Ottone
Ottone: the Emiliano common in the middle of Val Trebbia
Hello everyone! Today I want to talk about a town in the province of Piacenza, Ottone, or as it's called in the Ligurian language, Utùn. This small town has only 430 inhabitants, but has a lot to offer in terms of geography and history.
Physical Geography
Ottone is located in the middle of Val Trebbia, in the Ligurian Apennines, about 70 km from Piacenza and about 60 km from Genoa, which makes it the closest Emiliano municipality to the city of Genoa, but also the westernmost in Emilia-Romagna. The territory of Ottone extends both in high Val Trebbia and Val Boreca, where there are numerous scattered hamlets and some very populated, especially on weekends and during the summer season.
The landscape of Val Trebbia and the municipal territory is very varied: there are cultivated areas up to the altitudes where forests densely cover the mountain slopes. The river Trebbia flows through the valley with numerous bends, and to enrich the waters of the Trebbia, there is mainly the tributary Aveto. Here, it is possible to practice canoeing, swimming, fishing, and other sports.
History
But Ottone is not only natural beauties: there is also a long history to discover here. Human settlements date back to the Celtic era and then to the Roman civilization. In Roman times the area was part of the pagus "Moninas" placed between the municipalities of Velleia and Libarna.
The territory then entered the Lombard era in the possessions of the abbey of San Colombano di Bobbio, founded by St. Colombano in 614. The first foundation in Ottone was with the Oracle of San Bartolomeo and the territories of Ottone Soprano, Croce and Fabbrica, and the possessions of Losso, S. Agostino, Traschio, Ca ', Rettagliata, Frassi, Gramizzola, and Toveraia ("Tebolaria"), Orezzoli, and the Xenodochio and hospitals of the Dego and Oramara Mountains ("Alpe Longa") passo del Cifalco towards the Scoffera di Torriglia, Moglia, Santa Maria and Cà Fredda, Artana, Belnome, Bertassi, Bertone, Pizzonero, Bogli, Tartago, Campi, Cattribiasca ("Castrum Ca Trebbiasca").
After the fall of the Lombards by Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Empire constituted the imperial fiefs, within the Obertenghi, with the aim of maintaining safe passage to the sea. They assigned Ottone, with many of the surrounding territories, to the Malaspina family who built a castle there. Later it became a parish center and the castle of the Obertenga March, the fiefdom becoming a marquisate with the title of "Croce di Val Trebbia," later passed to the Fieschi and Doria as a county or "Feudo di Montagna," uniting the feuds of Croce and the feuds of Cariseto and Casanova.
The "contado di Ottone," dependent on the "Marchesato di Torriglia," is documented again as autonomous between 1548 and 1797 under the Doria Landi Pamphili as the "Principato di Torriglia," separated from the other fiefs defined as "Stati" or "Feudi di Montagna" such as Torriglia, Carrega Ligure, Garbagna, and S.
Conclusions
In short, this small municipality offers a lot both from a geographical and historical point of view. If you are passionate about mountain walks, water sports, or history, Ottone is definitely a place to visit. And then, why not enjoy the beauty of Val Trebbia? We are now at the end of summer, but it is never too late to plan a weekend out of the city. Let me know if you have ever visited this municipality, or if you have suggestions on similar places to visit. See you in the next article!
