Monteu da Po
Monteu da Po: a village nestled among the hills of Monferrato
Hi everyone! Today I’m going to tell you about Monteu da Po, a small municipality located in the metropolitan city of Turin in Piedmont, nestled among the hills of northern Monferrato. The predominantly hilly territory of the municipality is bathed by the Po River, which also serves as the municipal border with Verolengo.
Etymology of the name
The origin of the name Monteu is still a subject of debate. Many believe that the name derives from the Latin "Monticolus" or the more recent "Monsacutus". However, in Piedmontese language, "Monté da Pò" means "to climb up" or "to ascend from the Po".
Physical geography
There are several hamlets within the municipality. San Giovanni is located between the center and State Road 590, San Rocco is at the foot of the hill towards Tonengo and Cocconato, Fontananera is on the border between Monteu da Po and Cavagnolo, and finally Mezzana on the border between Monteu da Po and Lauriano.
Society
The municipality has 841 inhabitants but suffered a depopulation during the twentieth century, reaching its current 900 inhabitants.
Infrastructure and transport
Monteu da Po station, located along the Chivasso-Asti railway, ceased to exist in 2011. As for public transport, between 1883 and 1949, the municipality hosted the stop of the Turin-Chivasso/Brusasco tram.
History
Roman age (1st century AD-5th century)
In the municipal territory of Monteu da Po, there are the ruins of the Roman colony of Industria, described for the first time by Pliny the Elder as an important port on the Po River. The site includes a Roman forum, a temple dedicated to Isis, and remains of shops. Unfortunately, the invasion of the Huns put an end to the commercial activity of the flourishing port of Industria by setting fire to the town.
Medieval period (10th century-14th century)
From 996, the fief of Industria was granted to the Archdiocese of Vercelli by the Holy Roman Emperor Otto III. In 1186, in a bull of Pope Urban III, Mounteu da Po was identified in the two parishes of "Plebem Monticali" (probably the present center) and "Plebem Dustriam" (the present locality of San Giovanni).
Between 1224 and 1359, the fief of Allustria passed into the hands of several noble families. It was the fiefdom of Cocconato, Tonengo, and the Marchesato del Monferrato. Around the mid-14th century, it was ruled by the local lords, the Gay di Monteu. In 1359, the Bishop of Vercelli assigned it to Cavagnolo with the name "Plebum Dustriae".
I hope this brief overview of Monteu da Po has piqued your interest and given you some ideas for organizing a visit to this beautiful Piedmontese village!
