Monasterolo Casotto
Discovering Monasterolo Casotto
Hello everyone! Today I'm taking you on a journey to discover Monasterolo Casotto, a small town of only 80 inhabitants in the province of Cuneo, in Piedmont. The history of this town is very ancient, as evidenced by the Roman inscription found near the sanctuary of San Colombano. However, the name of the town comes from a Benedictine monastery which settled here around 1000.
A long history of power and wars
The town has a very tumultuous history, with many properties that have changed hands from one noble to another, such as the Counts of Bredolo, the Marquises of Ceva and Alba. During the bloody "Salt War", the castle located near the Feia stream was used for customs and justice. The inhabitants of Monasterolo also participated in various liberation wars that affected Piedmont first and Italy later.
During the fascist regime, the town was annexed to the one of San Michele Mondovì, but in 1947 it was granted autonomy again.
Two hamlets and a unified church
Currently, the town is divided into two hamlets: the Sottana and the Soprana. Halfway between the two stands the parish church, built at the beginning of the 20th century to unify the two previous parishes: that of San Bernardo in the Soprana hamlet and that of S. Antonio in the Sottana hamlet. The church is dedicated to Saints James and John and retains the bell that had belonged to the church of San Bernardo.
The Sanctuary of San Colombano
On a hill beyond the Soprana hamlet stands the Sanctuary of S. Colombano, built around 1000 by Benedictine monks who dedicated it to this Irish saint, founder of monastic life in the kingdom of France in the 7th century. The current church is made up of two different bodies: an older longitudinal one, but of uncertain dating, with an incorporated bell tower and a baroque one with a square plan (1645). Over the years, some modifications have been made to the structure, and in the end, in 1884, the portico with an exposed roof of the current facade was redone. Inside, there are still ex-voto paintings to testify to the devotion to the Saint, while outside there is the ancient "Conca" or "Arbi", a stone carved with a hollow where oily liquid was collected, which is said to have had miraculous properties.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Monasterolo Casotto is a small town with ancient charm and a history rich in events and power. Today, if you want to spend a day discovering this place, you can visit the parish church and the Sanctuary of San Colombano, immersed in the nature and tranquility of the Piedmontese mountains.
