Alba (Piedmont)

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Alba
coat of arms
Alba (Italy)
Alba
Country Italy
region Piedmont
province Cuneo  (CN)
Coordinates 44 ° 42 '  N , 8 ° 2'  E Coordinates: 44 ° 42 '0 "  N , 8 ° 2' 0"  E
height 172  m slm
surface 54 km²
Residents 31,609 (Dec. 31, 2019)
Population density 585 inhabitants / km²
Factions Gallo, Mussotto, Scaparone , San Cassiano, Santa Rosalia, Biglini, Madonna di Como, San Rocco Seno d'Elvio, San Rocco Cherasca, Altavilla
Post Code 12051
prefix 0173
ISTAT number 004003
Popular name Albesi
Patron saint San Lorenzo (August 10th)
Website Comune Alba

Alba is a town with 31,609 inhabitants (as of December 31, 2019) in the north-western Italian region of Piedmont . It is located in the province of Cuneo on the edge of the Po Valley and is the capital of the Langhe hill country . The inhabitants are called Albesi in Italian .

Alba is the seat of the diocese of Alba of the Roman Catholic Church .

geography

Alba is located 50 kilometers south of Turin on the Tanaro River - a large tributary of the Po - between the hilly landscapes of the Langhe and Roero .

It is the largest city in the Langhe and is located 60 kilometers northeast of the provincial capital Cuneo , 27 kilometers southwest of Asti and 13 kilometers east of Bra . The Stura di Demonte flows into the Tanaro a little above the city .

history

The settlement history of Alba goes back to the Neolithic (6th to 3rd millennium BC). The Ligurians settled here. 173 BC The area came under the rule of the Roman Empire and has been in existence since 89 BC. Chr. Under the name of Alba Pompeia as a Roman municipality .

In the Middle Ages, Alba was conquered by the Lombards and suffered from the Saracen invasions . In the 12th century it became a free city ( comune ) and joined the Lombard League of northern Italian cities.

Flag of the Republic of Alba, 1796–1801

Fought over between Montferrat and the Visconti , it fell to the rule of the Gonzaga , was conquered and lost three times by Charles Emanuel I and then got caught up in the power conflict between France and Spain . With the Peace of Cherasco (1631) Alba fell to the Savoy .

During the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte , the Republic of Alba existed here between April 26, 1796 and April 19, 1801. Between October 10 and November 2, 1944, the local resistance movement against the fascist dictatorship in Italy once again proclaimed the Alba Republic .

politics

Mayor is Maurizio Marello ( Partito Democratico , election 2009).

Town twinning

Economy and Infrastructure

The city is surrounded by famous wine and fruit growing areas and is a center of the confectionery industry (since 1946 the headquarters of the Ferrero company ). In addition, the company headquarters of MONDO, one of the largest producers of rubber coverings and balls, is in Alba. MONDO also produces special sports surfaces and has been equipping all athletics stadiums for the Olympic Games since 1976.

traffic

The A 33 autostrada runs west of the city, with two junctions for Alba (-Ovest and -Est). The city is also on the Alessandria – Cavallermaggiore railway line . Urban public transport is handled by five bus routes.

Culture and sights

The remains of a fortification with walls and a gate as well as some buildings with mosaics have been preserved from Roman times. The most important buildings include the cathedral from the 15th century and the church dedicated to John the Baptist ( Chiesa di San Giovanni Battista ). In May 2009, the new Church of the Transfiguration (Chiesa della Trasfigurazione) in the rapidly growing Mussotto district was inaugurated, a jewel of modern architecture: the interior, which is kept entirely in white, is designed with many sharp edges and acute angles like a sky tent (the architecture is supposed to match the three tents remembering the transfiguration of Jesus in the Gospel of Luke: "Let us make three huts: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." Chap. 9, ver. 33), while the baptismal font contrasts with harmonious curves and dark blue; Altar and pulpit face each other, while the organ with console and sedil also face each other.

  • View of Alba

  • Alba Cathedral

  • Gender towers in Alba

  • Via Vittorio Emanuele

  • Exterior view of the modern church (2009)

  • Roof construction of the modern church (2009)

Culinary specialties

The famous Langhe wines as well as the white truffles that can be found in the immediate vicinity attract many tourists to the city and its surroundings, especially in October.

Personalities

Sons and daughters:

People related to the city:

Others

For the same DOC - wine , see Alba (wine) .

Web links

Commons : Alba  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Statistiche demografiche ISTAT. Monthly population statistics of the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica , as of December 31 of 2019.
  2. ↑ http://resistenza.eu
  3. ↑ Website of the architecture office , accessed on April 4, 2018
  4. ↑ Website of the construction company ( Memento of the original from April 5, 2018 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed April 4, 2018 @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.barberisaldo.com