Fraconalto: sights, history and trails

The ancient name, until 1927, was Fiaccone; it is mentioned in medieval documents as Flaconum (Latinized, with the woodcut depiction by Caffaro).

The village probably rose in the 10th century along the path of Via Postumia, which crossed the ridges from Bocchetta to Monte Poggio, passing through its site and proceeding through Mount Porale.

Fiaccone was an important fortified place on this road that was strategically important since it connected the Oltregiogo through the Bocchetta Pass, with the Ligurian Riviera, leading to Genoa.

In 1121 he joined the Republic of Genoa, following the successful military campaign that secured the rule of the Oltregiogo in Genoa.

After the occupation of 1121 by the Genoese, Fraconalto assumed a fundamental function for the defense of military and merchant transits from and to the Po Valley.

The importance of fortifications (and civil installations, hospitalization) premises, Alliano Castle (located at the ancient Pian - or Cian - di Reste pass) and Fraconalto Castle is highlighted by the strengthening of the Fraconalto castle in 1161 and the restoration of that of Reste in 1436.

In 1155 the Republic of Genoa entrusted Fiaccone in fief, in condominium, to the families Visconti and Fornari.

In 1255 it passed from diocese of Tortona to the archdiocese of Genoa, to which it still belongs.

With a diploma on 16 November 1536, Emperor Charles VI confirmed possession “of the territories of the Over yoke” (including Fraconalto) to the Republic of Genoa, and in 1544 the Republic of Genoa approved the "Free Statutes" of “Fidelissimi suldditi” of Fiaccone, under which the local community would elect its own Consuls, and they would provide the local administration without interventions, if not for serious reasons, of the government of the Republic^[5].

Fraconalto lost importance as a result of the construction, in 1585, of the new passageway of the ancient "via del sale", which crossed the Apennines at the bottom of the valley, ignoring the ridges (it corresponds to the current one provincial road SP5 of the Bocchetta up to Voltaggio). This new path was then called Via Cambiagia, from the name of the doge of the Republic of Genoa, Giovanni Battista Cambiaso, who in 1771 made it suitable for the passage of carts and carriages, for the entire extension of the road, from Sampierdarena to Novi Ligure.

From the 17th century the village depended on the Captain Novi Ligure, transformed into governor in 1708 by the Republic of Genoa.

In 1797, at the advent of the Ligurian Republic, he joined the Department of Lemme with capital Gavi, and of the municipality of Voltaggio, until 1805.

With the annexation of the Ligurian Republic to the Napoleonic Empire, in 1805 Fiaccone was part of the canton of Gavi in the Department of Genoa, while with the restoration he joined the Province of Novi, part of the Genoa Division.

In 1859, Fraconalto was subtracted from Liguria and assigned to the new Province of Alessandria.

In 1908 and 1938 the Municipality asked, without a result, to be annexed to the Province of Genoa. In the early 20th century a small church dedicated to Maria Ausiliatrice was built on the summit of Alpe di Porale.^[6] finished in 1910.^[7]

With Regio Decreto 19 May 1927, n. 903^[8], the name was changed by Fiaccone to Fraconalto, at the request of the mayor of the time, Giovanni Odino.

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