Comune Terzo

via Gallaretto, 11 - 15010 Terzo (AL)
Tel. +39 (0144) 594.264
Fax: +39 (0144) 594.461
E-mail: info@comune.terzo.al.it
https://www.comune.terzo.al.it/

A village situated at the top of a rock, in a scenic position, on the left bank of the River Bormida.
In the Iron Age, our region was inhabited by the population called Liguri, native people resident throughout the maritime Liguria but also the western part of the Po Valley (so-called “inland Liguria”), which was divided into tribes. The region of Val Bormida and Erro were inhabited by the tribe of the Liguri Statielli. These were defeated by the Romans who, led by the Consul Marcus Popilius Laenas in the battle of Caristo (perhaps the same Acqui) in 173 BC, occupied these lands.

The name of the village recalls that the town was situated at “terdium lapidem”, namely three miles from Aquae Statiellae (now Acqui Terme) on the important via Aemilia Scauri, built in 109 A.C. named after the censor Marcus Aemilius Scaurus, which from Vada Sebatia (Vado) reached Aque Statiellae (Acqui Terme) and continued to Dertona
(Tortona).
In medieval times it was closely connected to the nearby Acqui, on whose bishopric it depended from 996 onward. From Medieval times only the tall square tower of the castle remains (visible during Castelli Aperti) from where it is possible to admire the ancient watch towers of the surrounding hilltop villages; climbing to the top the view is breathtaking and extends from the east towards Orsara Bormida, Morsasco, Carpeneto and Montaldo; to the south towards the Ligurian Apennines and Ovrano, Cavatore, Melazzo and Moncrescente known as “la tinazza”; looking westwards, you can see those of Roccaverano which dominates the summit and S. Giorgio Scarampi and finally to the north the parish church of Montabone, once supported by the castle. The parish church is dedicated to S. Maurizio, a baroque construction of the eighteenth century. Beneath the tower is the small church dedicated to S. Antonio Abate situated in a beautiful scenic position.

The new scenic walk “sulle Rocche” starts from behind the medieval tower.