Casalnoceto: sights, history and trails

The village is located in a flat area between the lower course of the Curone stream and the hills that separate the Staffora Valley from the Curone Valley, at an average height of 150 m asl.

A settlement is already present in prehistoric times, as evidenced by archaeological finds leading to the Culture of square-mouthed vessels. Also traces of the cultivation of the vine were found at the beginning of the IV millennium B.C.^[4]

The ancient Nocetum it was situated along an ancient road, in the present town of Casale Vecchio, and its origins date back to Roman times. In documents between 700 and 1200 are mentioned Casale and Nocetum as of two locations with different attributes. Nocetum in 972 is confirmed at the Abbey of San Colombano Bobbio by Emperor Otto I, who in the same year in a donation to the monastery of San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro di Pavia cited Casale.^[5]

In the 14th century, the village is involved in the struggles between Guelphs, whose side lies the neighboring Tortona, and Ghibellines, for whom it sided and for this reason in 1373 it was completely destroyed by the troops of Giovanni Acuto, only to be rebuilt in its current position by order of Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan.^[4]

In 1415, Filippo Maria Visconti assigned the country to Tortona and in 1469 was granted in feud for two thirds to Giovanni Spinola and for a third to Gabriele Visconti.

In 1523, Charles V gave him in fief to the Counts Spinola of Los Balbases, aggregating him to the count of Tortona and then to the Duchy of Milan.^[6] In 1707, after the charge of partisans against Philip V, all property was seized to the Spinolas, including Casalnoceto, of which they will be in possession since 1725.^[7] 1797, year of suppression of the fiefs.

In December 1798 he became a republican municipality.

In 1814 the Savoy put him under the mandate of Volpedo.^[8]

The parish church of San Giovanni Battista was built in the 16th century on the basis of a former medieval oratory.

The church of San Rocco is made from a 14th century tower, the remains of the ancient wall. Inside, it deserves a mention the time frescoed by the Genoese artist Lazzaro Tavarone.

In front of the church of San Rocco there is one of the most remarkable buildings in the town, now part of the Vaccari estate and used as a site for events: the master wing of this building (turned by Paolo Spinola in 1687, designed by architect Giuseppe Quadrio and adapted to summer residence by the Vaccari family and its descendants) hosted for about a century cloistered nuns belonging to the Carmelite order. It is part of the "Open Castles" system in Lower Piemonte.

Some rooms contain religious frescoes of the time already mentioned Tavarone and furnishings, witnessing a life that is renewed in everyday life with the presence of guests.

In the locality Rosano, the church of S. Maria, dating back to the 13th century, is what remains of an ancient Franciscan convent. Remained in the 17th century, it preserves in the crypt the tombs of twelve members of the Spinola family, including the Ambrogio Spinola governor of Milan at the time of the events narrated in Promises Spouses.

Below is a table relating to the administrations that have succeeded one another in this municipality.