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Best places to visit - Pinerolo (Italy) Best places to visit - Slideshows from all over the world - City trips, nature pictures, etc.
Best places to visit
Best places to visit - Mondovì (Italy) Best places to visit - Slideshows from all over the world - City trips, nature pictures, etc.
Alba, Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy, Europe
Alba is a town and comune of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo. It is considered the capital of the UNESCO Human Heritage hilly area of Langhe, and is famous for its white truffle, peach and wine production. The confectionery group Ferrero is based there. Alba's origins date from before the Roman civilization, connected probably to the presence of Celtic and Ligurian tribes in the area.
The modern town occupies the site of ancient Alba Pompeia, the name given after being officially recognized as a town by the Roman consul Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo while constructing a road from Aquae Statiellae (Acqui) to Augusta Taurinorum (Turin). Alba was the birthplace of Publius Helvius Pertinax, briefly Roman emperor in 193. After the fall of the Western Empire, the city was repeatedly sacked by Ostrogoths, Burgundians, Byzantines, Lombards, Franks, Hungarians and Saracens. In the 11th century it became a free commune (or city-state) and was a member of the Lombard League. Montferrat and the Visconti fought over the town; later it became a possession of the Gonzaga. Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy conquered it twice, while later France and Spain battled for its possession. The Treaty of Cherasco (1631) assigned Alba definitively to Savoy. During Napoleonic Wars, it was part of the Republic of Alba (1796) and of the Subalpine Republic, both French clients, before being annexed to the French Empire in 1802. It was an arrondissement center in firstly Tanaro department between 1802-1805, later in Stura one between 1805-1814 before liberation by Austrian troops. It was returned to Kingdom of Sardinia in 1814. Alba won a Gold Medal for Military Valour for the heroic activity of its citizens in the Italian resistance movement during the course of World War II. On 10 October 1944, the town was liberated by partisans who established a Republic of Alba which for a few weeks was able to maintain its independence from the Fascist Republic of Salò. The republic lasted to 2 November 1944, when Republic of Salo retook it. It was finally liberated by French troops on 2 May 1945.
Langhe and Roero
Langhe Hills, one of the best wine place in Italy, beautiful castles, tipical food and amazing landscapes
Fontanafredda, Serralunga d'Alba, Cuneo, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy, Europe
Barolo is a red Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wine produced in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. It is made from the Nebbiolo grape and is often described as one of Italy's greatest wines. The zone of production extends into the communes of Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba and parts of the communes of Cherasco, Diano d'Alba, Grinzane Cavour, La Morra, Monforte d'Alba, Novello, Roddi, Verduno, all in the province of Cuneo, south-west of Alba. Only vineyards planted in primarily calcareous-clay soils in the hills with suitable slopes and orientations are considered suitable for Barolo production. Barolo is often described as having the aromas of tar and roses, and the wines are noted for their ability to age and usually take on a rust red tinge as they mature. When subjected to aging of at least five years before release, the wine can be labeled a Riserva.
In the past, Barolo wines tended to be rich in tannin. It could take more than 10 years for the wine to soften and become ready for drinking. Fermenting wine sat on the grape skins for at least three weeks extracting huge amounts of tannins and was then aged in large, wooden casks for years. In order to appeal to more modern international tastes, those that prefer fruitier, earlier drinking wine styles, several producers began to cut fermentation times to a maximum of ten days and age the wine in new French oak barriques (small barrels). Traditionalists have argued that the wines produced in this way are not recognizable as Barolo and taste more of new oak than of wine. The controversies between traditionalists and modernists have been called the Barolo wars., as depicted in Barolo Boys. The Story of a Revolution, a documentary film released in 2014. Prior to the mid-19th century, Barolo was a sweet wine. The fact that the Nebbiolo grape ripens late in October meant that temperatures would be steadily dropping by harvest. By November and December, temperatures in the Piedmont region would be cold enough to halt fermentation, leaving a significant amount of residual sugar left in the wine. In the mid-19th century, Camillo Benso, conte di Cavour, the mayor of Grinzane Cavour invited the French enologist Louis Oudart to the Barolo region to improve the winemaking techniques of the local producers. Using techniques focusing on improving the hygiene of the cellar, Oudart was able to ferment the Nebbiolo must completely dry, making the first modern Barolo. This new, dry red wine soon became a favorite among the nobility of Turin and the ruling House of Savoy, giving rise to the popular description of Barolo as 'the wine of kings, the king of wines. By the mid-20th century, wine production in the Barolo zone was dominated by large negociants who purchased grapes and wines from across the zone and blended it into a house style. In the 1960s, individual proprietors began estate bottling and producing single vineyard wines from their holdings. By the 1980s, a wide range of single vineyard bottlings were available, which led to a discussion among the region's producers about the prospect of developing a Cru classification for the area's vineyards. The cataloging of Barolo's vineyards has a long history dating back to the work of Lorenzo Fantini in the late 19th century to Renato Ratti and Luigi Veronelli in the late 20th century, but as of 2009 there is still no official classification within the region. However, in 1980 the region as a whole was elevated to DOCG status. Along with Barbaresco and Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo was one of the first Italian wine regions to attain this designation. The Barolo zone is located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) southwest of the Barbaresco zone with only the vineyards of Diano d'Alba planted with Dolcetto between the two Nebbiolo strongholds. Compared to the Barbaresco zone, the Barolo zone is cooler and located on higher elevations, rising nearly 50 metres (160 ft) above Barbaresco. The harvest of the late ripening Nebbiolo grape usually takes place in early to mid-October though some producers are experimenting with viticultural techniques that allow for an earlier harvest in late September. At harvest time, rains and downy mildew are two of the main hazards to worry about, along with early spring hail damage earlier in the growing season. Like most of south central and southeastern Piedmont, the zone experiences a continental climate tempered by the Tanaro river and its tributaries - the Tallòria dell'Annunziata and Tallòria di Castiglione - that split the region into three main zones. To the west of the Tallòria dell'Annunziata is the commune of Barolo and La Morra. To the east of the Tallòria di Castiglione is the commune of Serralunga d'Alba located on one of the highest hilltops in the Barolo zone. Separated by a narrow valley to the west is the commune Monforte d'Alba located in the Monforte hills.
