The population who lived here before the Romans, the so-called Ligures, left a number of traces in many places of Orba valley, including in Rocca Grimalda: the river has always had gold in its sand and during the Roman times, a town was built in the plain under the hill in order to exploit this resource. Old documents report about this centre, called Rondinaria, which was a wealthy little town in the middle of thick forests and had likely some sort of defence structure, probably on Rocca Grimalda's hill, which still dominates the whole plain around and the valley’s entrance.
Right in the plain an old necropolis was found in the 1980s but on the other side of the village’s land another high rocky hill was found to have been shaped as some sort of castle with a deep ditch and high palisades, probably from the Lombard rule era: the same place, called “Trionzo”, was linked with old legends of witches, dances and evil spirits.
The village’s existence was first stated in some documents of 900 and since then Rocca Grimalda changed a number of landlords while conquerors came from the see and from the plains: the Republic of Genoa, the free town of Alessandria, the duchies of Montferrat and Milan fought for centuries in order to have the control of this strategic stronghold.
From the early 17th to the 18th century, true power in Rocca Grimalda’s was in the hands of bandit families: they used the thick forests around the village to hide and rob the passers by. Rocca Grimalda got famous for its guns and long knives while no landlord managed to control them, also because they had strong support from people, traditionally against the official rulers coming from other places. During the 18th century everything changed, the forest was replaced by vineyards, only some little pieces survived as parks of noble mansions.
During World War II many young men from the village died in war, many others run to the mountains and fought against the Fascists and the Germans occupying the country: they had to face hard defeats and massacres but they finally managed to set the region free before the arrival of the American and English Armies.
After the War many inhabitants moved to larger cities like Genoa, Milan, Turin and many others in other countries and continents.
From the 1990s the village is living a new renaissance, both in economy and in society, basing its own wealthy on great wines, as “Dolcetto di Ovada” and “Barbera del Monferrato”, tasty food and historical places, which attract tourists from all over the world.
Main sights
Rocca Grimalda has kept its medieval structure, following the shape of the rocky hill upon which it was built. The names of some parts of the village remind of its old defence role: "Bastioni" (the bastions) "Torricella" (little tower), "Castelvero" (old castle), "Porta" (the gate) and others. The village has still only one gate, right under the Castle.
The Castle was built in the 13th century as a military stronghold, but it was turned into a noble palace five centuries later: it has a medieval part but the rest are alao Renaissance and 19th century-style rooms. There is a high circular tower which was used as prisons for long times: its walls have still drawings and signatures by prisoners of the 17th and 18th centuries.
The Parish Church, San Giacomo Maggiore, a building of Romanesque origin in the centre of the village, is decorated with paintings about St. John Bapt's life. This saint was then replaced by St. James in the villagers' devotion: St. James was a very popular saint in the area because a pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela in Spain passed right through these lands.
Two minor churches of the 17th and 18th centuries are dedicated to the Lady and the other to St. James Bapt.: they have very nice and old wooden statues which are carried through the little roads of the village once a year as a sign of popular devotion.
The oldest church in Rocca Grimalda is St. Limbania, built on the ruins of an old castle, in the lower part of the village: the church is dedicated to Mary's Assumption but it is popularly known as St. Limbania. Inside there are frescos of the 15th century but other parts of the building were added later on, when the church turned into some sort of sanctuary for the muleteers who used to carry goods from the sea to the plains and back, through the mountains. They used to start their journey from a church dedicated to St. Limbania near the sea, in Genoa-Voltri, and they stopped in Rocca Grimalda's church, in order to be sure of St.Limbania's protection through the dangerous journey through the mountains.
Culture
The dance of “Lachera” is performed every year during Carnival time, with features of foundation and propitiatory spring rite.
Lachera, main group during the wedding train.
Lachera is performed in carnival time in its most complete form, with a wedding train through the countryside and 5 day of dances, songs, wine and great food, until it reaches the village and the rite itself is completely performed. Lachera is often exported in other regions and countries, like Belgium, Austria, France, Germany.
Peirbuieira is a recipe served every year the last week of August in a festival.
Asti is a comune of 76,164 inhabitants (1-1-2017) located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and it is deemed to be the modern capital of Montferrat.
Alessandria is a city and comune in Piedmont, Italy, and the capital of the Province of Alessandria. The city is sited on the alluvial plain between the Tanaro and the Bormida rivers, about 90 kilometres southeast of Turin.
Montferrat is part of the region of Piedmont in northern Italy. It comprises roughly the modern provinces of Alessandria and Asti. Montferrat is one of the most important wine districts of Italy. It also has a strong literary tradition, including the 18th century Asti-born poet and dramatist Vittorio Alfieri and the Alessandrian Umberto Eco.
The Province of Alessandria is an Italian province, with a population of some 425,000, which forms the southeastern part of the region of Piedmont. The provincial capital is the city of Alessandria.
Acqui Terme is a city and comune in the province of Alessandria, Piedmont, northern Italy. It is about 35 kilometres (22 mi) south-southwest of Alessandria. It is one of the principal winemaking communes of the Italian DOCG wine Brachetto d'Acqui.
Capriata d'Orba is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Turin and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of Alessandria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,862 and an area of 28.3 square kilometres (10.9 sq mi).
Carpeneto is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) southeast of Turin and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of Alessandria.
Cassine is a town and commune of the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont. It is located 21 kilometres (13 mi) southwest of the town of Alessandria on the left of the lower course of the Bormida in the Alto Monferrato Acquese. The town lies partly in the hills, where the ancient nucleus of the settlement formed, and partly on the plain. Its economic character is agricultural: the hills are rich in vineyards where the wines Moscato d’Asti, Barbera and Freisa are produced as well as grappa.
The Commune of Conzano is a municipality located in the south of Casale Monferrato, in the north-west of the italian province of Alessandria. The town became famous for having been declared, in 1992, as the symbol of the massive emigration of the people to the northern Queensland, Australia, about 1890-1935 period: the ancient town square, named Piazza d'Armi, was renamed in Piazza Australia and Conzano has been twinned with Ingham, Queensland.
Montaldo Bormida is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) southeast of Turin and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of Alessandria.
Ovada is a comune (municipality) of 11,484 inhabitants in the Province of Alessandria in the northern Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Turin and about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Alessandria.
San Cristoforo is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Turin and about 30 kilometres (19 mi) southeast of Alessandria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 595 and an area of 3.6 square kilometres (1.4 sq mi).
Silvano d'Orba is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Turin and about 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of Alessandria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,856 and an area of 12.1 square kilometres (4.7 sq mi).
Tagliolo Monferrato is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) southeast of Turin and about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Alessandria. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,499 and an area of 25.9 square kilometres (10.0 sq mi).
Trisobbio is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) southeast of Turin and about 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Alessandria.
Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about 70 kilometres (43 mi) southwest of Genoa and about 35 kilometres (22 mi) southwest of Savona.
The Orba is a torrent of northern Italy.
A rocca is a type of Italian fortified stronghold or fortress, typically located on a hilltop, beneath or on which the inhabitants of a historically clustered village or town might take refuge at times of trouble. Generally under its owners' patronage, the settlement might hope to find prosperity in better times. A rocca might in reality be no grander than a fortified farmhouse. A more extensive rocca would be referred to as a castello.
Lago di Ortiglieto is a reservoir in northwest Italy which straddles the Metropolitan City of Genoa in Liguria, and [the [Province of Alessandria]] in Piedmont.
The Piota is an Apennine torrent in the Province of Alessandria, north-west Italy.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
