Verrua Savoia
Welcome to Verrua Savoia!
Hello everyone, today I will be talking about Verrua Savoia, a small municipality in the metropolitan city of Turin, in Piedmont.
The emblem of Verrua Savoia
Our municipality has a very distinctive emblem, which consists of a black cross on a silver background, flanked by a bunch of natural grapes on the 1st, and red diamond shapes on the 2nd and 3rd quarters, and a natural passant pig turned towards it on the 4th quarter. The emblem is rich in meaning and tells the story of our municipality.
The etymology of the name
The name "Verrua" derives from the Latin "Verruca", meaning "hill". The name "Savoia" was added later to commemorate the importance of the fortress of Verrua in the history of Piedmont.
Physical geography
Verrua Savoia is a hilly municipality located at the confluence of the Dora Baltea and the Po rivers. The municipality is divided into many hamlets and locations, 31 in total, but the most populated is the hamlet of Valentino, which is also the headquarters of the municipality and the center of the town. In Verrua Savoia, you can also enjoy the view of the Po river, which divides the municipality from the Vercelli Province. The municipality spans 19.51 km² and is located about 50 km from Turin, the provincial capital. An interesting fact to note is that Verrua Savoia is the only municipality in the province of Turin that borders directly with three other provinces, Asti, Alessandria, and Vercelli.
The history of Verrua Savoia
The foundation
Legend has it that a Roman legionary named "Verus" left his Roman legion to reach his beloved "Rucha" and thus gave the place its name. Cute legend, isn't it?
The Middle Ages
The first document that mentions the Village of Verrua dates back to 999, when the Holy Roman Emperor Otto III confirmed some lands owned in the area by the archdiocese of Vercelli. In 1027, the fief was confirmed by Emperor Conrad II and subsequently included in the list of territorial assets existing on both sides of the confluence of the Dora Baltea.
In 1159, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, during the war against the municipalities of the Lombard League, camped at Verrua, considering it an impregnable fortress. In 1167, as the governor of Verrua had refused to accommodate his troops, the Emperor besieged and destroyed the castle, along with all the nearby villages and towns.
In 1387, the Fortress, which belonged to the Count of Savoy Amadeus VII of Savoy, was besieged by Theodore II of Montferrat. The siege lasted two months, and the first artillery means were also employed: bombardels. However, the Fortress still resisted, and Theodore II, feeling threatened from behind and knowing he could not count on his allies, had to lift the siege and ask for peace from the Savoys. During that battle, the motto "Quand che ël ver pijrà cost'ua, ël marcheis dal Monfrà ël pijra Vrua" was born, which translates to "When the pig takes the grapes, the Marquise of Montferrat will take Verrua," taking inspiration from the 1378 seal depicting a pig trying to bite a bunch of grapes.
Conclusion
Here is a brief account of the history of Verrua Savoia, from its Roman origins to the siege of Frederick Barbarossa and the resistance during the siege of Theodore II. Verrua Savoia is a municipality rich in history, with a unique geographical location, and represents the meeting point between two important rivers of the region. If you have the opportunity to visit the hills of Piedmont, do not forget to stop by Verrua Savoia and discover its history and charm!
