Rifreddo
Rifreddo: a corner of paradise at the foot of Monviso
Rifreddo is a small Piedmontese town with a population of 1,047 situated at the foot of Monviso and Monte Bracco, in the lower Po Valley. The town is characterized by a mild and temperate climate thanks to its privileged position, a sunny amphitheater on the southern slopes of Mombracco.
A millenary history
The history of Rifreddo dates back over nine hundred years ago, in 1075, when the name Rivus Frigidus appeared in a donation deed of the Marchesa Adelaide di Susa. Since then, the town has been a fiefdom of the lords of Saluzzo and its history is closely intertwined with that of the Monastery of Santa Maria, founded in 1219 by Agnese, daughter of the Marquis of Saluzzo Manfredi II.
The Monastery of Santa Maria had a great political and economic importance, possessing numerous lands and acquiring the right to tithes for all the towns of the Po Valley. The monastery declined in the fifteenth century and was transferred to Saluzzo in 1621, but its vicissitudes were also intertwined with those of the nearby abbey of Santa Maria di Staffarda.
Rifreddo was also the scene of a witch trial in 1495, of which the town still preserves the minutes.
Monuments and places of interest
There are several monuments and places of interest worth visiting in Rifreddo. Facing Piazza della Vittoria is the Palazzo Comunale, dating back to the fifteenth century, with an ogival portico and a large window with a terracotta frame on the first floor, and two smaller upper windows.
The parish church of San Nicolao, also dedicated to Mary Regina, is very recently built. The ancient church of San Nicolao, the former parish church, built in the fifteenth century and restored in 1797, dominates Rifreddo from the hill and is still used for Sunday mass in the summer. The interior features remarkable late Gothic elements and an icon of San Nicolao.
The female monastery of Santa Maria della Stella, from the thirteenth century, has been restored and its premises host the multimedia station of the historical and environmental landscape of Mombracco, with images of historical-artistic and environmental resources and images of documents preserved in the municipal historical archive. There is also a video about the witch trials of 1495.
Conclusions
Rifreddo is a charming place that can give peace and serenity to its visitors. Its millenary history and its monuments and places of interest make the town a perfect destination for a day trip to discover the art and culture of Piedmont.
