San Marzano Oliveto: sights, history and trails

The name of San Marzano was imposed by deference to Saint Martian, perhaps first bishop of Tortona (4th century) or bishop of Ravenna martyred at Tortona.

In 1862 the name "Oliveto" was added, since, according to some, the olive tree flourished in ancient times.

An exceptional ice cream would have destroyed most of the plants. At the comfort of this hypothesis, suffragated by the existence of an ancient peat in the nearby Santo Stefano Belbo, are indicated olive trees that, nowadays, continue to thrive, even if not numerous, in some funds.

The hypothesis of a cultivation of the olive tree practised in the Middle Ages is questioned by what makes the toponym derived from "pendium" (rev.).

In fact, the village rises on a slightly steep hill (at 301 meters above sea level).

The origin of the country is traced back to the ancient Ligurians, but it is with the arrival of the Romans who have the first news and testimonies of Sanmarzanese antiquity.

According to tradition, the four towers of the castle, now disappeared, were Roman construction.

A license plate of the Superintendency to Cultural Heritage refers to this in presenting the work:

The story of San Marzano Oliveto as that of Moasca (with which from 1929 until after the war he unified his administration), of Calamandrana, by Rocchetta Tanaro, by Calosso is tied to that of Canelli.

All involved in the fight between Asti And Alessandria and the Marquis of Monferrato.

From the middle of the fourteenth century San Marzano is in hand to Asinari, also lords of Costigliole and Moasca and other countries.

In 1280 Bonifacio Asinari, rich astigiano merchant He left his wealth to his sons; two of them, Bonifacio and Thomas became a co-owner of the fief of San Marzano.

In memory of the presence of this family, in the territory of San Marzano there is a place that has preserved the name of Asinari valley.

In 1771, Philip Valentino Asinari was infeuded the first marquis of San Marzano and Caraglio; his son Filippo Antonio Maria (1767-1828), he was a state councilman and sent by Napoleon Bonaparte as ambassador to Berlin. It became in 1808 count of the Empire and in 1813 senator and regent of the Empire Piemonte.^[4]

Resistance to San Marzano began before in other countries of the area.

On 24 and 25 December 1943, first from Nizza Monferrato and then Asti, there were harsh roundups by soldiers of the Republic of Salò, with searches of houses.

Not finding partisans, four hostages were taken and brought to the prisons of Asti. The black brigades, the soldiers of the "Muti", of the Germans repeated with anger.

The ancient coat of arms of the municipality was granted by decree of the President of the Republic of 12 May 1953^[5] and she's blasona: of blue, to the silver castle, one torricellato, put on the guelfa, open and windowed of the field, surmounted by an ancient golden crown^[6], with the motto Virtus abidit. The symbol of the tower is taken from the coat of arms of the Asinari family, lords of San Marzano between the 13th and 17th centuries.

The gonfalone is a blue drape.^[5]

Cited by Alfieri as San Marzano di Acquosana, the first documents regarding the castle date back to the birth of the Contado di Acquosana (the ancient territory of Acqui Terme).

The castle, perhaps of Roman origin^[7] by the Asinari He assumed the characteristics of a real defensive bastion by building on the four sides square corner towers, one of which is still equipped with caditories.

After the occupation of the Spanish in 1655, the Asinari took possession of it and transformed the fortress into a country residence.

Worthy of note is the church dedicated to St Martian, in classical Renaissance style, to a nave with presbytery and choir in neoclassical style, which rises on the Piazza del Castello, founded in the thirteenth century, was enlarged between 1758 to 1763 and restored in 1843.

The interior paintings date back mainly to the 19th century and are attributed to Lorenzo Ivaldi's school, active in Piemonte at that time.

Built under the stables of the castle, the former church- oratory of Saints Peter and Paul and owned by the Confraternity of the same name (now decoded) was built at the beginning of the eighteenth century and enlarged and restored after the middle of the same century adding the sacristy.

After the conservative and reconstructive restorations of 2003 with European funding, on indications by architect Maurizio Testa, now is the headquarters of the Multipurpose Cultural Centre, inaugurated on 22 October 2005.

San Marzano presents four country churches of artistic interest:

• St. Anthony,
• San Rocco, in the Chierina region,
• Santissima Annunziata, in the Corte region,
• Santa Libera named after a previous 17th century construction on Monte Oliveto which now no longer exists, the new church is located in Marziano region

The Methodist Community of San Marzano Oliveto was born thanks to the testimony of some members of Metodism from America, and during the period in which throughout Italy the word of God was spread by missionaries, found fertile ground in San Marzano to grow and spread the Gospel, the first conversions since 1886. The nascent community grew in number and spirit, and before the great emigration from 1910-1920 members exceeded 100. Testimonials told that the faithful during the Sunday Cult were forced to stand and in some cases, even outside, in front of the door because there was no longer a seat. Several cultural activities and initiatives led to the growth of prestige and community and also of the country; in particular a library was founded; evening classes of physiology and hygiene were held, admirable was the institution of the elementary school which prepared even the pupils of the country; it must be remembered that public schools ended at the 3rd grade, while in the Metodist Temple students were prepared until 5th and 6th grade; then they accessed the state. The building is located at the beginning of the village where the hill slopes with harmony, in the most illuminated area, to the south. Inside there is a large hall of worship where six cast iron columns are truncated; in front, on the left wall is frescoed parchment the Our Father, while on the right the Grand Proceeding, Matthew 22 v. 37, and in the center We preach Christ, Crucified Christ. On the upper floors there are the rooms of the ancient classrooms, and the pastoral apartment. Outside stands a magnificent, panoramic crenellated tower, where inside there is a bell, perhaps the only one in Italy in a Methodist Temple. The cellars are also very large, they have been restored in recent years, there is a large hall and a baptismal pool, and also a spring water well in its centre. On a side wall of the worship hall there is a carved marble plaque commemorating the inauguration which bears the following words: The Methodist Episcopal Church, with the generous assistance of the brothers of America and San Marzano, under the auspices of the aged president Dr. William Burt, and the direction of the pastors G. Pons, P. Gay and P. Innocenti, erected this Temple, and dedicated it to the Glory of God on September 20, 1897. Even today there is a small community that gathers here and carries forward its testimony of faith and example, in the challenges of life and in future times.

Inhabitants registered^[8]

Also linked to agriculture is the industrial reality, recently built on the slopes of the hill, along the guidelines for Canelli And Nizza Monferrato. These are small and medium-sized mechanical and wine-mechanical companies.

Enogastronomy is a recent source of income for some families who support the agricultural activity of traditional land cultivation.

The municipality of San Marzano Oliveto has deliberated the withdrawal from the hilly community Val Tiglione and its surroundings since 1 January 2022. He joined the community on 1 January 2014; he was part of the community together with the municipalities of Agliano Terme, Azzano d'Asti, Castelnuovo Calcea, Mombercelli, Montaldo Scarampi, Rocca d'Arazzo, Vinchio.