Piossasco
Piossasco: A Municipality Between the Cozie Alps and the Turin Plains
Hello everyone! Today I'm going to talk about Piossasco, an Italian municipality about 18 kilometers west of Turin, located at the foot of the Cozie Alps in Piedmont. The municipality has a population of about 18,105 inhabitants and is bordered by the Chisola and Sangone rivers. In this article we will talk about the geography of Piossasco, its ancient and medieval history, and an important historical event.
Physical Geography
Piossasco is located south of Mount San Giorgio (Cozie Alps), which at 837 meters above sea level offers magnificent natural scenery. The mountain is also home to the 11th century Romanesque church and provides breathtaking views. The inhabited center is crossed by the artificial canal Sangonetto, which has caused conflicts between Piossasco and the municipality of Trana. The municipality's territory is situated north of the 45th Parallel.
History
Piossasco has an ancient history dating back to the Iron Age, as evidenced by the numerous human settlements found in the area. Unfortunately, information on the pre-Roman and Roman civilization period is scarce. The toponym Piossasco derives from the diocese "Platius" combined with the suffix "ascus" that would lead to a presence of Celtic-Ligurian peoples. In the Middle Ages, the history of Piossasco is well-documented thanks to the remains of the hamlet and the village of San Vito with its namesake church. The noble and powerful Merlo family branched out into Piossasco in different dynasties, and this period culminated in the construction of the Castle of the Nine Merlons.
La Marsaglia
The lords of Piossasco defended the territory for centuries, even with the help of the Savoy family, until the Battle of Marsaglia in 1693. During this battle, the ancient watchtower of the village, called the "Great Merlone," was almost entirely destroyed by the French advance.
Conclusions
In this article, we have talked about the geography of Piossasco, its history, an important period of the Merlo lords, and the Battle of Marsaglia. Piossasco is a municipality with a strong historical tradition of defending its territory and its traditions. Come and visit Piossasco and discover more about its history and natural beauty!
