Valenza: sights, history and trails

Avamposto dei Liguri, was conquered by the Romans in the 2nd century BC, became hole (Forum Fulvii quod Valentinum), or place where people gathered to fulfill legal functions and participate in the markets. Its name derives from the consul Marco Fulvio Nobiliore, who made the city a military stronghold from which to control traffic on the Po river.

Precisely towards the 5th century AD, its population descended from the area between the hills of Astigliano, to constitute a compact urban nucleus in the area where the city currently stands. The popular tradition attributes its merit to San Massimo^{[not clear]} that would have decided the centering of the inhabitants in the place where a dove was laid specially left free, which took place in that place that, still today, is called "Colombina".

Submissive by Odoacre and Theodoric, he suffered the devastation of Burgundians and Lombard rule. Under the Franks, he joined the brand Monferrato.

Shadowed by the growing power of the neighbor Alessandria, attracted the interest of the Viscontis of Milan, and an attempt to hand over the city to Galeazzo Visconti failed with the conspirators being sentenced to death. However, the Viscontis managed to take it over after a brief siege in 1370^[4].

The fief belonged for some time to the Duchess Beatrice d'Este, by donation of her husband Ludovico il Moro.^[5] Sacked by the French troops (1499), by those of Francis I of France (1515), reconquered by the Spanish (1521) of Charles V and then again resumed by the French (1523), the city passed in that year, as an imperial fief, under Charles V.

Arrested again at the French in 1557, it was finally assigned to the Spanish by the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis of 1559.

In 1635 during the Thirty Years' War, Valenza resisted for 60 days to the siege of the armies of France, the Duchy of Parma and that of the Savoy. He was still resisting the French siege of 1641. He had to capitulate after 70 days in 1656 in the siege of the troops of France, Savoy and Modena. A new siege in 1696, during the Austrian League war against Louis XIV, but French and Saudis failed to expel it.

In 1707, during the Spanish Succession War, it was conquered by Vittorio Amedeo II of Savoy, a possession confirmed in 1713 by the Treaty of Utrecht.^[6]

In 1955 along the banks of the Po River, scenes from the film were shot. War and peace, of which one of the screenwriters was Mario Soldati; For the occasion, bridges were built and then demolished for the filming of the Battle of Berezina.

• Cathedral of Santa Maria Maggiore, built in the 17th century and consecrated in 1888.
• The church of Santissima Annunziata was rebuilt in 1699 after one of the numerous axis of which the city was victim; it has a facade in Piedmontese baroque style, characterized by brick exposed. Inside a burial crypt houses the remains of the cloistered nuns.
• Palazzo Pastore, in Baroque style is the oldest palace in Valenza. It rises in the historic center and is currently under discussion on its reuse.
• Fountain of Damiani^[8], located in the city center, stands out for its architectural design that combines elegant lines and a skilful use of materials. These characteristics underline its significant artistic and historical value, significantly contributing to enhancing the cultural heritage of Valenza.
• The Piombetto, a complex for residential and artisanal use built in the late nineties by Léon Krier with Gabriele Tagliaventi, the same designers of Borgo Città Nuova di Alessandria^[9].

Since the end of the 19th century, thanks to Francesco Caramora's work and the entrepreneurship of Vincenzo Morosetti, as well as the first industrial production by Vincenzo Melchiorre and after Luigi Illario, Valenza is the most important center in Italy and Europe for the artisanal processing of jewellery and jewelry. Much of the economy in the city area revolves around the production and trade of precious.^[11] The exported percentage is about 80% of the total. The economy of the city contributes alone to 1/3 of the commercial export of the province of Alessandria, for a countervalue of approximately 1.3 billion euros annually. The city also has the largest manufacturing facility in the world: the Bulgari factory of the homonymous jewellery brand, located in the former workshop of the goldsmith Francesco Caramora.^[12][13] In January 2023 Cartier also decided to invest in the city and build its own production site in Valenza.^[14]

Valenza is served by the homonymous railway station, located along the Novara-Alessandria railway and served by regional trains operated by Trenitalia as part of the service contract stipulated with the Piemonte Region.

Between 1914 and 1947 the station was united to the city center thanks to Tranvia di Valenza, an electric traction line which had its terminus in the central Piazza Vittorio Emanuele^[15].

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

Further reading

• Luigi Quaglia, Statistical historical calendar on the city and sending Valenza, Turin, Mussano, 1839.