Atlas of Monferrato

Montechiaro d'Asti: sights, history and trails

Asti

Elevation: 292 m above sea level
Area: 10.14 km²
Demonym: Montechiaresi
Patron saint: San Bernardo di Menton

A closer look

Discovering Montechiaro d'Asti

Montechiaro d'Asti (Monciir in Piedmont) is an Italian municipality of 1 235 inhabitants^[1] from the province of Asti in the Piemonte.

The municipality is part of the Municipal Union Community Collinare Val Rilate.

It is the country of origin of Pope Francis' father-in-law and his grandmother of St John Bosco.

Origins of the name

The name comes from the Latin Mons Clarus: it seems that the reason for this adjective was linked to the color of the rather clear ground, although there are no historical reconcerns about it.Explore this chapter

The name comes from the Latin Mons Clarus: It seems that the reason for this adjective was linked to the color of the soil rather clear, although there are no historical reconcussions on it.

History of Montechiaro d'Asti

SymbolsExplore this chapter

In the years of World War II, between 1940 and 1943, 15 Jewish refugees were interned in Montechiaro (including families with children).^[4] After September 8, 1943, with the German occupation, the group quickly dispersed. In the end almost all internees managed to save themselves (some remaining hidden in the area, most finding refuge in Switzerland). The only tragic exception is that of Kabiljo Levi, who was arrested on December 1, 1943, was deported and killed at Auschwitz in February 1944.^[5] Three Piedmontese Jews were arrested in Montechiaro: Elda and Rita Colombo (December 7, 1943) and Aldo Colombo (August 23, 1944).^[6]

Symbols

The gonfalone is a blue drape, to the white cross, loaded with the municipal coat of arms.

What to see in Montechiaro d'Asti

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Church of San Nazario and San Celso
Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Pisenzana
Church of Santa Caterina
Church of San Bartolomeo
Church of the SS. Announced
Church of the Brotherhood of Saint Anne
Church of San Antonino
Chapel of San Defendente and San Rocco

Society

Demographic evolution · Foreign ethnic groups and minoritiesExplore this chapter

Demographic evolution

Inhabitants registered^[7]

Foreign ethnic groups and minorities

According to ISTAT data at 31 December 2014 the resident foreign population was 139 people and represents 10.7% of the resident population. The nationalities most represented by their percentage of the total population living were:

Romania 90 (64.75%)
Albania 26 (18,71%)
Morocco 8 (5.76%)
India 6 (4.32%)

Culture

Palio di Asti · White Truffle FairExplore this chapter

The town at the historical parade of pal (2009).

Palio di Asti

Montechiaro is one of the 7 municipalities participating in Palio di Asti, an ancient festival which culminates on the first Sunday of September with the mounted horse race "bareback", that is without saddle, in Piazza Alfieri ad Asti.
The participants (or confreres) are in total 21, of which 7 municipalities of the Astigiano and 14 districts and towns. Montechiaro won the Palio in 1981.

White Truffle Fair

Every year, starting from 1988, the National Fair of White Truffle takes place in November, with exhibitions and tastings in the square of the product.

Infrastructure and transport

Montechiaro d'Asti station was activated in 1912 along the ceased Chivasso-Asti railway, whose operation was permanently suspended in 2011.Explore this chapter

Montechiaro d'Asti station was activated in 1912 along the ceased Chivasso-Asti railway, whose exercise was permanently suspended in 2011.

Between 1882 and 1915 Montechiaro d'Asti was served by the Tranvia Asti-Cortanze.

Administration

TwinningExplore this chapter

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

Period		First citizen	Match	Load	Notes
June 25, 1985	July 2, 1990	Giovanni Conti	-	Mayor	^[8]
July 2, 1990	April 24, 1995	Giovanni Conti	-	Mayor	^[8]
April 24, 1995	June 14, 1999	Giovanni Conti	-	Mayor	^[8]
June 14, 1999	June 14, 2004	Gianmarco Rebaudengo	civic list	Mayor	^[8]
June 14, 2004	June 8, 2009	Gianmarco Rebaudengo	civic list	Mayor	^[8]
June 8, 2009	May 26, 2014	Paolo Luzi	list of cities in Montechiaro	Mayor	^[8]
May 26, 2014	in office	Paolo Luzi	list of cities in Montechiaro	Mayor	^[8]^[9]

Twinning

Finale Ligure, since 2000

Notes

Explore this chapter

^ ^to ^b Monthly demographic balance for the year 2026 (provisional data), up demo.istat.it, ISTAT.
^ Seismic classification (XLS), up risks.protezionecivile.gov.it.
^ Table of degrees/day of Italian Municipalities grouped by Region and Province (PDF), in Law 26 August 1993, n. 412, annex A, National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, 1 March 2011, p. 151. URL consulted on 25 April 2012 (archived fromoriginal url on 1 January 2017).
^ The municipalities in the Astiginano area which hosted interned foreign Jews are: Agliano, Antignano, Asti, Canelli, Castelnuovo Don Bosco, Cocconato, Mombercelli, Montechiaro d'Asti, Montiglio, Nizza M.to, San Damiano d'Asti, Villanova d'Asti.
^ Foreign Jews interned in Piemonte.
^ Deported from Milan on 30 January 1944, Elda and Rita died at Auschwitz; instead, Aldo Colombo survived that he left for Auschwitz on 28 October 1944 and remained there until the liberation of the camp on 27 January 1945.
^
Data taken from:
- Resident population of the municipalities. Censuses from 1861 to 1991 (PDF), up ebiblio.istat.it, ISTAT.
- Resident population - Time series, up exploredati.istat.it.
  Please note: 2021 data refers to permanent census data as of December 31 of that year.
^ ^to ^b ^c ^d ^And ^f ^g http://amministratori.interno.it/
^ Comune di Montechiaro - Lists and results, La Repubblica,[1] (consulted in July 2014)