Fossano
Encyclopedia
Fossano is a town and comune
of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo
. It is the fourth largest town of the Province of Cuneo
, after Cuneo
, Alba
and Bra.
It lies on the main railway line from Turin
to Cuneo
and to Savona
, and has a branch line to Mondovì
.
Chief industries of the town include confectionery
(with Italian industries Balocco
and Maina
), chemicals, metallurgy
, and textile
s.
. In 1304 it was acquired by the Marquisate of Saluzzo
. It finally surrendered in 1314 to Filippo d'Acaia, whose successor handed it over to the house of Savoy
.
Another alternative hypothesis is that the name derive from “fons sana" (healthy spring), to indicate the presence in the vicinities of a drinkable water spring.
. Rich in mediaeval, renaissance and baroque buildings, it is characterized by the ancient portici (arcades), built on both sides of via Roma (the main street of the old town) but also along other streets, such as via Cavour, via Garibaldi, via Barotti, via Muratori. On the Eastern side, the old town is delimited by viale Mellano, a pedestrian promenade with a wonderful sight of Langhe
;on the Western side, along via Martiri dell'Indipendenza, viale Sacerdote and viale Bianco, you can enjoy the panorama of South-western Alps
, whose apex is Monviso. There are also some parts of the ancient town walls.
The town's hospital and the Trinity Church were designed by Francesco Gallo in the 18th century. The Palazzo del Comandante is a Baroque building constructed in the 17th century. There are also Mineral Baths and a center for agriculture
and cattle
-breeding.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo
Province of Cuneo
ayr is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ....
. It is the fourth largest town of the Province of Cuneo
Province of Cuneo
ayr is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ....
, after Cuneo
Cuneo
Cuneo is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the third largest of Italy’s provinces by area...
, Alba
Alba
Alba is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is cognate to Alba in Irish and Nalbin in Manx, the two other Goidelic Insular Celtic languages, as well as similar words in the Brythonic Insular Celtic languages of Cornish and Welsh also meaning Scotland.- Etymology :The term first appears in...
and Bra.
It lies on the main railway line from Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
to Cuneo
Cuneo
Cuneo is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the third largest of Italy’s provinces by area...
and to Savona
Savona
Savona is a seaport and comune in the northern Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea....
, and has a branch line to Mondovì
Mondovì
Mondovì is a town and comune of Piedmont, northern Italy, located c. 80 km from Turin....
.
Chief industries of the town include confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
(with Italian industries Balocco
Balocco
Balocco is a comune in the Province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about northwest of Vercelli. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 273 and an area of 16.7 km²...
and Maina
Maina
Maina may refer to:*Maina , an island in the Aitutaki group of the Cook Islands*Maina *Maina Indians — the Mainan linguistic group, ranging along the north bank of the Marañón River in South America....
), chemicals, metallurgy
Metallurgy
Metallurgy is a domain of materials science that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their intermetallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are called alloys. It is also the technology of metals: the way in which science is applied to their practical use...
, and textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
s.
History
Fossano appeared as a commune in 1236, founded by a Guelph league of cities, but in 1251 had to yield to AstiAsti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
. In 1304 it was acquired by the Marquisate of Saluzzo
Marquisate of Saluzzo
The Marquisate of Saluzzo was an historical Italian state that included French and Piedmont territories on the Alps.-Marquisate territories:The Marquisate of Saluzzo occupied parts of the provinces of Cuneo and Turin, and at times areas now under French control. However, Saluzzo was historically...
. It finally surrendered in 1314 to Filippo d'Acaia, whose successor handed it over to the house of Savoy
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
.
Etimology
The name Fossano could be the transformation of the name "locus" or "fundus faucianus", from the Roman first name Faucius, or derive from the word "fossato" (ditch), in Piedmontese "fossà", from which "fossan" (inhabitant of the ditch).The sinkings are in fact characteristic of the hill on which the first city village rose. The historians agree speaking about “great ditch of the Chiotto”in dialect Ciot, hole, pit...Another alternative hypothesis is that the name derive from “fons sana" (healthy spring), to indicate the presence in the vicinities of a drinkable water spring.
