Cerignale
Welcome to Cerignale!
Hello everyone! Today we're going to talk about Cerignale, a beautiful town of 117 inhabitants located in the province of Piacenza, in Emilia-Romagna. Yes, you read that right, only 117 inhabitants! But don't be fooled by the size of the town, because here you breathe a magical and relaxing atmosphere, far from the stress of big cities.
Cerignale's geographical location
Cerignale is located in the high Trebbia valley, on the slopes of the Ligurian Apennines. If you like nature and hiking, this is the place for you! The surrounding mountains offer breathtaking landscapes and the territory of the municipality is not only made up of the town center, but also of several scattered villages. Moreover, many of them become very popular during the summer and on weekends.
The history of Cerignale
The history of Cerignale is closely related to the fiefdom of the Cariseto fortress, which dates back to the 11th century. Over the centuries, the fiefdom passed from one family to another, including the Malaspina and the Fieschi, until it was abolished with the abolition of the imperial fiefs in 1797. Over time, Cerignale was contested by various powers such as Napoleonic France and Piedmont. In 1923, Cerignale became part of the province of Piacenza and Emilia-Romagna.
But the most interesting event in the history of Cerignale is the visit of Frederick Barbarossa in 1167. Fleeing from Rome, the emperor passed through the ancient medieval road of ''Cifalco'' and stayed in the Cariseto castle, where he was helped by the faithful Malaspina to continue his journey through the mountains. The Via Francigena had been blocked by the pontremolesi, so the Cariseto Castle represented a decisive stage in the emperor's escape.
Historical events in Cerignale
An event that marked the history of Cerignale is the cloudburst of July 17, 1908. The huge amount of rain caused an extraordinary flood of the Trebbia, which caused the destruction of houses and fields, especially in the territory of the district of Bobbio and between the borders of the provinces of Genoa and Pavia.
Conclusions
I hope you enjoyed this brief journey through the history and territory of Cerignale. If you love nature, tranquility, and history, this is the place for you! Come and visit Cerignale and its beautiful mountains, I assure you that you won't regret it.
