaller church, Immacolata Concezione. A bit unassuming from the outside, it contains a noteworthy interior with frescoes dating to the 14th and 15th centuries, including one with Jesus and Saint Sunday, and a series of objects relating to works connecting it to the forbidden trades on Sunday. After the visit to the church, I headed back to the car and drove on to reach the town of Marano Vicentino. Here, on the main square, I then visited the main church, Santa Maria Annunziata. Dating to the 18th century, it replaced an older church and features some nice paintings, mostly from the 17th century, in the baroque style. After a small walk around the area, I got back in the car and drove on to the last stop of the day, the town of Villaverla. Here was a nice square with a monument to the fallen of WWI at its center, to the north Villa Martinengo Spiller refurbished in the 17th century, and to the east the church of San Domenico dating from the 19th century. Walking further, I then reached a part of town, which once used to be the main square, where the main road cuts through town. Despite the traffic, I managed to admire the nice porticoed houses along the square's perimeter and the two large villas. The first, Villa Verlato, was built in 1576 by Scamozzi in the style of an imposing palazzo and with an annexed small church. On the other side of the street, the grandiose Villa Ghellini, built by Pizzocaro in 1664, with a nice main facade and a central courtyard. At that point the sun was setting and it was time to head home.

A 15th century house with a fresco of the Lion of St Mark's in Costabissara

The Oratory of San Valentino

The entrance to the Villa San Carlo

One of the gates of the Bissari Sforza Colleoni Castle

The church of San Lorenzo in Castelnovo

The main square in Isola Vicentina

View from the convent of Santa Maria del Cengio

The Sanctuary of Santa Maria Liberatrice in Malo

View towards the mountains

The monument to the fallen and the sanctuary

A street in the old town with the church of San Nicola

Another street in the old town with the former church of San Bernardino

The Duomo

The interior of the church of Immacolata Concezione in San Vito di Leguzzano

The church of Santa Maria Annunziata in Marano Vicentino

The main square in Villaverla

Villa Verlato

Bussolengo, Manerba del Garda & Moniga del Garda (15/12/2024)

On a seemingly gray and slightly foggy day, I decided to visit a few towns around Lake Garda. My first stop was the village of Arcé, with its small but nice historic center. I walked along the main street, sided by low houses, until I reached the western end where the church of San Michele is located. Built during the 12th century in a Romanesque style, it was unfortunately closed. I saw it from the outside and then headed back through the rest of the town. On the eastern end, I then admired the nice Villa Da Sacco, originally dating to the 18th century but refurbished in the following century. Not far from there, I then reached the church of San Lorenzo Martire, Pescantina's Duomo, but strangely located far from the town's city center. Built during the 18th century over a previous medieval church, featuring a neoclassical style, it has a nice interior and an 80m high detached bell tower. Just across the bridge over the Adige River, I then reached the city of Bussolengo. I walked through the city center first, visiting the Sanctuary of the Perpetuo Soccorso, refurbished in the 18th century, with a 16th-century Renaissance cloister and a 14th-century icon of the Madonna from Crete inside. After that, I walked through town, following the main street until I reached the main square, Piazza XXVI Aprile. Here was the old building of the town hall, and behind it the church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Originally dating to the 12th century, it was then completely remade during the 18th century, and in 197,6 a new concrete part was added on the northern flank, completely changing the layout and turning the former church into the transepts. Continuing on my walk through town, I then reached the church of San Valentino at the southern end. Despite being closed, I could still admire the 15th-century exterior frescoes with depictions of the story of St. Valentine, as well as one depicting the crucifixion on the southern facade. Not far from this church was another church, San Rocco, also closed and dating to around the same period. To complete my tour of the city, I then ended up at the Villa Spinola, a nice example of a 15th-century villa with a loggia and a 13th-century dovecot tower. After visiting the city, I got in the car, drove alongside the lake, and reached its western side, where the town of Manerba del Garda is located. Made up of smaller old towns, I decided to park in one of them, Montinelle. I first explore the nice historic part with its 15th century church of San Bernardo, closed, and its narrow streets. Then from there, I started heading uphill to reach the castle. The Rocca di Manerba, now just ruins, is located on a rocky promontory right above Lake Garda, dominating the landscape and with incredible views all around. The promontory was inhabited since the Neolithic times, and a defensive structure was built during the Middle Ages; that structure was eventually destroyed by Venice when the republic took the area under its control, as it had become a refuge for bandits. As I was on top, the clouds and fog partly gave way to blue sky and sun, and so I could partly admire the mountains in the distance, including the snow-capped Monte Baldo. Back down, I then visited the small museum detailing the local history, fauna, and flora. I talked to a friendly lady there a bit about myself and my travels, and she told me a bit about herself and the area. After the nice conversation, I continued on to visit the surroundings, heading on foot to the nearby old town of Solarolo. I first visited the large church of Santa Maria Assunta, a nice baroque building built in the 18th century. Then, along the main street, I reached another church, San Giovanni Battista Decollato, this one actually not in use for religious purposes but holding a whole set of mechanical nativity scenes with both traditional buildings and landscapes as well as more modern ones with even a ski slope and skiers. In the northern end of town, I then reached yet another church, Santissima Trinità, dating to the 15th century and supposedly holding frescoes inside which I couldn't see as it was closed. Finally, to finish off my trip, on the way back, I stopped to visit the town of Moniga del Garda. Here was a beautiful fortified village: a group of houses surrounded by a thick wall and towers. I walked both inside the structure and outside, admiring the nice medieval walls and towers, including the imposing main one serving as an entrance gate as well. In front of the castle was the church of San Martino, which I visited, built in a baroque style in the 18th century over a previous one. Finally, it was time to get back in the car and drive all the way home. 

The church of San Michele in Arcé

A street in the old town

The Villa da Sacco

The Duomo of Pescantina

The Sanctuary of the Perpetuo Soccorso in Bussolengo

The main square

Medieval frescoes on the side of the church of San Valentino

Villa Spinola

The Rocca di Manerba

View of Lake Garda from the castle

The unusual nativity scene inside the church of San Giovanni in Solarolo

A street in the old town

The old town inside the castle of Moniga del Garda

View of the castle

The castle's main gate