Alba, Piedmont

Alba
—  Comune  —
Città di Alba
View of the city of Alba
Coat of arms
Alba Location of Alba in Italy
Coordinates: 44°43′N 08°05′E
Country	Italy
Region	Piedmont
Province	Cuneo (CN)
Government
• Mayor	Maurizio Marello (since June 23, 2009)
Area
• Total	54 km2 (20.8 sq mi)
Elevation	172 m (564 ft)
Population
• Total	31,341
• Density	580.4/km2 (1,503.2/sq mi)
Demonym	Albesi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	12051
Dialing code	173
Patron saint	St. Lawrence
Saint day	August 10
Website	Official website

The Cathedral of Alba.

A view of Via Vittorio Emanuele in the center of Alba.

Alba is a town and comune of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo. It is considered the capital of the hilly area of Langhe, and is famous for its white truffle, peach and wine production. The confectionery group Ferrero is based in Alba.

History

Alba's origins date from before the Roman civilization, connected probably to the presence of Celt and Ligurian tribes in the area.

The town is on the site of the ancient Alba Pompeia, probably founded 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, one of the shortest reigning Roman emperors.

After the fall of the Western Empire, the city was repeatedly sacked by Burgundians, Lombards and Franks. In the 11th century it become 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 House of Gonzaga. Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy conquered it twice, while later France and Spain battled for its possession. The Treaty of Cherasco assigned Alba definitively to Savoy.

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. In 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.

Main sights

Of the Roman city, which had a polygonal form, parts of the fortified gate and remains of some edifices with marble and mosaics can still be seen.

Other attractions include:

• The Palazzo Comunale (13th century, housing a Nativity by Macrino d'Alba of 1501) and the Bishop's Palace.
• Some towers of 14th-15th centuries: Alba was once known as the "City with hundred towers".
• the Romanesque Alba Cathedral of San Lorenzo (Duomo), built in 12th century, probably over holy edifices of Roman age. It was restructured in 15th century, by bishop Andrea Novelli, and again in the following centuries. The current appearance is from the controversial restoration of 19th century, of which the three portals and the crpyt are from the original edifice. The church is well known for its wood-carved chorus made in 1512 by Bernardino Fossati. The current belfry, from the 12th century, includes entirely the original bell tower.
• The Gothic church of San Domenico (13th-14th century), the most artistically relevant church in town. It has a noteworthy portal with a triple arch within a pointed arch, a polygonal apse and traces of Renaissance frescoes. During the Napoleonic Wars it was used a stable, and was reconsecrated on June 22, 1827.
• The Baroque church of St. John the Baptist, housing a Madonna of the Graces (1377) by Barnaba da Modena and a Madonna with Saints (1508) by Macrino d'Alba.

The city museums include the F. Eusebio Municipal Museum of Archaeology and Natural Science.

Economy

In addition to traditional agriculture, Alba is a very important center of wine. In the area of Alba, in fact, there are 290 wineries that cultivating an area of 700 hectares of land, producing an average of 61,200 hl of wine annually.

The wines of Alba are among the most renowned in Italy and are divided into:

• DOC: Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo.
• DOCG: Barbaresco, Barolo, Moscato.

The city has a thriving economy, being able to count the confectionery industry, world-renowned, Ferrero, a publishing house such as the Società San Paolo and on the estimated textile industry Miroglio.

In the town houses the largest Cooperative Credit Bank of Italy, by number of partners, the Banca d'Alba, and the international food chain Eataly. Alba has also been established UniEuro, the Italian chain of stores specializing in products, telephones and electrical appliances.

Alba is also famous worldwide for its white truffles, so much that goes on the annual Truffle Festival.

Sport

The town’s football club, A.S.D. Albese Calcio has been in existence since 1917.

Notable natives and residents of Alba

See also: Category:People from Alba

• Publius Helvius Pertinax (125–103), Governor of Britain c.185–187 and Roman Emperor for the first 86 days of 193 AD was born in Alba.
• The Blessed Margaret of Savoy (1390–1464), child bride and childless, youthful widow of Theodore II, Marquess of Montferrat established, ruled over, and was interred in a monastery here.
• Macrino d'Alba (c.1460–65 – c.1510–20) was a Renaissance painter, born in Alba and largely active in north-west Italy.
• Giuseppe "Pinot" Gallizio (1912–1964), an artist born in Alba and co-founder there of the International Movement for an Imaginist Bauhaus.
• Beppe Fenoglio (1922–1963) was a writer born in Alba and a (royalist) partisan fighter who participated in the brief liberation of the town from Nazi-Fascist control in 1944.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Alba is twinned with:

• Böblingen, Germany Inge Brenner, Head of Committee
• Beausoleil, France
• Medford, Oregon, USA
• Banská Bystrica, Slovakia since 1967
• Sant Cugat, Spain
• Arlon, Belgium since 1 March 2004
• Bergama, Turkey

See also

• Republic of Alba (1796–1810)
• Republic of Alba (1944)
• Piemonte (wine)
• Nutella

Sources and external links

• www.comune.alba.cn.it (Italian) – the official website of the city council
• Alba Music Festival, artistic direction: Giuseppe Nova, Jeff Silberschlag, Larry Vote
• Guide to Alba city – Information, phone numbers and useful links at comuni-italiani.it
• Information on Alba – a very short tourist guide from www.piemonte-Italy.info
• Coro Giovanile La Schola (Italian) – the website of the “La Schola” youth choir of the cathedral parish of Alba
• Diocese of Alba Pompeia – article from the Old Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913
• Paradoxplace Alba Truffle and Food Festival Photo Pages