Piasco
Piasco: the Municipality of the Lower Valle Varaita
Hello everyone! Today I will talk about a beautiful municipality in Piedmont: Piasco, called ''Ël Piasch'' in Piedmontese and ''Lou Piasc'' in Occitan language. This splendid location has a population of 2771 inhabitants and is located in the lower Valle Varaita, in the province of Cuneo.
History
Piasco has a long history, and for those passionate about art and culture, it can be a very interesting place to visit. The municipal coat of arms was recognized in 1936 by the head of the government.
Monuments and places of interest
One of Piasco's strengths is the Victor Salvi Harp Museum: it is the first and only museum in the world dedicated to harps, with a collection of over 100 specimens illustrating the evolution of the instrument over the last three centuries. You can admire the different decorations, which represent changes in taste from 18th-century floral works to neoclassicism in the Napoleonic era, from Gothic romanticism to art deco. In the museum, there is also a harp built by Rodolfo, father of Victor Salvi, recovered in Africa by his son. You can watch a video on the harp-making process.
Among the historically important buildings, don't forget to visit the Porporato Castle, the Church of Sant'Anna with 16th-century frescoes, the 15th-century bell tower, the Chapel of Santa Brigida with Romanesque apse, the St. Rocco Chapel with 1534 frescoes, the 16th-century Church of San Giovanni with frescoes and the nearby 15th-century frescoed pillar.
Society
The population of Piasco is constantly growing, as shown by the latest data from 2017, which records the presence of 432 foreign residents. Albanians are the most present, followed by Romanians and citizens of Burkina Faso.
Traditions and folklore
Piasco celebrates the patron saint of the village, San Rocco, at the end of August, while the festival of Santa Brigida is celebrated at the chapel on the hill. The last Sunday in May commemorates St. Philip Neri, patron of youth. The young people of the village organize a procession in his honor.
Economy
Piasco is famous for the production of musical instruments, such as harps, as well as woodworking for even antique-style products.
Infrastructure and transport
Between 1887 and 1948, the municipality was served by the Costigliole-Venasca tramway.
Administration
I present a table of the administrations that have succeeded each other in this municipality.
Piasco was part of the Valli Po, Bronda, Infernotto, and Varaita Mountain Community.
Conclusions
This is just a brief summary of the beauties that this small city can offer. I hope you can visit it as soon as possible and discover all the other wonders that are hidden among its streets and palaces. Until next time!
