Discovering Alessandria

 A stroll through the Piedmontese city with the largest citadel in Europe.

Alessandria is a municipality in the Piedmont region of Italy and the capital of the province of the same name. It lies at the confluence of the Tanaro and Bormida rivers, in the western part of the Marengo plain, and is considered the coldest city in the Po Valley.

An important railway hub and a commercial and industrial centre, Alessandria is especially well known in the textile sector, notably for the famous manufacturing company founded in 1857 that created numerous models of hats under the “Borsalino” brand. Moreover, the Piedmontese goldsmithing tradition boasts a long history, particularly concentrated in Alessandria, which still preserves goldsmith’s punches dating back to the late 16th century.

The city was founded in 1168 by the Lombard League during its conflict with Emperor Frederick I, known as “Barbarossa”, who attempted to besiege the city between 1174 and 1175 without success. It was named Alessandria in honour of Pope Alexander III, the League's protector. A free commune until 1348, it later passed to the Visconti, then to the Sforza, and eventually to the Spanish. In 1707 it was conquered by Prince Eugene of Savoy and ceded to the House of Savoy in 1713. Vittorio Amedeo II fortified it in 1728, turning it into a strategic centre and stronghold for Piedmont. For this reason, following the defeat at Novara in 1849, it was garrisoned for four months by a contingent of the Austrian Empire.

The city was once known as “Alessandria della Paglia” (“Alessandria of Straw”) because its walls were built using mud and straw. These fortifications withstood attacks for nearly three centuries until Francesco Bussone, Count of Carmagnola, captured the city in 1415.

Not far from Alessandria lies Marengo, the site of the famous battle fought on 14 June 1800.

One of Alessandria’s distinctive features is its straight roads and its beautiful piazzas.

Piazza della Libertà, formerly known as Platea Maior, is the central hub of the city, built in the 12th century. It is defined by the inner ring road that traces the old perimeter of the Visconti city walls.

The Cathedral of Saints Peter and Mark showcases Neoclassical forms designed between 1875 and 1879 by architect Edoardo Arborio Mella from Vercelli. Inside are precious artworks: a 15th-century wooden Crucifix; a 14th-century panel known as the Madonna dell’Uscetto; and a wooden group representing the Blessed Virgin of the Salve from the late 15th century. The ambulatory contains several 17th-century busts by sculptor Filippo Parodi, who also created the group depicting Saint Joseph and the Child. Noteworthy are six paintings by Guglielmo Caccia, known as “il Moncalvo”, located in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception and the sacristy. The tall spired bell tower is the second highest in Italy, after the Torrazzo of Cremona.

Palatium Vetus is one of the city's oldest buildings, constructed in 1170. It served as a broletto (medieval town hall) during the 13th and 14th centuries.

Palazzo Guasco Gallarati di Bisio is a historic building originally constructed in the 13th century. Its current appearance dates from the 18th century.

The Town Hall, located in Piazza della Libertà, is known as the “Red Palace” (Palazzo Rosso) due to the colour of its façade. It was designed by architect Giuseppe Caselli.

Palazzo Ghilini, referred to as a “little royal palace”, was designed by Benedetto Alfieri for his uncle Tommaso Ottaviano II Ghilini. Its magnificent façade features two tiers of windows framed by pilasters. Inside, grand entrances lead to rooms adorned with stuccoes, mirrors, and fireplaces showcasing the Baroque style of Piedmont.

Palazzo Cuttica di Cassine is a Baroque-style palace with classical influences, commissioned by Marquis Luigi Cuttica in the 18th century.

Palazzo dal Pozzo, also dating from the 18th century, is a Baroque palace listed among Alessandria’s monumental buildings.

The Triumphal Arch, a historic monument in Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, was erected in 1768 by Giuseppe Caselli to commemorate the visit of Vittorio Amedeo III of Savoy and his consort Maria Antonia of Bourbon-Spain.

The Citadel is one of the grandest fortresses in Europe. Located on the left bank of the Tanaro river, it was commissioned in the 18th century by Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy to protect the city and its surrounding territory. An entire district had to be evacuated and demolished to make way for the immense hexagonal structure. Construction began in 1733 under court architect Ignazio Bertola, who designed it with a star-shaped layout and six bastions surrounded by deep moats connected to the Tanaro. Around the central courtyard were the command buildings and soldiers’ quarters. The fortress could accommodate up to 5,000 soldiers and was equipped with an arsenal, powder magazines, a hospital, and a prison. The Cittadella Bridge, the city’s main bridge, connects both banks of the Tanaro and was inaugurated on 23 October 2016.

The Church of Santa Maria di Castello is the oldest in the city, located in the heart of Borgo Rovereto. Its construction began between the 8th and 9th centuries and was completed in the 16th century. The church is a blend of Romanesque and Gothic styles and was consecrated on 15 January 1545.

The Convent Complex of San Francesco is the oldest monastic church in Alessandria, founded around the mid-13th century and completed in the early 14th century. It was deconsecrated by the Napoleonic administration in 1806 and subsequently converted into a barracks and later a military hospital.

Countless religious, civil, and military buildings of great historical value have been built in Alessandria over the centuries.

The city is also renowned for its traditional cuisine, with famous dishes including: rabatòn (large gnocchi), pollo alla Marengo (Marengo-style chicken), lacabòn (a stick-shaped sweet), and polenta del Marengo (a traditional dessert).

The rugged and wild area south of Alessandria was largely under the control of the Republic of Genoa until the Congress of Vienna, which marked the annexation of Genoa and its territories to the Kingdom of Sardinia. The Ligurian influence is still deeply rooted in the culture, dialect, and traditions of the region, as well as in its medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque art. This is evident in the remarkable ruins of the ancient city of Libarna and the Roman origins of Tortona—once known as Dertona—where settlements have existed since antiquity along the Scrivia Valley.

Chestnut and beech woods alternate with the geometric shapes of vineyards, continuing a tradition established during Roman times. The gastronomic landscape, shaped by the fusion of Piedmontese and Ligurian cuisine, reflects the borderland identity of the Alessandria region.

Photo: Aerial view of the Citadel of Alessandria (from “Arte e Musei”)