Monticello

Welcome to Granozzo con Monticello!

Hello everyone! Today we will talk about Granozzo con Monticello, a municipality in the province of Novara, located in the Piedmont region of Italy. With its 1335 inhabitants and its flat landscape, this small town is a hidden gem in the region. Come and discover more about this wonderful part of Piedmont!

Let's explore the physical geography of Granozzo con Monticello

The territory of Granozzo con Monticello is almost entirely flat, with only a modest hill near Monticello. To the east of the municipality, towards the Agogna river, there are some hills that gradually slope down towards the stream and the Arbogna Valley. The main sources of water include the Agogna stream, the Biraghetta canal, the artificial channels of Cavo Panizzina and Cavo Cattedrale, and the Biraga, Caccesca, and Busca canals for a short stretch.

Granozzo con Monticello: Flat gem of Piedmont

The history of Granozzo con Monticello

The name Granozzo con Monticello can be traced back to the cultivation of wheat, as its original name, "Granocium" or "Granotium", indicates. The earliest documents mentioning the municipality date back to around 829, with a certain "Johannes de Granocio" as a witness in a Novarese deed. In 840, Granozzo appears among the municipalities donated by Bishop Adalgiso to the Diocese of Novara. In 1347, the first news of the castle of Granozzo appears, inhabited for a long period by the Tettoni family. A century later, the fief passed to Donina Visconti, and other documents from 1495 report the existence of a well-fortified castle with a retinue for the population.

In Monticello, on the other hand, the eponymous family has resided since the eleventh century, and in 1094 appears as one of the most important vassals of the bishop of Novara. The Monticello family controlled the fortress and the surrounding countryside, but did not neglect their ecclesiastical rights, as they obtained the baptismal right for the local church as early as the twelfth century. With the advent of the Viscontis, the village changed hands, from a branch of the Caccia family to the Birago in the sixteenth century, then to the Guilizzoni and finally to the Serale da Saluzzo in the following centuries.

The municipal symbols of Granozzo con Monticello

The municipality of Granozzo con Monticello has a coat of arms and a gonfalon, granted by decree of the President of the Republic in 1983. The coat of arms depicts a blue shield in the shape of a gorgonzola cheese in silver, accompanied by two rice sheaves at the top and two corn cobs and two crossed wheat sheaves at the bottom. The gonfalon, on the other hand, is a split banner in white and blue.

Monuments and places of interest in Granozzo con Monticello

Granozzo con Monticello boasts several tourist attractions of great interest. The Church of San Maria Assunta stands on a previous medieval construction and was consecrated in 1596. Inside, in addition to three marble altars in Baroque style, you can admire the 17th-century wooden choir and the fine 18th-century painting of the Assumption of Mary. The ancient Mentasti organ is also of great interest, and is fully functional.

Conclusion

Here is a brief but comprehensive overview of Granozzo con Monticello! We hope we have helped you discover and appreciate this small town in the heart of Piedmont. If you are looking for a relaxing and welcoming destination, Granozzo con Monticello is the place for you!

Erica Ferrari
Wrote by Erica Ferrari
Updated Sunday, Jun 19, 2022