Altare
Altare, a hilltop town in Liguria
Hi there! Today I'm going to tell you about a small hilltop town located in Liguria, northern Italy. I'm talking about Altare, a municipality with about 1930 inhabitants located in the province of Savona.
Physical geography
The area is located on the hills of the Riviera hinterland, about 12 km from Savona. In the easternmost part of its territory is Bocchetta di Altare or Colle di Cadibona, the conventional point of demarcation between the Alps and the Apennines.
The highest point in the municipality is 1223 meters, at the summit of Monte Baraccone; another important mountain is Monte Burotto Fort (555 meters) at the top of which stands the 19th century Forte di Monte Burotto.
The Bormida di Mallare river flows along the western border of the territory, joining the Tanaro river, while the Letimbro river, which runs through Savona and flows into the Ligurian Sea, originates here.
History
Historical overview
The first settlement may have been established in Roman times along the important commercial route between the Ligurian coast and Oltregiogo. From the 10th century, the Altare fiefdom was dependent on the Order of Saint Benedict of the monastery of Sant'Eugenio on the island of Bergeggi, inserted into the vast feudal possessions of the Lerino Abbey. Thanks to the monks of Bergeggi, the new village and the ancient parish of Eugenio di Cartagine (now the Church of the Santissima Annunziata), dedicated to the ancient patron saint of Altare, was founded in the twelfth century, not far from the final stretch of the Bormida di Mallare.
The monks themselves were responsible for importing the art of glassworking from France, which would make Altare economically prosperous in the subsequent centuries.
In 1142, the village was inherited by Enrico I Del Carretto, a descendant of Bonifacio del Vasto, who declared himself the new Marquis Del Carretto and fortified the historic nucleus of Altare. From 1393, the Altarese territory was incorporated into the possessions of the Marquisate of Monferrato, under the guidance of Marquis Teodoro II Paleologo, and to the latter, Giorgio Del Carretto donated a quarter of the Altare fiefdom and a portion of the Altare Castle; the other three quarters of the Altarese territory remained directly dependent on Giovanni Del Carretto, Giorgio's brother.
The Del Carretto family's lands in Altare were confiscated in 1446, following the accusation of "lesa maestà" by the Ducal Chamber; the Marquises of Monferrato thus became co-lords of the fiefdom of Altare until 1538, when Galeotto Del Carretto, owner of one quarter of the Altarese fiefdom, managed to redeem the entire portion.
In 1536, Monferrato came under the influence of the Gonzaga family of Mantua and the Altare fiefdom was exchanged and sold to the Sepozzi counts in 1634, marking the end of Carrettesca domination in the Altarese territory; only in 1641 was Altare subjected to the Mantuan family.
The art of glassworking in Altare
As I mentioned before, the art of glassworking has made Altare economically prosperous. Thanks to the monks of Bergeggi, who learned it in France, the art of glassworking quickly spread throughout the Altarese territory.
This artisanal tradition has been passed down from generation to generation: there are still many shops where master glassmakers produce blown glass objects using ancient techniques.
To learn more about the art of glassworking in Altare, I suggest you visit the Glass Museum, which collects evidence of both ancient and modern glass art and is located inside the Giorgio Ferro and Figlio family's ancient factory.
What to do in Altare
In addition to visiting the Glass Museum, there are many other activities you can do in Altare and its surroundings. For example, you can go hiking on the surrounding hills, discover the medieval villages nearby, or visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Discovery.
If you are passionate about gastronomy, don't miss the opportunity to taste the typical specialties of the area, such as the focaccia di Recco, the farinata, the panissa, and the traditional Ligurian sweets. Also, take advantage of the proximity to the sea to enjoy fresh fish and seafood delicacies.
Conclusion
In this article, I tried to give you an idea of what you will find if you decide to visit Altare, a Ligurian hilltop town characterized by the tradition of glassworking and the beauty of the surrounding landscape.
I hope I've piqued your curiosity and convinced you to discover the wonders of this small Ligurian town. Safe travels!