Old town
The old part of the town of Fossano lies in the high part of the town. It is divided in two borghi (ancient quarters): Borgo Piazza (Square's Quarter), developed from 1400 to 1700 and Borgo Vecchio (Old Quarter), the oldest part of the town, developed in the Middle AgesMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Rich in mediaeval, renaissance and baroque buildings, it is characterized by the ancient portici (arcades), built on both sides of via Roma (the main street of the old town) but also along other streets, such as via Cavour, via Garibaldi, via Barotti, via Muratori. On the Eastern side, the old town is delimited by viale Mellano, a pedestrian promenade with a wonderful sight of Langhe
Langhe
The Langhe is a hilly area to the south and east of the river Tanaro in the province of Cuneo in Piedmont, northern Italy....
;on the Western side, along via Martiri dell'Indipendenza, viale Sacerdote and viale Bianco, you can enjoy the panorama of South-western Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, whose apex is Monviso. There are also some parts of the ancient town walls.
Castle of the Princes of Acaja
It is a massive castle with four high towers, begun by Filippo d'Acaia in 1314 and finished in 1332. It has a square plan with four powerful towers at each side, connected by passages with merlons. One century later Amadeus VIII of Savoy turned it into a ducal residence; the beautiful inner courtyard, designed by Gaspare Solari, is from the late 15th century. The castle, after serving as jail and barracks, is now the seat of cultural events and of one of the biggest libraries of the region.Other sights
The cathedral was reconstructed at the end of the 18th century in Neoclassicist style, replacing the former 13th century church.The town's hospital and the Trinity Church were designed by Francesco Gallo in the 18th century. The Palazzo del Comandante is a Baroque building constructed in the 17th century. There are also Mineral Baths and a center for agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
-breeding.
Notable people
- See also :Category:People from Fossano
- Margaret of SavoyBlessed Margaret of SavoyThe Blessed Margaret of Savoy was Marchioness of Montferrat.-Family:Margaret was the eldest of the four children—all daughters—born to Amadeo of Savoy, and his wife Catherine of Geneva.Her paternal grandparents were Giacomo of Savoy, titular Prince of Achaea and his second wife...
(1390–1464), born in Fossano, was one of the last of the Acaia branch of the House of SavoyHouse of SavoyThe House of Savoy was formed in the early 11th century in the historical Savoy region. Through gradual expansion, it grew from ruling a small county in that region to eventually rule the Kingdom of Italy from 1861 until the end of World War II, king of Croatia and King of Armenia...
. She became Marquise of Montferrat and, on being widowed, a nun at AlbaAlbaAlba is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is cognate to Alba in Irish and Nalbin in Manx, the two other Goidelic Insular Celtic languages, as well as similar words in the Brythonic Insular Celtic languages of Cornish and Welsh also meaning Scotland.- Etymology :The term first appears in...
. - Ambrogio Borgognone (c. 1470s -1523/1524), Italian Renaissance painter, is said to have been born here.
- Giovanni Giovenale Ancina (1545–1604), priest, scholar and composer, was beatified in the late nineteenth century.
- Fiorenzo Bava-BeccarisFiorenzo Bava-BeccarisFiorenzo Bava-Beccaris was an Italian general, especially remembered for his brutal repression of riots in Milan in 1898, known as the Bava-Beccaris massacre.-Biography:...
(1831–1924), a general, especially remembered for the Bava-Beccaris massacreBava-Beccaris massacreThe Bava Beccaris massacre, named after the Italian General Fiorenzo Bava Beccaris, refers to the repression of widespread riots in Milan in May 1898....
was born in Fossano. - Paola BaralePaola BaralePaola Barale is an Italian TV hostess and actress.-External links:*...
, show girl and MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
former look-alike.
- Margaret of Savoy