Castellazzo Bormida
Hi everyone! Today we are going to talk about Castellazzo Bormida, a municipality in Piedmont also known as ''Ël Castlass an Bormia'' in Piedmontese language. With its 4526 inhabitants, this municipality is located in the province of Alessandria and is situated between the Orba and the Bormida rivers.
Physical geography
The municipality of Castellazzo Bormida has a surface area of 45.19 km² and the height of the town varies between 90 and 132 meters above sea level. The inhabited center is small compared to the municipal territory and is spread over a large area. Castellazzo Bormida borders with the municipality of Alessandria to the north, with Frugarolo and Casal Cermelli to the east, with Predosa and Castelspina to the south and with Gamalero, Frascaro, Borgoratto Alessandrino and Oviglio to the west.
The municipality includes two hamlets: Fontanasse and Rampina, with the former divided between Castellazzo Bormida and Casal Cermelli. The area is rich in farms with very particular churches, some of which have become real towns. Among the most important are Cascina Santa Barbara (with the homonymous church), Cascina San Leonardo (dedicated to Madonna), Cascina Campagna (with the church of Madonna della Neve), Cascina Scacca (with the church of Santa Caterina alla Scacca), Cascina Zerba (with the church of Maria Maddalena), Cascina Maddalena (once with the church of Maria Maddalena), Cascina Maranzana (once with the church of Antonio di Padova) and Cascina Bergamina (once with, nearby, the church of San Giovanni del Martuzzo).
The municipal territory is crossed by the A26 motorway, the Alessandria-Ovada railway line, the Alessandria-Acqui Terme line and the Alessandria-Nizza Monferrato-Canelli line towards the border with Oviglio. Finally, the Bormida river forms a split in the territory in the south-west of the town, called Isola Grande.
History
Origins
The first document referring to Gamondio dates back to 938 (937), in which Queen Berta receives from King Hugh of Provence and Emperor Lothair II of Italy several areas including the royal court of Gamondio. Before this date, only conjectures and hypotheses can be found, but the very flattering phrase of Jacopo di Acqui confirms the importance of the town since ancient times.
Medieval period
Castellazzo Bormida was also at the center of the struggles between the cities of Alessandria and Genoa. In fact, in 1174 Emperor Frederick I was hosted in the castle of Gamondio and Credo the Malaspina, lord of Balba cause, fought by his side against Genoa. In 1198, Alessandria became a shareholder of the municipality of Gamondio and incorporated it within its walls. The Doria family, in contrast with the city of Alessandria, tried to take possession of Gamondio, but in the end the village came under Genoese control.
Modern period
In the nineteenth century, with the new administrative division, the municipality changed its name from Gamondio to Castellazzo Bormida. In 1881 the railway station serving the town was inaugurated and in the following years the kindergarten, the elementary school and the parish church of San Rocco were built.
Curiosities
- In 1746, the Cascina di San Leonardo provided shelter for Charles Emmanuel III of Savoy.
- The area of Isola Grande was very isolated and the inhabitants had to reach the center by crossing the municipality of Borgoratto Alessandrino.
And that's all about the beautiful Castellazzo Bormida! I hope this journey through the history and geography of the municipality has interested you. See you next time!
