Silvano d'Orba: sights, history and trails

Territory inhabited by the Romans, founders of several villages that then constituted the legendary "city" of Rondinaria, a castrum along the Libarna-Acqui road, in the area to the confluence of the stream Piota nell'Orba, mainly devoted to agriculture and gold research. The castrum fortified was located in the area of the current cemetery, while the so-called "city" extended both to the plain of the Orba (verse Ovada) and in the Piota plain (the current Caraffa area), up to below Lerma And Tagliolo Monferrato. Following the barbarian invasions, several inhabitants of the nearby villages of Rondinaria took refuge in the hidden alluvial plain on the right bank of the Piota, where today the hamlet of Pieve di Silvano d'Orba is located. But it was following the Saracen incursions, around the 10th and 11th centuries, that it became necessary to relocate the inhabitants of the valley to the hills. Those who had greater wealth could build fortified residences: this is how the castles and towns of the mountains originated Monferrato, including Silvano himself. In the area of ​​the current town two castles were built, in two different hills, divided by the small valley where the stream called Rio Albareto flows, and two villages arose around them: the first called Silvano, while the other Rocca degli Zucchi (from the name of the Zucca family, who built the castle on the Merli hill). However, in 1446 the second castle was destroyed by the Alexandrians. The two "villages", therefore, both took the name "Silvano", divided into "Villa Superiore" and "Villa Inferiore". The toponym Silvano is attested, starting from 1198, through the forms Silvanus And Selvanus, whose meaning would be 'of the forest' or 'sylvan'. Its origins must be seen in the headquarters of one of those 'sylvanians' who had the task of supervising the territory, preventing the interference of outsiders in the rights reserved for the tenants or concessionaires of the lands. Formerly a fiefdom of the Marquises of Bosco, in the 12th century it came under the dominion of Alessandria, therefore of the Republic of Genoa. Subsequently it was the possession of Marchesi del Monferrato and was fief of Adorno. Once the male line became extinct, the fief passed, through his wife, to the Botta marquises, nobles from Pavia, who, due to this inheritance, added that of the Adorno to their name, thus becoming Botta Adorno. In 1694 the fiefdom took the name of Silvano Adorno. In 1708 with the annexation of Monferrato to the Duchy of Savoy it became part of the territories of this house. At the end of the century Silvano Adorno became Silvano Val d'Orba. During the nineteenth century, Silvano Val d'Orba changed its name to the definitive Silvano d'Orba. In the twentieth century, the town's new cemetery was built in the area of the ancient Roman camp. This was done by reusing the material available on site, saving money and time. Two towers were barely saved. The credit goes to Enrico Belimbau who, elected mayor at the end of 1910, saved what still remains of that historic site.

Silvano d'Orba is known, among other things, for the two ancient distilleries that are located there and which produce grappa with the so-called discontinuous method of the bathing alembic to Piedmontese. Since November 2004, with the establishment by the Municipal Administration of the De. C.O. (Municipal Designation of Origin) the local grappa, the municipality boasts the definition of Borgo della Grappa.

A Silvano d'Orba is also home to an important national and international exhibition, To the Bravi Burattinai of Italy, which includes two cycles of shows: a summer event with shows and awards ceremonies by Italian puppeteers and an autumn phase where the shows are accompanied by study seminars to spread the art of puppet theatre.

Local productions are, in addition to the high quality grappa, also different types of white and red wine, including the Dolcetto di Ovada and Barbera del Monferrato; massive is also the presence of food companies and plastics.

During the summer, there are many festivals that animate the small village, among which the Dra Puleined party, Sportingly Together, Ferragosto Silvanese And Festival de l'Unità.

In 2000 the Commission adopted a proposal for a Council Decision on the conclusion of the Agreement between the European Economic Community and its Member States. Sagra del Dolcetto dei Bacchetti (or Festa dei Bacchetti), a popular festival, organized in the month of August in the hamlet of the same name for 33 editions, from 1967 to 1999, which had great popularity, attracting tourists also from nearby regions.

After the first editions, theUnitarian Association Manufacturers Dolcetto Bacchetti that took charge of the organization of the event and the safeguarding of local viticulture by promoting Dolcetto wine which since 1972 obtained the Denomination of Controlled Origin as "Dolcetto d'Ovada". After the great success of the Seventies and Eighties, in the nineties of the last century began the slow decline of the festival caused by the progressive abandonment of the countryside, the different recreational needs of tourists and the changes of the wine market.

About sports, Silvano d'Orba had a football team that played in the first category championship of Piemonte U.S.D. Silvanese, whose social colors are orange and blue.

In Silvano d'Orba also resided the legendary cyclist Imerio Massignan, known for having lost on the Gavia Pass due to many holes in the 1959 Giro d'Italia by Charly Gaul.

His sports field, located near the Orba River, is dedicated to his illustrious citizen who was killed in 2001 to save a mother with two children, Stefano Rapetti, nicknamed Stuse.

Silvano d'Orba is located along the SP155 Novi Ligure-Ovada and is currently served by car racing 63 - Alessandria - Novi Ligure - Ovada exercised by STP (formerly ARFEA).

A bridge over the Orba connects the village with the SP185 Ovada-Alessandria, at the height of the locality Schierano, in common of Rocca Grimalda.

On the territory of Silvanese passes also the A26 motorway "of the traffic lights": the exits closest to the village are Ovada in the direction of Genoa, Novi Ligure towards Milan and Alessandria South towards Gravellona Toce.

In the past, the town housed a train station Novi Ligure-Ovada, whose races ceased in 1953.

Silvano d'Orba is a very active municipality also on the social level and boasts a large number of associations including here:

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

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  The castle Adorno
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  Church- oratory of San Sebastiano, Silvano d'Orba, Piemonte, Italy
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  The parish church of San Pietro
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  The municipal palace

• Sergio Basso, Where the Orba is drunk the Piota (Historical journey between the Churches and the Castles of Silvano d'Orba), published by the Cultural Association "Circolo Dialectale Silvanese IR BAGIU" - Silvano d'Orba, year 2007.
• Sergio Basso, Dictionary and Grammar of Silvanese Dialetto, edited by the president Claudio Passeri, published by the Cultural Association "Circolo Dialectale Silvanese IR BAGIU" - Silvano d'Orba, year 2013.
• Laura Damiani Cabrini, Giacomo and Giovan Andrea Casella. Two Carolinian painters in the 16th century Turin, in Giorgio Mollisi (ed.), Swiss in Rome in history, art, culture, economy from the sixteenth century to today, Edizioni Ticino Management, year 11, number 52, October 2011, Lugano 294-309.