Comune Ponzone

via Negri di Sanfront, 12 - 15010 Ponzone (AL)
Tel. +39 (0144) 781.03
Fax: +39 (0144) 783.62
E-mail: ufficiocommercio@comune.ponzone.al.it
http://www.comune.ponzone.al.it/

Considered the 2nd most scenic view of Italy!

Immersed in a breathtaking panorama facing the Alps, with its beautiful woods that smell of mushrooms and truffles and offer magnificent hiking areas, with cozy mountain huts inside an enchanting natural scenario: peaks, valleys, woods, clearings, torrents and villages, full of colors and perfumes that differ from season to season. From its look-out point a wonderful view opens up over the Ligurian Apennines, Monferrato, the Alps and the various nearby villages of which the towers stand out. Capital of a vast territory dotted with several towns, it is the largest in terms of surface area: it includes 10 hamlets and is a top vacation spot in summer.


Medieval municipality, fiefdom of a branch of the Aleramic dynasty from 1167, center of a foreign marquisate in the valleys of Bormida, Erro and Orba. It passed to the Genoese in 1344, then to the Marquises of Monferrato and finally to the
House of Savoy.

To visit: the parish Church of San Michele, one of the biggest of the community, completed in 1627, full of Baroque and Rococo elements. The Oratory of Santo Suffragio which hosts the sacred art museum, the village with the seventeenth century Sanctuary della Pieve with the coeval Way of the Cross is 3 kilometers away.

In the hamlets it is possible to visit:
CIGLIONE, which features a Baroque gem: the Church of San Bernardo, whose apse was frescoed by Pietro Ivaldi (a.k.a. "Il Muto"), with the Cardinal Virtues, the Evangelists and the last Supper; the Church of San Colombano in the cemetery of Romanesque origin. Continue to CALDASIO, a small village immersed in the woods, oasis of rest and relaxation. From the center of Ponzone, continuing on the ridge facing the Erro valley between beautiful scenic views of woods of chestnuts and pines, you cross CHIAPPINO a lovely hamlet in a graceful scenic position popular in summer; CIMAFERLE, which preserves a lovely cycle of modern paintings of a sacred subject by Morando; TOLETO, home to the painter Pietro Ivaldi a.k.a. "Il Muto", has one of the most beautiful sixteenth century churches; ABASSE, a gastronomic and vacation resort, there is an 'aberch' - with chestnut dryer - nearby; PIANCASTAGNA. a typical rural village of the Apennines, preserves a monumental shrine which recalls the assassination of partisans during the Second World War; the Mountain Festival takes place here in autumn; MORETTI, surrounded by a picturesque almost alpine landscape, is the last offshoot of Piedmont, where it is possible to travel the "Loop of Bric Berton" trail or one of the numerous trails that cross the entire local area or the Apennines
Wildlife Park.
Otherwise, exiting the town of Ponzone, turn immediately right and take road 212 in the direction of CARTOSIO (small scenic road but windy) which descends to the valley of Erro, where about 3 km further on you will meet the Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Pieve, destination of devotional pilgrimages, founded in the 11th century and rebuilt in 1694, dotted with graceful chapels of the "Way of the Cross". The facade preserves the Baroque portal of the mid-17th century and inside the beautiful paintings of the Piedmontese and Ligurian school. Legend has it that the Madonna appeared to a deaf and dumb girl who was grazing sheep. She asked the girl to build a church on the site. The child began to talk about the apparition and everyone believed her.

Production area of the renowned filetto baciato, original salami made of pure pork with a characteristic salted fillet center, wrapped in a fine dough, aged at 750 m asl, as well as many other genuine foods such as goat milk cheese, the animals are bred in total freedom in the woods and in the pastures, typical products of the local artisan excellence.