Barolo, Cuneo, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy, Europe
Barolo is an Italian town of 739 inhabitants of the province of Cuneo, in Piedmont. The country is located on a small plateau, in the form of spur, protected by the surrounding mountains, an amphitheater. It is hitting the town the different positioning of its urban core compared to neighboring countries, placed around the top of a hill or along a ridge. There is no precise information on the birth of Barolo, though the area was inhabited in prehistoric times by Celtic-Ligurian tribes, the first actual settlement on the territory of barbarian origin and dating back to the Middle Ages. During the rule Longobardo depended Gastaldo of Diano, step 'then under the County of Alba and later under the March of Turin. The original core of the castle was built in that period by Berenger I, as a defense against Saracen raids. In 1200 the village is mentioned in Rigestum Comunis Albe with the name of Villa Barogly. In 1250 the family Falletti, acquired all the possessions of Barolo by the city of Alba. The Falletti were a powerful family of bankers, representatives of the new bourgeoisie, which marked the fate of Barolo and the surrounding areas. Around 1300 they came to control up to fifty Piedmontese feuds. In 1486 Barolo became part of the State Monferrino, then moved in 1631 to the Savoy the Treaty of Cherasco. Barolo became Marquis in 1730, the first Marquis was Gerolamo IV. After Gerolamo IV, there were only two other Marchesi: Ottavio Alessandro Falletti and Carlo Tancredi, the latter's death ruled his wife the Marquise Juliette Colbert, who was known for his brilliance and for his actions in favor of the weakest. When he died in 1864 in his will there was the establishment of the Opera Pia Barolo which left the entire family fortune. The charming and imposing structure tells a thousand years of history, full of suggestions and tips. Inside the impressive halls, you can visit the Historical Library ordered by Silvio Pellico and the Country Museum. Frequently they are held important art exhibitions. In the ancient cellars hosts the prestigious Enoteca Regionale del Barolo. Since 2007 he is part of the circuit of 8 castles Castelli Doc. The network of castles include the castles of Grinzane Cavour, Barolo, Serralunga d'Alba, Govone, Magliano Alfieri, Roddi, Mango and Benevello. It is also inserted in the circuit of Open Castles Southern Piedmont. The history of the castle is believed to have begun, given the lack of historical documents about his birth, in the tenth century, when Berengar I allowed the local feudal lord to erect an effective defense against the frequent raids of the Hungarians and the Saracens. Of the original structure remains very little: the keep, still visible today, is part of it. The first written record dates back to the '200 in a deed of transfer of property by the Lords of Marcenasco in favor of the town of Alba, who, a few years later, he sold it to the Falletti who renovated it significantly and made it permanent residence of a branch of the house. In 1544, however, it was made by the French governor of plunder neighboring Cherasco, during the long wars of the time. He fell later to Giacomo and Manfredo repair the considerable damage, bringing further modification and improvement. The new, the result of sixteenth-century restorations, remained substantially unchanged until 1864, the year of the death of Juliette Colbert, last Marchioness Falletti. Meanwhile, the castle had become a country residence due to the transfer of the principal residence of the Falletti, which occurred in 1814, at Palazzo Barolo in Turin. Among its illustrious guests during the last era of the Falletti stands undoubtedly Silvio Pellico, presented the Marchioness Cesare Balbo after decades of imprisonment of Spielberg, who later became over the years a close friend, trusted adviser and director of the library Falletti. Pellico and the Marchesa used to spend long days together between the Falletti castle and the castle of Volta, dedicated to reading and conversation. The visit to the Castle Falletti focuses on the first floor, the so-called noble floor, the first room you come across going up the stairs is the Hall of the Four Seasons, spacious and bright room with fine furnishings empire building that owes its name to four paintings surmount many doors and each dedicated to a season of the year. From this room has access to the Hall of coats of arms, whose ceiling is decorated with the emblems of the Falletti is that of the families with whom they are related. Besides the monumental fireplace and its century stucco decoration, this room houses a number of years the meetings of the council.
