Lerma
Discovering Lerma: a municipality in Piedmont
Hello friends, today I will talk about Lerma, a small municipality of 854 inhabitants in the province of Alessandria, situated on a hill of the Alto Monferrato. Lerma is one of the main municipalities in the Ovadese, a historic-cultural area of the Lower Piedmont and Monferrato, named after the city of Ovada. With its enchanting panoramic position overlooking the valley of the Piota torrent, Lerma is a special place where you can breathe in the atmosphere of tradition and history.
History of Lerma
The history of Lerma dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was owned by the Marquises of Morbello and then passed to Genoa in 1233 and was later claimed by the Malaspina family. After being a feud of Cassano Doria, under the lordship of the Marquis of Monferrato, Lerma briefly returned to Genoa and finally passed to the Spinola family. In 1691, upon the death of Luca Spinola, the feud passed to his daughter Maria Vittoria, wife of the Marquis Francesco Grillo. In 1708 Lerma became part of the possessions of the House of Savoy.
Symbols of Lerma
The coat of arms and flag of the municipality of Lerma were granted by the decree of the President of the Republic on January 29, 1982.
Monuments and places of interest
The castle of Lerma, rebuilt by the Spinola family in 1499, is situated in a panoramic position on a cliff overlooking the Piota torrent. Around its walls is the "ricetto": a walled village accessed through an open arch that serves as the only entrance. In the past, one could also pass along the banks of the river, climbing up the side of a hill. Now that path is private and dangerous.
The parish church of Lerma, built by modifying a pre-existing tower, contains an exquisite Genoese school fresco from 1608, the "Baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist", which also depicts the patrons, Agostino and Cecilia Spinola, the feudal lords of the place. After three years of restoration work, the church now houses a precious Madonna and Child by Barnaba da Modena.
The Pieve of Lerma, located in the cemetery of Lerma, preserves inside a single nave with a wooden truss ceiling, splendid 15th century paintings, in particular, in the apse, the "Christ Pantocrator", depicted enclosed in an almond, origin of life, surrounded by the symbols of the four Evangelists.
Events and traditions
Lerma is also famous for its Festa del Fungo (Mushroom Festival) held in early September, although unfortunately it has not been organized for some years.
Transport and connections
Lerma is served by bus services managed by the companies STP (formerly ARFEA) and SAAMO. In the past, the town was served by a stop on the Novi Ligure-Ovada tramway, relatively far from the village, whose services ceased in 1953.
Administration and twinnings
Here below you will find all the information on the administration of Lerma and its possible twin towns.
We have reached the end of our visit to Lerma. I hope you enjoyed learning about this small municipality with a rich historical and cultural heritage and that you may have the opportunity to visit it in person soon. See you soon, friends!
