ATS ViviMonferrato ETS
Località Piano 32/B, 15070 Lerma, AL
CF:90028290063 - RUNTS: Rep. n° 3040
cell: 351-7660812
IBAN: IT42 M035 7601 6010 1000 3949146
The Monferrato
Since 2014, Monferrato has become part of the UNESCO heritage family, allowing for a more precise geographical placement, even if not a historical one. Geographically, Monferrato covers an area that roughly corresponds to the provinces of Alessandria and Asti.
Its borders are the Po River to the north in the province of Turin, the Ligurian Apennines with the metropolitan city of Genoa to the south, to the west it touches the province of Cuneo and to the east that of Pavia in Lombardy. Currently, we can consider three areas:
the Lower Monferrato also called Casalese Monferrato - the main centers are Casale Monferrato and Valenza -
the Upper Monferrato - the main centers are Acqui Terme and Ovada -
the Astigiano Monferrato - the main centers are Asti and Nizza Monferrato -
Historically, however, "Monferrato" is more elusive. The territory that was initially called Monferrato seems to correspond to a toponym and not to an actual "march" that Berengar II, King of Italy and Marquis of Ivrea, would have granted to Aleramo, his son-in-law (904-991).
It is now more widely accepted that the honorary recognitions to Aleramo did not initially correspond to an investiture, but that he simply acquired territories, including Monferrato itself – a territory between the Tanaro River and the Po north of Alessandria –, and numerous other localities in the dioceses of Acqui, Vercelli, Vado-Savona and in the southernmost area of the Turin march. This heritage would be passed on and, little by little, divided among his descendants. Among these, only Ranieri, would be titled as Monferrato Marchio in a document from 1111. From Aleramo, as we said, descend the various marquis families: the marquises of Cleva and Clavesana, the marquises del Carretto, the marquises of Occimiano, the marquises of Sezzadio, the marquises of Cortemilia, the marquises del Bosco, the marquises of Busca, the marquises of Lancia and the lords of Loreto. All of them tried to expand their influence and possessions at the expense of the others. However, the history of Monferrato is not only a history of struggles between small powers. With Guglielmo V (1133-1191) the marquisate will fully enter Italian and European history. Due to its strategic position as a transit territory, between the plain and the sea, and its political function as a buffer state between kingdoms loyal either to France or the Empire, Monferrato would be contested, split, extended or fragmented until the 17th century. Its geographical features and historical events make this territory extremely rich in environments, places and assets of great beauty. From the wheat fields of the plains to the hills cultivated with vineyards, to the wild woods rich in fauna and flora, to the mountains that plunge into the Ligurian Sea, the eye can always catch glimpses of beauty composed and ordered by the hand of man or wild and mysterious.
Castles, towers, stately homes, convents, churches, small parish churches and cathedrals are scattered everywhere and tell us about the life of our territory from the times of the Ligurian populations to today.
ATS ViviMonferrato ETS
Località Piano 32/B, 15070 Lerma, AL
CF:90028290063 - RUNTS: Rep. n° 3040
cell: 351-7660812
IBAN: IT42 M035 7601 6010 1000 3949146