Pozzol Groppo
Welcome to Pozzol Groppo
Welcome to Pozzol Groppo, a small municipality in the Tortonese region with a population of only 301 inhabitants. We invite you to discover the beauty of this area situated on a ridge between the Curone Valley and the Staffora Valley, on the border with Lombardy.
Physical Geography
The territory of Pozzol Groppo is characterized by a hilly landscape with the Castle of Pozzol Groppo dominating the area. You can admire the beauty of nature along the watershed up to the 386 meters of Cà D'andrino, and northwest, in the locality of Brienzone, where you can climb up to the 479 meters of the Poggio di Brienzone.
Origin of the Name
The name Pozzol Groppo derives from the Latin "puteum" which means well, with the diminutive suffix "-olus", meaning small well. The term Groppo refers to the Biagasco hill, also known as Groppo, which was a separate locality from Pozzolo del Groppo until 1928, when they became a single municipality.
History
Pozzol Groppo has a rich and fascinating history. In the 12th century, the village was part of the Tortona domain and came to the aid of this city when it was besieged by Frederick Barbarossa in 1155. In 1449, the village came under the control of the Sforza family, who in 1480 sent an expedition to punish the village, accused of being a den of bandits. In 1530, the Marquis Cesare Malaspina di Godiasco took control and rebuilt the Castle of Pozzol Groppo, then came the Marquis of Gavi and finally, in 1595, the Spinola family on behalf of the Duchy of Milan.
Over the centuries, Pozzol Groppo has undergone many transformations, from the passage to the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1743 to French control in 1801, until it became part of the province of Alessandria in 1859.
Pozzol Groppo Today
Today, Pozzol Groppo is a municipality often defined as a "federation of hamlets" because the municipal territory consists of different hamlets, including S. Lorenzo, which houses the municipal seat, and Biagasco (or Groppo), the most populated hamlet with about 60 inhabitants.
What can you do here? You can admire the Castle of Pozzol Groppo, dating back to the 16th century, which dominates the area from above. You can also take walks along the ridges and enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature. If you love history and culture, you can visit the Church of San Lorenzo, a small Romanesque church dating back to the 12th century.
Come and discover Pozzol Groppo, a municipality that has so much to offer in terms of nature, history, and culture.
