Mirabello Monferrato: sights, history and trails

The coat of arms and gonfalone of the municipality of Mirabello Monferrato were granted by decree of the President of the Republic of 29 October 1971.^[6]

The gonfalone, granted with D.P.R. 21 March 1997^[8] is a drape party of red and blue.

The churches of San Vincenzo, San Sebastiano, San Michele, Madonna della Snow, Santa Caterina (a Baldesco), the chapel of the cemetery and the reonal ones dedicated to Maria Ausiliatrice, the Holy Family and Don Bosco, are the places of mirabellese worship.

Built in 1562 and consecrated in 1620, it has a higher façade at the central nave which ends with an iron cross. The doors are lined with four pairs of columns while four columns form niches on the upper part, in which the Patron Saint and scenes of daily life are depicted. The façade was plastered from the 19th century until 1947, when exposed bricks were brought back. The central nave is 15 meters high while the side ones 9 meters, the pillars are square and have capitals in doric style and Corinthian. Along the side aisles there are many chapels, starting from the left the first is that with baptismal font next to which lies the statue of an angel coming from the family tomb of writer Rosetta Loy. Then there are chapels dedicated to the Immaculate Virgin, Mary Helper and Don Bosco on the left, while on the right aisle there are chapels dedicated to the Madonna del Rosario di Pompei and that of the Sacred Heart. The presbytery is decorated with two great frescoes depicting the patron in front of the judge and in prison, behind the higher work of the Pellegatta, there is a niche where a statue of St. Vincent in plaster is placed. in 1860 the parish church underwent an important restoration that dates back to the mosaic floor of the presbytery, the cantoria and the organ case, while the instrument was installed only in 1865. The church is currently used for the celebration of Sunday Masses and the main rites of worship.^[9]

Built in 1450, it was the first parish church of the village and was built in a position above the square, as it was taken into account the possibility of flooding the Garavalde and Campostrina rii. The facade is in the style of the fourteenth century, with three doors to which it is accessed climbing two steps of stone. San Sebastiano is rectangular and is divided into three aisles, of which the central one is the largest. It was originally devoid of a choir, this until 1866 when a small semicircular apse was created to make it space. The altar probably eighteenth century is the work of the Pellegatta and behind it there are four columns that support the vault of the choir, on which is depicted the martyrdom of San Sebastiano. With the arrival of the Salesians in the country, the church was left in management to the parish priests of the Little Seminary leaving a deep mark in the population. The church, in which many other Salesian rectors celebrated besides Don Bosco, is today used for the infra-weekly harvests.^[9]

In the last hundred years, starting from 1921, there has been a halving of the resident population.

Inhabitants registered^[10]

The library "Alfredo Rota" is located in Piazza Marconi 17, a few steps from the municipality, has 5000 volumes and 500 annual loans.^[11]

In the country there is the school of childhood in Via Maria Ausiliatrice 7 and the primary school "Tenente Vincenzo Acuto" in via Talice 2, belonging to the Istituto Comprensivo "Don Milani" di Ticineto.^[12]

Among the traditional products of Mirabello brand De.Co we find:

• Tirà a Mirabé: a simple focaccia stuffed with raisins;
• Bagnet from du Furnas: delicate green bath, great to serve cold with Piedmontese boiled;
• Bagna 'd Crivela: is a sweeter version of Bagna Cauda, whose ingredients are oil, anchovies and onions. Excellent to taste with crostini, polenta and vegetables;
• Snails of snails.^[13]

Among the most significant events that are repeated every year in the country there are:

• "A day for Mirco Vootti": on December 8, day of the Immaculate. The day begins with Mass in the morning in the parish church, after lunch in the premises of the oratory and prepared by the Pro Loco of the country, "Concerto per Mirco" with the delivery of the scholarship "Mirco Wanttti"
• Summer party: the third and fourth weekend of June at the sports field in via Mario Talice 31. Music and good food such as agnolotti, grilled, snails and tripe
• Folketing: the third weekend of May, festival dedicated to street food and folk genre, with music, concerts and live art^[14][15].

Sporty appointment that is renewed every year, a podistic race with 12 km tracks (competitive valevole for the provincial championship AICS), 7 km and 2 km. Prizes for the first ever class (12 km), for the top three classifications of each category and numerous special prizes such as that for the most numerous group or the oldest runner. Sunday mid-April.^[15]