Perlo
Perlo: a village in the lateral valley of the Tanaro river
Perlo is a small Italian municipality in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont. With only 105 inhabitants, it is located in a lateral valley of the Tanaro river, carved by the Perletta stream, at an altitude of 697 meters above sea level. The village revolves around the surrounding mountains and is in seismic zone 3A, at high seismic risk. Perlo, included in climatic zone F, with a heating requirement of 3179 degree days, has no limits on heating system use.
Origin of the name
There are documents from the Middle Ages where the name ''Perlus'' and ''Perlum'' is mentioned, which is traced back to the Latin term ''pirolus'' (Pyrus). This association is most likely due to the abundance of this fruit tree in the area.
A long history
The area of Perlo seems to have been colonized since ancient Rome times, as confirmed by the discovery of caves and tunnels carved into the rock and Roman coins and statuettes. After various events and the dark period following the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the village gained its autonomy as a fortified village during Feudalism. The castle, built in the 13th century by Giorgio II (also called Nano) Marquis of Ceva, covered an area of five hundred meters, with four corner towers and was destroyed during the Napoleon Bonaparte's dominion, leaving only a few fragments.
In 1541 Carlo II of Savoy conquered the village and granted it to Giulio Cesare Pallavicino, followed by Del Carretto. In 1558 the fiefdom returned to the Casa Savoia who granted it to Giuseppe Cambiano di Ruffia, followed by the Faussone family, once again Pallavicino, Antonio Carlo Guerra and finally, in 1762, Angelo Porrazzo. During the Napoleonic Italian Campaign (1796-1797), Perlo was the scene of bloody clashes, so much so that the toponym ''Bric dei morti'' (hill of the dead) remained in the local toponymy.
Symbols of Perlo
The municipal coat of arms of Perlo was granted by the President of the Republic on July 29th, 2010. The gonfalon consists of a white flag.
Monuments and places of interest
The castle of Perlo, despite its destruction during Napoleon Bonaparte's dominion, still remains one of the landmarks of the village. It was located in an elevated position to allow communication with the castles of Nucetto and Battifollo. The parish church, dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel, Patron Saint of Perlo, underwent expansions in 1849 and is definitely worth a visit. The chapel of San Felice represents the oldest building in the area, built on the highest point of Nucetto where pagan cults were probably practiced before the Christianization of the area.
Conclusions
Perlo is a small municipality surrounded by the nature of the surrounding mountains, characterized by its ancient history, the destroyed castle still present in the local toponymy, the parish church dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel, and the chapel of San Felice, built on an area dating back to pre-Christianity. A visit to this village nestled in the Piedmontese mountains cannot help but evoke a sense of nostalgia and a desire to rediscover one's roots.
