Vignole Borbera
Welcome to Vignole Borbera!
We are located on the road between Alessandria and Genoa, at the foot of Monte Spineto in an area that belongs to the Mountain Union of Valle Borbera and Valle Spinti. We are happy to share with you the history of this town in Piedmont, which has a population of 2050 and received national media attention for being led by a non-Italian female mayor.
Physical Geography
The territory of Vignole Borbera is characterized by the valley of Borbera, in the floodplain of the river of the same name, which flows into the Scrivia in the hamlet of Precipiano. The climate is classified as E, with a maximum limit of 14 hours per day for heating from October 15th to April 15th. The annual snowfall ranges from 70 to 80 cm.
Origins of the Name
The toponym Vignole Borbera would derive from the Latin "vineola," which means "small plot of land cultivated with vineyards." The determinant "borbera" refers to the stream that flows through the town of the same name.
History
Vignole Borbera has Roman origins as the agricultural land of the nearby Libarna called "Vineola." The first historical information dates back to the year 1000 when it was mentioned as the territory of the abbey of San Pietro of Precipiano. Later, the town became a fortified village under the submission of the Republic of Genoa, territorially inserted in the curia of Gavi, and enjoyed the status of a free commune in the 14th century. In 1405, Filippo Maria Visconti granted the town to the Lonati family along with Varinella di Arquata Scrivia. In 1752, Vignole Borbera passed to the House of Savoy with Tortona and followed its fate. In 1797, it became part of the Ligurian Republic with Borghetto di Borbera, and in 1815, after being incorporated into the Napoleonic Empire, it passed to the Province of Novi in Liguria, from which it was detached with the Rattazzi Decree in 1859, shortly before the Unification of Italy. In 2004, Vignole Borbera became the first Italian municipality led by a non-Italian, English Mayor, Susan Lesley Thomas.
Symbols of Vignole Borbera
The town's coat of arms was granted in 1962, along with the standard, with a blazon that recalls the square tower of the ancient abbey of Precipiano, the grape that represents the Vitis vineyards, and the Apis that symbolizes human work.
We are happy to have accompanied you in discovering Vignole Borbera, a town with an ancient past, rich in history and tradition, immersed in a narrow and green valley, and also a crossroads between two of the major cities in northern Italy. Come visit us and discover the beauty of our territory!
