Saliceto

Built along the Bormida river, Saliceto resembles one of the little villages in Liguria: narrow streets, little squares where history has left its marks.

The most evident ones are the XIV-century castle, with its square towers and frescos, the renaissance parish church.

Built in the sixteenth century, the chapel of sant’Agostino, with some fifteenth-century frescos, the little romanic church of san Martino, in the Lignera village.

The patronal church is dedicated to san Lorenzo, and the fair dedicated to the Madonna della Neve, to which the sanctuary is dedicated, is held on the first Sunday in August.

History

The town’s name probably refers to the many willow trees that grew there (in the town’s crest is included a willow tree).

Others say that it comes from the Salii tribe, that came here from Provence and founded many towns, among which Saluzzo, Saluggia and Sale Langhe.

Where today Saliceto stands, there were once two towns, totally destroyed by the Saracins in the X century, as well as a castle built on the “Margarita” hill.

Once the Saracins were gone, the town was rebuilt on the hill’s side, where it still stands, and here the marquis Del Carretto had a majestic castle built.