In the land of the patron saint of the gorge, a delight for the palate: giant agnolotti.
Landscape.
Castelnuovo Belbo stands in a panoramic position in the Belbo Valley.
It covers an area of 9.55 km² and has a population of about 860 inhabitants.
It is about 35 km from the provincial capital, Asti, and 7 km from Nizza Monferrato.
History.
The village belonged to the Marquisate of Incisa and Monferrato in the 12th century.
The marquisate was subsequently integrated into the duchy of the Monferrato; in 1708, under the domination of the Savoy, the town became part of the province of Acqui, then reduced to the district during the period of Napoleonic occupation, finally in the province of Asti established in 1935.
Administration.
Food and wine and typical products.
The economy of Castelnuovo Belbo is based on agriculture, with particular emphasis on the wine sector.
Local specialties are the pacloche, the giant agnolotti (unique in the Piedmontese gastronomic panorama) that go well with the prized Barbera of the place.
An opportunity to taste them is during the patronal celebrations of Saint Biagio, the first Sunday of February.
To be seen.
Of particular interest is the parish church of Saint Biagio, the Church of Regina Angelorum (or Church of Madonnina of Saint Biagio), the municipal building, and the Francesco Cirio Museum.
On the territory, there is also the big bench “Panchina del Nizza” and the Collina Zane E. Carlson.
To receive more information about the area, you can contact the Tourist Information Office of the Municipality of Castelnuovo Belbo.
Curiosity.
Despite the fact that the Monferrato area is classified as very low seismic risk (zone 4), on 21st August 2000 a very intense event took place in southern Piedmont.
Two shocks (4.6 and 4.8 Richter scale) within about 20 seconds, between 19:14 and 19:15, with the epicenter in Quattordio (province of Alessandria), sowing panic among the population but fortunately did not cause casualties.
From the Asti region, 6715 reports of damage to buildings and infrastructures arrived and 696 orders of total or partial inability were issued (Source: Regione Piemonte).
Castelnuovo Belbo was the epicenter of one of the nine premonitory shakes of the event: at 10:51 am on 21st August 2000, the seismographs detected a shock of magnitude 3.0.
Another curiosity, but this time of an administrative nature: Castelnuovo Belbo adheres to the brotherhood pact between all the municipalities of Italy which are called Castelnuovo (26 in total).
The pact of brotherhood was signed in 2004 on the premises of the municipality of Castelnuovo Don Bosco.
Information synthesis and/or re-elaboration was taken from the website of the Municipality of Castelnuovo Belbo
Cover image source: Municipality of Castelnuovo Belbo