Mondovì

Mondovì was the next step after Rocca de’ Baldi during my trip on Piedmont southern hills.
As you can see from the pictures in the photo gallery the snow was still all over as winter was not yet completely done.
The town of Mondovì, located on the Monte Regale hill, is divided into several rioni and piazzas and can be reached not only by road but also by a small railway called ‘funicolare’ that link downtown with the part of the city up to the hill.

Mondovì was founded on a hilltop in 1198 by survivors of the destroyed village of Bredolo. The independence proved to be short lived because the bishop of Asti and the marquis of Ceva stormed it in 1200 and destroyed it in 1231.
The commune resisted, however, and the following year it was able to sustain another attack from Asti.
In 1260 it was occupied by Charles I of Anjou, while in 1274 it returned under the bishops of Asti.

In 1290 he was however able to buy back its communal independence, under the new name of Mons Regalis due to its large privileges.
In 1305 it fell again under Visconti, the marquisate of Montferrat, from 1418 A.D. was part of the House of Savoy.

Piedmont’s first printing press was created in Mondovì in 1472 and from 1560 to 1566, Mondovì was the seat of Piedmont’s university.
Mondovì continued to grow until the 16th century when it was the largest city in Piedmont.
In 1537 it was occupied by France, under which it mostly remained until 1559. In 1560 Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy restored it to Piedmont, which held it until the unification of Italy.

Posted on April 1, 2010

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