Gavi (Piedmont)

Gavi
Country	Italy
region	Piedmont
province	Alessandria  (AL)
Coordinates	44 ° 41 '  N , 8 ° 49'  E Coordinates: 44 ° 41 '19 "  N , 8 ° 48' 37"  E
height	233  m slm
surface	50.92 km²
Residents	4,459 (Dec 31, 2019)
Population density	88 inhabitants / km²
Post Code	15066
prefix	0143
ISTAT number	006081
Popular name	Gaviesi
Patron saint	San Giacomo
Website	Gavi
The fortress above Gavi (2011)

The Via Mameli in Gavi (2005)

Gavi ( Ligurian Gâi ) is an Italian commune with 4459 (as of December 31, 2019) inhabitants in the province of Alessandria (AL) in the Piedmont region and is the holder of the Bandiera Arancione of the TCI .

The municipality consists of the districts Rovereto, Monterotondo, Alice, Pratolungo and Sottovalle. The neighboring municipalities are Arquata Scrivia , Bosio , Carrosio , Francavilla Bisio , Isola del Cantone , Novi Ligure , Parodi Ligure , San Cristoforo , Serravalle Scrivia , Tassarolo and Voltaggio .

geography

The municipality covers 50.9 km². Gavi is 34 km from the provincial capital Alessandria at an altitude of 233  m slm. The place is on the right bank of the river Lemme , at the confluence with the Rio Neirone .

history

Excavations suggest that the region was already settled in the Neolithic . During the Roman Empire , a military post existed to defend the Via Postumia road . After the fall of Rome , the place was conquered by the Saracens , under whose rule, according to legend, the first castle was built by Princess Gavia .

Later the princes of Gavi were allies of Emperor Barbarossa , who retired here after the Battle of Legnano . The place came into the field of vision of the Republic of Genoa , as it was on a strategically important road from the Ligurian coast to the Po Valley and in 1202 it was added to their territory. The expansion of Genoa into the Po Valley aroused the enmity of the rulers of Alessandria and the place came first under the rule of the Visconti , later under that of the French and only fell back to Genoa in 1528, when Andrea Doria came to power.

In 1625 the place was stormed by the princes of Savoy , but after only 21 days it was recaptured by Genoa. After the end of the war, the castle was converted into a fortress. In an attack by the Austrians in 1746, they only surrendered on orders from Genoa. In 1804 the place fell again to France and was added to the Kingdom of Sardinia after the defeat of Napoleon in 1805 by the Congress of Vienna . The fortress was abandoned in 1859 and turned into a civil prison. During the Second World War it was used as a prisoner of war camp.

economy

The place lives mainly from tourism and a few local small businesses. The agricultural sector is dominated by viticulture; the white wine of the same name Cortese di Gavi is grown in the Gavi area .

Attractions

Worth seeing is the ancient fortress of the city, the Forte di Gavi, which also houses a museum on the history of the region. There are also several interesting churches, including the Trinity Church, Chiesa della Santissima trinità, and the Parrocchiale di San Giacomo, which is dedicated to the local saint .

Municipal institutions

The small town has a library, a kindergarten, a primary school and a state secondary school. There are also two pharmacies, a campsite and an outdoor swimming pool.

sons and daughters of the town

• Andrea Carrea (1924-2013), professional cyclist.
• Enzo Traverso , historian and philosopher

Web links

Commons : Gavi  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

• Gavi Municipality (Italian)
• Article on the story of Gavi (German)
• Information at piemonteweb.it (Italian)
• Information at comuni-italiani.it (Italian)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Statistiche demografiche ISTAT. Monthly population statistics of the Istituto Nazionale di Statistica , as of December 31 of 2019.
2. ↑ Bandiera Arancione. In: Bandierearancioni.it. Retrieved April 17, 2018 (Italian).