Santo Stefano Belbo

Santo Stefano Belbo, a little bigger than 23 square km, stands on the border of the Langhe, in a hilly area.

The ground is made of calcareous and sandstone land.

The town stands on a hill, 175 meters high on sea level, while on both the sides of the river the ground rises up to 590 meters, where the Falchetto village stands.

Interesting are the impressive ruins of the romanic abbey of San Gaudenzio, near the Moncucco hill. It reminds of the period when the benedictine monks used to farm teh land and offer the products to the Virgin Mary and give shelter to the pilgrims.

Beautiful is also the sanctuary of Moncucco, dedicated to the Madonna della Neve.

The town’s coat of arms remind of the importance of grapes production: on them is represented the vineyard, giving birth to the town.

The most famous citizen of S. Stefano Belbo is Cesare Pavese, whose house hosts today an important museum.

History

Santo Stefano Belbo was probably built right after the year 1000, though there are traces of an older village, built as a strategic check point on the road of the Belbo valley.

There surely was a Roman village there: it also had a fortified military building to control the road from the sea to Asti and Alba.

In the Middle Ages a castle was built on S. Libera hill, and a Benedictine monastery (S. Gaudenzio) in the place where an ancient temple had been.

The Benedictine monks taught the local people how to farm grapes.

S. Stefano Belbo was quite important in the feudal period; one of the towers of the ancient castle is still standing.