La Boutique Piemonteisa

Let’s discover the wonders of this city and some of its lesser-known curiosities. Casale Monferrato is a town in the province of Alessandria, in the Piedmont region of Italy. It lies at the foot of the eastern hills of Monferrato and is crossed by the River Po. The historic center of the city has an aristocratic and solemn appearance that reflects the grandeur of its past and its historical role as a strategic stronghold. The surrounding territory is exceptionally fertile and rich in vineyards that produce the renowned wines Barbera, Freisa, Grignolino, Dolcetto, and Rubino. The town, of Roman origin, was granted by Emperor Charles III, known as “the Fat,” to the Diocese of Vercelli, from which it rebelled in 1215. It was subsequently razed by the people of Vercelli but rose again thanks to Frederick II of Swabia. Over the centuries, Casale came under the rule of the marquises of the Aleramici family, then the Visconti, followed by the Paleologi, and later the Gonzaga and the House...

Let’s travel to the Vercelli area, where we discover this abbey that once served as a landmark in the "land of rice". The Abbey of Santa Maria di Lucedio is located in Lucedio, one of the hamlets of the municipality of Trino, in the province of Vercelli, Piedmont. It was founded in the early 12th century by a group of monks from the Cistercian Order, who came from the monastery of La Ferté in Burgundy. The land they settled on—partly marshy and partly wooded—had been donated to them by Marquis Ranieri I of Montferrat. These monks were the first to introduce rice cultivation to Italy, making Lucedio the birthplace of Italian rice. From this location, the system of "grange" farms spread—agricultural enterprises developed through deforestation and land leveling. After reclaiming the area, the abbey was likely built around 1123. From that moment, under the careful leadership of its abbots, it began to expand both spiritually and temporally. One abbot who particular...