Celle Enomondo: sights, history and trails

Celle's first documentary evidence dates back to the end of the 9th century. In an act of 898 the bishop of Asti, as part of the reorganization of the cathedral chapter, assigned to the canons various assets and rights located in the Asti area, which also included the locality of Celle.^[4] A document of 933 also bears witness to the existence of a rural settlement, while in 1041 it is attested the presence of a castrum, mentioned in a diploma with which Emperor Henry III confirmed previous royal and imperial concessions to the Church of Asti.^[5]

During the Middle Ages, Celle remained closely linked to the political events of nearby Asti. The progressive passage of territorial powers from the bishop to the locality led to the inclusion of the locality in the town hall. Celle appears in fact among the communities included in the territory subject to Asti in the diploma granted in 1159 by Emperor Federico Barbarossa. In 1169, a pontifical confirmation of the possessions of the canons of the cathedral also mentioned the church and territory of Celle, attesting the persistence of important ecclesiastical interests in the locality.^[5]

Between the 13th and 14th centuries, the community gradually developed its own administrative structures, while remaining subject to the political influence of Asti. In 1356, Celle's men granted a prosecution to give loyalty to the Marquis of Monferrato, as imperial vicar, and to the municipality of Asti. Following the political events of the Asti area, in 1387 the community swore an oath of loyalty to Louis of Orléans and his wife Valentina Visconti; on May 29 of the same year Gian Galeazzo Visconti assigned them the place and jurisdiction of Celle.^[5]

The organization of the community in the late Middle Ages is documented by the municipal statutes of 1444. The administration was articulated in the arengo, consisting of household leaders, community council and podestà, appointed by the city of Asti. The council was renewed annually by means of an indirect elective procedure and provided, among other functions, the approval of the statutes, subsequently submitted to the confirmation of the ducal governor of Asti. The same statutes bear witness to the existence of a defensive system consisting of moat, swords and other fortifications, whose maintenance was required to run the population.^[5]

Celle then followed the political events of the Astigiano territory. After the dominations that affected Asti in the late Middle Ages, the county entered the orbit of Savoy in the 16th century. During the modern age, the jurisdiction over Celle was shared between several feudal families. Among the feudatories are the Berliners, the Melicas of Vaglierano, the Mestitis, Counts of Graglia, and the Ramelli di Solbrito. A report by the head of the province of Asti in 1753 indicated as holders of jurisdiction the accounts Gaspare and Ignazio Ramelli, Giuseppe Merliati and Giuseppe Melica.^[5]

The same report of 1753 described the municipal territory as divided into three main towns: the capital, Merlazza and Boschetto. The economy was mainly agricultural and the conditions of land were judged not particularly favorable; the administration therefore suggested an improvement of crops and plantation of willows and other arboreal species in the most humid areas and along the watercourses. The municipal administration was then entrusted to an ordinary council composed of three members.^[5]

With the reform of local administrations promoted by Vittorio Amedeo III in 1775, the order of the community was reorganized: the city council was composed by three ordinary advisors and as many alternates and the office of mayor was exercised in rotation by the senior Ordinary Council. At the end of the 18th century, following French occupation Piemonte, Celle was interested in the administrative changes introduced during the Napoleonic period.^[5]

After the Restoration, the municipality returned to be part of the Saudi domains and, with the subsequent formation of the Kingdom of Italy, was included in the province of Alessandria, within the district of Asti. To distinguish it from other Italian municipalities called Celle, in 1862 the municipal council decided to add the term "Enomondo" to the historical name, with reference to the traditional wine-growing vocation of the area. The new name of Celle Enomondo was officially recognized by royal decree of 1 February 1863.^[5]

Between 1882 and 1935 the municipality was served by the Asti-Canale tramway, which connected the centers of Astigiano with the capital. In 1935, with the establishment of province of Asti, Celle Enomondo was separated from the province of Alessandria and aggregated to the new provincial district.