Bubbio

Built as a fortified balcony dominating the lower part of the Bormida valley, Bubbio has maintained some important urban features, like the houses on the fourteenth-century Via Maestra, the castle and the parish church, and a series of picturesque quartiers, narrow roads and stairs.

Impressive is the view, the incredible show of the vineyards and woods that can be seen from the square in front of the little octagonal church of san Grato, built in ancient times and dedicated to the patron of the town to ask him to protect the fields from the hail.

All the little stories of faith, tradition and folklore live again during the annual Polentone fair, in the games that involve all the quartiers.

History

The first sure data is that in 1142 Bubbio was owned by Bonifacio the Young of Cortemilia.

Then given to Manfredo II of Saluzzo, in 1342 it became a property of the Monferrato family, and its citizens had the “statuti proprii”, a true and autonomous law codex that regulated their lives.

Bubbio always thought of itself as an independent town from the rest of Piedmont, and fought against the Savoia family expansion over the freedom and power of the Monferratos; in 1615 they tried to stop the royal soldiers fighting against the Spanish.

But in 1708 the town became another property of the royal family.