Venasca
Venasca: a Municipality in Valle Varaita
Hello friends, today I want to talk to you about Venasca, a beautiful municipality located in the province of Cuneo in Piedmont, which has about 1365 inhabitants. The town is situated at the beginning of Valle Varaita and has a very ancient and interesting history.
History:
The origin of the name Venasca is debated, but it is believed to have pre-Roman origins, deriving from the name Venna, an ancient landowner. The town was inhabited in ancient times by the Liguri or Celto-Liguri, who were overpowered by the Romans around 15 BC. Venasca was not particularly affected by invasions from neighboring barbarians from Gaul.
Around the 10th century, the territories were subjected to raids by Saracens from the bay of Frassinet near Nice. Today, this period is remembered with historical reenactments of the expulsion of the Saracens, called "Baie".
Venasca was under the jurisdiction of the bishop-count of Turin around the year 1000, and was subsequently a fiefdom of the Counts of Verzuolo, a branch of which was called Venasca. Around 1600, it passed under the dominion of the House of Savoy, who gave it as a fief first to the Paillard and subsequently to the Porporato.
In the areas around Venasca, a battle between French troops and Savoy troops took place in 1744, and in 1799 between French and Imperial troops. Since the fifteenth century, Venasca has been the site of an important weekly market that is a reference point for the entire lower Valle Varaita.
Economy:
Around the first half of the sixteenth century, Venasca was one of the most important centers for the processing of iron obtained from the mines of the upper valley. In the eighteenth century, a thriving business in linen and silk industry developed. The spinning mill located inside the concentric, along with others in the area, ceased its activities at the end of the nineteenth century.
Curiosities:
On August 11, 1944, the town was the subject of a reprisal by a unit of smugglers from the 4th Alpini Division "Monterosa", who set fire to much of the town's houses, causing great disaster. Lieutenant Adriano Adami, under the division's orders, was accused of the act and shot in Saluzzo on May 2, 1945. However, later it was revealed that the accusation was unfounded.
Today, Venasca is a small but picturesque town, characterized by its warm and dry climate. Here you can admire typical structures of the area and stone architecture, symbol of its long and historic tradition. Come and discover this beautiful location, a true hidden gem of Piedmont.