OurTour New Year Message from Sicily
Happy New Year from a beach in Sicily - a great place to recover from the party in Syracuse! For more details and pictures from our tour around Europe in a motorhome please visit our website OurTour.co.uk
Das Erstaunliche Turin (DE) - Piemont - Italia.it
Turin ist ein Stadt mit vielen Gesichtern, eine Truhe an versteckte Schätze die es langsam zu entdecken gilt: Das barocke Turin, das Turin des Jugendstils, der Industrie und der Autos, des Haus Savoyen und der mittelalterlichen Kommunen.
Der Tourist, der nach Turin kommt kann in Atmosphären einer anderen Zeit tauchen, dank des bezaubernden mittelalterlichen Zentrums, in dem viele der schönsten Monumenten des 15. Jh. des Piemonts und des Aostatals nachgebaut wurden. Unter den 12 km langen Portiken können Sie außerdem viele der weltweit besten Chocolateries und zahlreiche historische Cafés, wo sich einst Persönlichkeiten wie Cavour und König Karl Albert trafen.
OurTour on top of the Transfagarasan Pass in Romania
We stop in our motorhome at the top of the Transfagarasan Pass and look out over the best road .... in the world (according to Top Gear). For more details and photos of our tour around Europe in a motorhome please visit our website OurTour.co.uk
Dronero (valle Maira, Cuneo) Il PONTE DEL DIAVOLO e il resto della città - slideshow
Si tratta di un ponte merlato caratteristico con le sue grandi arcate diseguali: la maggiore ha un diametro di circa 27 metri e uno larghezza di circa 6 metri; dai 18 metri dal livello delle acque, abbraccia due grandi canali irrigui (Comella e Presidenta). Fu costruito nel 1428 sul torrente Maira per favorire l'accesso a Dronero e alla valle per chi veniva dalla pianura.
Sul pilastro dell'arcata minore in direzione del paese poggiava il ponte levatoio, il cui cardine di ferro è stato trovato sotto il manto stradale; fu soppresso nel 1810, quando venne ampliato il passaggio d'ingresso e ripristinate le merlature ghibelline a coda di rondine.
Il nome è legato, come tanti altri ponti medievali, per la sua costruzione e le caratteristiche architettoniche, alla figura del Diavolo.
Esistono due versioni della leggenda legata al nome di questo ponte.
La prima leggenda: Gli abitanti del paese di Dronero avevano deciso di costruire un ponte per poter attraversare senza difficoltà il torrente Maira. Nonostante i loro sforzi, però, nessun ponte era abbastanza robusto da resistere alle piene dell'impetuoso torrente. Ogni volta che un ponte veniva costruito, la pioggia gonfiava le acque del torrente e la corrente trascinava via con sé il fragile lavoro degli uomini.
Il sindaco di Dronero, non sapendo più cosa fare, decise di chiedere aiuto al diavolo: Diavolo, puoi costruire per noi un ponte che le acque del torrente non si portino via? Certo, lo posso fare, ma voglio in cambio la prima anima che attraverserà il ponte!
Il sindaco accettò il patto e il diavolo costruì un ponte talmente robusto da poter resistere anche ai peggiori temporali, quando le acque del torrente si scagliavano furibonde contro tutto quello che incontravano sul loro cammino.
Quando il ponte fu pronto, il sindaco prese un pezzo di pane e lo lanciò sul ponte. Un cane randagio che gironzolava lì intorno vide il pane e si precipitò a prenderlo, scappando poi velocemente dall'altra parte del torrente. La prima anima aveva attraversato il ponte! Il diavolo, che non sapeva che farsene dell'anima di un cane, scappò via infuriato e da quel giorno il ponte prese il nome di Ponte del Diavolo.
Una seconda versione: La leggenda narra che, ultimata la costruzione, il progettista ed il costruttore non ebbero il coraggio di disarmarlo, per cui fecero portare migliaia di fascine, le incendiarono, bruciando cosi' anche tutta l'armatura che era di legno. Il ponte non crollò, ma nessuno voleva passarci per primo ed il costruttore correva il rischio di non essere pagato.
Il diavolo propose un patto. Avrebbe pensato lui alla buona riuscita, a condizione che la prima anima che avesse attraversato il ponte sarebbe stata sua. Gli abitanti di Dronero tennero a dieta per una settimana un grosso cane e, al momento convenuto, fecero rotolare una grossa forma di formaggio sul ponte e liberarono la bestia: il cane transitò illeso e così tutte le persone che vi passarono dopo.