Alessandria
Hello Alessandria! The city at the center of the Turin-Milan-Genoa triangle
Alessandria is an Italian municipality located at the center of the industrial triangle of Turin, Milan, and Genoa, constituting an important hub of exchange. With its 90,962 inhabitants, it is the largest municipality in the region and the third largest by population, as well as the capital of the eponymous province. It is a city that offers its visitors a wide selection of attractions, including historical monuments, parks, and museums.
Physical geography
Territory
Alessandria is located at about 100 meters above sea level, in the alluvial plain formed by the Tanaro and Bormida rivers, near their confluence point. Thanks to its position, the city constitutes an important highway and railway hub, located in the southwest of the Alessandria Viaggiatori train station. The A21 and A26 highways connect it to the surrounding cities and facilitate access. The city is surrounded by long, wide avenues with multiple lanes and large, airy squares.
Climate
Alessandria is characterized by a typical Po Valley climate with cold and foggy winters and hot and humid summers. Rainfall is not very abundant, about 600 mm, and falls mainly in autumn and spring. Alessandria has a more continental climate than the rest of Piedmont. Winters, due to the greater number of foggy days, tend to be colder, while summers are sultry but much sunnier and drier.
History
Ancient age
Before the Roman conquest, the territory of Alessandria was inhabited by the Statesellis, a people belonging to the Ligurian group. In the 3rd century BC, the Roman conquest of Cisalpine Gaul took place, and the Ligurian population was subsequently Romanized; in 42 BC, the province of Cisalpine Gaul was abolished and integrated into Roman Italy. During the Roman Empire, the villages of Rovereto and Bergoglio arose in Alessandria. Subsequently, with the fall of the Roman Empire and the Ostrogothic Kingdom, during the Lombard reign, the territory was reorganized into Courts, including the one in Spinetta_Marengo## Marengo; in this place, in the 8th century, the Tower of Teodolinda was built.
Middle Ages
The foundation
Italy's control in 774 passed from the Lombards to the Frankish kingdom. It was probably at this time that the Rovereto court was established, which would have a central role in the birth of Alessandria. In 962, the German king Otto I of Saxony conquered the kingdom of Italy and established the Holy Roman Empire. In 1168, the municipality of Alessandria was founded by Emperor Frederick I, also known as Barbarossa, with the aim of controlling the Scrivia Valley region. Frederick I gave the city the appearance of a fortress, providing it with bastions and walls built with an innovative hexagonal design for the time, as the famous musketeers of nearby Casale Monferrato could attest to. Indeed, the city soon became an important strategic center that allowed for the control of both the surrounding territory and the communication routes between Turin, Milan, and Genoa.
Renaissance and modern age
In the 15th century, during the Renaissance, Alessandria was ruled by the Del Carretto family. In 1575, the city came under the control of the Gonzaga family. In 1708, the city was conquered by French troops, who held it in management until 1713. In 1734, the city passed under the dominion of the Savoy, who ruled Piedmont for almost two centuries. During this period, the city underwent a series of architectural transformations, including the construction of the Teatro Sociale, the Palazzo delle Poste, the Alfieri Theater, and the facade of the church of Santa Maria di Castello.
Conclusions
Alessandria is a historic city that offers its visitors many opportunities to explore its cultural heritage. The city has many museums, historic palaces, and churches, such as the Church of San Francesco and the Church of Santa Maria di Castello, to visit. In addition, the city is also famous for its cuisine, with dishes such as bagna cauda and farinata. Thanks to its central position in the Turin-Milan-Genoa triangle, Alessandria is an important connection hub between these three cities, with a wide choice of transport links to the surrounding cities and beyond.
