Cabella Ligure
Welcome to Cabella Ligure, in Piedmont!
Hello everyone! Today I will talk about Cabella Ligure, a small municipality of only 526 inhabitants located in Piedmont, precisely on the Ligurian Apennines, near the confluence of the Liassa stream into the Borbera in the upper Borbera valley. Furthermore, it is one of the three Piedmontese municipalities that also borders the Emilia-Romagna region! But let's come to the history of this fascinating place, which is mentioned in documents from the twelfth century and which over the centuries has changed hands, becoming a fief of Opizzino Spinola and then passing to the Genoese families of Pallavicino and Doria.
The Pallavicino and Doria
Luigi Centurione Scotto, Count of Montaldo in Monferrato, acquired the fief of Fontanarossa in the first half of the 17th century, later divided with his son Barnaba V, who kept for himself the county of Montaldo, Prati di Carpeneto, Fontanarossa and who in 1644 acquired the Marquisate of Morbello in Monferrato. Barnaba, having no male heirs, named his daughter Giovanna as heir, who brought in dowry to her husband Gerolamo IV Spinola, Marquis of Cabella and Cremonte, Pej and a share of Pregòla, and all the fiefs of her father, with the obligation for the offspring to maintain the double surname of Spinola-Pallavicini. Felice II Pallavicini, Marquis of Cabella and Cremonte, having no male heirs, gave the mother Paola the faculty to choose among his half-brothers an heir of the family. The choice therefore fell on Gerolamo Spinola, son of the stepfather of the mother, who, with the Pallavicini assets, founded the Spinola Pallavicini branch. Gerolamo IV and Giovanna were succeeded in 1697 by their son Felice, who had to fight after 1730 to maintain the feudal autonomy against the centralising policy of King Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy, who imposed the "ligio" vassal oath on all the feudal lords of the area.
The succession of Giovan Carlo Pallavicini
Felice's blind son Barnaba, having no heirs, left the administration of his assets first to his mother Livia Pallavicini and then to his cousin Giovan Carlo Pallavicini, son of the Marquis Paolo Gerolamo III, Lord of Masone, Sassello, Mombaruzzo. Giovan Carlo, a skilful commander of the Republic during the War of the Austrian Succession against the Austro-Sardinians, was thus the universal heir at Barnaba's death in 1772. He became the owner of a considerable real estate and feudal patrimony, added to his own family's (Marquisates of Morbello, Casalotto, Mombaruzzo, Counties of Montaldo and Quaranti, Lordship of Masone and Barony of Frignano, and from 1756 received from his wife, Maria Giovanna Grimaldi, the Aleramic Lordship of Rezzo dei Clavesana). On July 24, 1783, Giovan Carlo decided to sell the fiefs of Cabella, Cremonte, and Fontanarossa to Prince Andrea IV Doria Pamphili of Torriglia for the considerable sum of 750, thus closing the chapter of the Pallavicino family in the history of this Piedmontese municipality.
Cabella Ligure today
After many vicissitudes, today Cabella Ligure is a peaceful village where one can enjoy relaxation and nature, immersed in the beauties of the Ligurian Apennines. There are many attractions available to visitors, such as the suggestive Cantarana stream waterfalls, the old village with the church of Sant'Antonio and the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Neve, both dating back to the seventeenth century. Furthermore, the area is appreciated for the presence of numerous hiking trails, ideal for lovers of trekking and the outdoors. A tip for foodies: don't miss out on the delicious typical Ligurian cuisine, such as the famous pesto and focaccia! In short, Cabella Ligure is a charming place to spend a day of relaxation and discovery of the beauties of the Piedmontese territory.
