Callabiana
Callabiana: a glimpse of the territory
Hello everyone, today I will talk about Callabiana, a small town located in the province of Biella, in Piedmont. With only 147 inhabitants, Callabiana is a very quiet town surrounded by nature. Most of the territory is located in the upper part of the Strona di Mosso basin, with Monte Casto as the most significant mountain, shared with the municipalities of Tavigliano and Andorno Micca. The town is characterized by the presence of the reservoir of Lake Ponte Vittorio, formed by a dam that blocks the stream. Moreover, a small mountain administrative island is located in the Alta Valle Cervo and includes Colle della Mologna Piccola and Punta Serange. Callabiana is a very peaceful but also very picturesque town.
The history of Callabiana
Callabiana was formerly part of the fiefdom of Andorno Micca. Today, the town and its capital are still closely linked both at the civil and religious levels. In 1533, the diocese of Vercelli established the parish of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Callabiana. The construction of the parish church dates back to some decades earlier and was extended and embellished several times. In 1700, the patents for the civil separation between the two municipalities were issued. In 1728, the fief of Callabiana was assigned to the counts Nazari, nobles of Savigliano. In 1788, the tree of liberty was erected in Callabiana. During the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century, many inhabitants of Callabiana emigrated, generally abroad, to work in the field of construction. Among them, some became entrepreneurs of considerable success and notoriety, such as engineer Pietro Gibello-Socco.
Radio Libertà
An interesting fact that links Callabiana to the history of the Resistance is the management of the only radio station operated by partisans during the Resistance, called "Radio Libertà (1944-1945)". The radio service was born on December 14, 1944, in the Trabbia Fraction and continued for several evenings. In January 1945, due to the increased enemy threat, the radio was dismantled and transferred to Sala Biellese.
Symbols
The municipal coat of arms of Callabiana was granted by decree of the President of the Republic on April 15, 1996. The central figure of the coat of arms is an eagle representing strength and fierceness, the church symbolized by the three towers recalls the figure of Santa Maria degli Angeli, patron saint of the town, while the ear of wheat represents the traditional agricultural activity of the municipality.
In conclusion, Callabiana is a very small but fascinating town from both a naturalistic and historical point of view. If you love nature and history, this town could be an interesting stop to add to your itinerary.
