Montegioco
Montegioco: a historic town on the Piedmont hills
Montegioco, also known as Monzeugh in Piedmontese, is a small town in the province of Alessandria, located on the hills on the left bank of the Grue stream. Its history dates back to 1152, when it was first mentioned as a location in the Tortona district. The municipality, with its current 274 inhabitants, has a very interesting and ancient history.
History
In 1305, the Castle of Montegioco was under the control of Pietro Opizzone. However, in 1406, it suffered serious damage from the Guelphs and Ghibellines fighting against the Ghibelline party of the Visconti, supported by the Opizzones. The municipality suffered further damage during the Napoleonic wars, but today there are few traces of its ancient structures.
In the 1541 census, Montegioco had only 22 inhabitants, many of whom were the stewards of the noble Antonio Francesco Opizzone. In 1576, the parish's inhabitants had already risen to 200. The small community, by paying a large sum to the Ducal Chamber, avoided being enfeoffed in 1647 to Nicolò Busseti, but later relinquished its autonomy and was enfeoffed to the Bussetti brothers, Biagio Gaetano and Carlo Alessandro, elevating it to a marquisate on September 22, 1689.
The Bussettis also received imperial investiture for the villages of Segagliate, Palazzo Bussetti, and Pragasso. In 1798, Montegioco became a republican municipality. In 1818, the municipality of Montegioco was included in the Volpedo mandate, as established by the royal decree of 1818.
Today, Montegioco is a community of only 274 people, with an ancient and varied history.
Palazzo Busseti
In the Palazzo locality, a noble residence was built by the Bussettis of Tortona in the first half of the seventeenth century, with extensive rustic buildings and a mill. Currently, the Palace is restored in the twentieth century with the features of a castle surmounted by a battlemented tower and with the corners of the building adorned with corbels, recently restored. Only a small bell tower bears witness to the seventeenth-century origins of the building. A Busseti allodial estate, it passed into the ownership of Emilio Signoris-Busseti (appointed baron of Montegioco by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1810), and after 1817, the year of his death, remained with the widow Sofia Valesa and her daughter Eugenia Signoris, who married Guasco di Bisio, who in 1881 sold it to Countess Luigia Veglio di Castelletto. From 1899 to 1933, it was owned by Countess "Pepita" Franzini Ribaldi, daughter of Countess Veglio, and later by the Di Bernardo di Palermo heirs, owners until the 1960s.
Symbols
The coat of arms and flag of the municipality of Montegioco were granted by decree of the president of the Republic on July 18, 1958.
Society
Montegioco is a very small community, with only 274 residents. However, its ancient history and its position on the Piedmont hills make it a very suggestive place to visit.
Demographic evolution
Between 1861 and 2011, the population of the municipality decreased, going from the 708 inhabitants of the Unification of Italy to the current 274 inhabitants.
Administration
Below is a table of the administrations that have succeeded in this municipality. The municipality was part of the Curone Grue and Ossona Valley mountain community.
Notes
Other projects
For more information on the municipality of Montegioco and its history, it is recommended to visit the official website of the municipality and consult additional sources.
In summary, Montegioco is a panoramic municipality located on the Piedmont hills, with an interesting and ancient history. Its location on the hillsides, combined with the history of the community and the Palazzo Busseti, make it an ideal place for a tourist visit.
