Bra

Bra - Stemma

Looking at the town from the top of the hill, it’s possible to see traces of its whole history in its building.

Among the dark red roofs of the old center stand the Ghibelline merlons of the medieval Traversa Palace; the bell tower of saint Andrew’s church; the thin bell tower of the Holy Trinity church; the exotic one of S. Giovanni Decollato and the pretty, triangular one of the little church of the Holy Cross; the parish church of saint Andrew, designed by Bernini.

Beautiful is the dome of the church of saint Clare, designed by Vittone and recently restored.

The town is dominated by a bizarre villa: the “Zizzola”, the symbol of the town. In front of it the “masche”, the witches, were believed to meet for their sabbas.

Around this center there’s the 20-century part of Bra, simple and colored, where there are all the industries that were built to replace the ancient and famous tanneries.

We recommend you to take a walk in C.so Garibaldi, under its long porch – l’Ala. There you will find the market every Friday and see the town hall, designed by Vittone. You will see the shops in via Vittorio and via Cavour, the Science Museum, founded in the nineteenth century by the Craveri brothers, explorers, geographers, promoters of the Alpine club.

History

Very ancient, the town of Bra was founded when the nearby Pollenzo started its decadence, after the fight in 402 between Alarico and Stilicone. But the town became independent only after the year 1000, when new quarters were built around the churches of saint John and saint Andrew the Old, from the “brayda” of which the town got its name.

Bra was then involved in the fights between Alba and Asti and in the wars in Monferrato until, in the fourteenth century, it was owned by the Visconti family.

Robbed in 1515 by the French and destroyed in 1537 by the Savoia, it was called a city at the beginning of the eighteenth century.

Events in Bra and around


  • 18 May 18 Aug

    Una giornata, con visita in cantina e breve trekking panoramico, alla scoperta della Nocciola Tonda Gentile delle Langhe


  • 07 Jun 08 Jun

    Venti opere simboliche di Franco Gotta e gli aforismi di Caramagna in mostra nella maestosa villa ottocentesca che domina la collina braidese


  • 07 Jun

    Un viaggio nell’inverno dell’anima, tra poesia romantica e musica assoluta


  • 08 Jun

    Edizione 2025 della rassegna settimanale di antiquariato e collezionismo tra le vie storiche del centro con oltre 150 banchi

Eat & Sleep in Bra and around

Cheese

Bra, CN, Italia
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Pollenzo

Pollenzo, CN, Italia
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The church of Santa Chiara

Chiesa Santa Chiara, Via Barbacana, Bra, CN, Italia
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By bicycle from Monticello to Bra

Monticello d'Alba, CN, Italia
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The church of San Bernardino

Via Roma, 20, 12043 Canale CN, Italia
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San Vittore's Church

Str. S. Vittore, 28, 12040 Priocca, CN, Italia
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