Villafranca d'Asti: sights, history and trails

The coat of arms with the tree is documented for the first time on the facadespizio of the municipal catasto compiled in 1603, but it is probable that it dates back to the end of the fifteenth century, when the community obtained its own legal independence, confirmed in 1539 by a privilege of the king of France. In the nineteenth century a different one was adopted, recorded in 1954, representing a castle on the top of a hill and surmounted by a star^[5], but used discontinuously, until the definitive choice to resume the original coat of arms^[6] granted by the decree of the President of the Republic of 5 April 1995.

The banner is a blue cloth.^[7]

The church of Sant'Elena, built between 1646 and 1652 by Francesco Garove and enriched by the Hungarian stuccoman Luca Corbellini between 1662 and 1664, is one of the most interesting works attributed to the ducal architect Amedeo di Castellamonte. It has been, and is still, the object of remarkable restoration works since 2003 that have brought back the building to the ancient splendours. During these years, after the four chapels (2003-2005) were restored. Virtue (2004-2005), the wooden choir (2007-2011), the main altar, the Barge quartzite flooring, the stuccos and paintings of the choir, the presbytery, the side walls (2016-2018), the choirs of the pulpit and the Oblates (2017-2018), the counter-façade (2018), the choir and the door (2014-2015). Restorations of the vault are currently underway and should be completed during the year.

All the works done here are described in the publication Restoration panel edited in 2018 and for sale with recess destined to the works running at the same parish church.

The church of Sant'Elena di Villafranca d'Asti is not only an example of Baroque architecture, but it is almost unique. First of all, it has not undergone any transformations and interventions that make the original aspect unreadable and irrecoverable, and this thanks to the events of the Opera Pia that owned it: in fact, it underwent changes essentially only to furnishings and decoration when it became parish in 1867. The sixteenth-century Archive of the Opera has been preserved, containing documents relating to the church yard. But above all it is an example of court architecture: thanks to the close links established between mons. Giacomo Goria, bishop of Vercelli, native to Villafranca and the Savoy family, Giacomo Goria had been, in fact, preceptor of the sons of Carlo Emanuele I, the church was designed by Amedeo di Castellamonte and worked for the construction a real "real staff", composed by the same artisans mostly from Lugano who worked in the coevi ducal yards. It was Giacomo Goria, with a donation of 1645, who founded in his native country the Opera di Sant'Elena and the Oblates of Sant'Eusebio, for which he decided to build a church.

From a typological point of view, it is an example of bourgeois architecture: the comparison with San Fedele in Milan is immediate through the mediations of the churches of Saint Martyrs and Corpus Domini, according to a direct thread that binds the Instructions to the church of Villafranca. Emblematic is the fact that Carlo Borromeo was the model of Bishop to whom mons. Goria was inspired; and in San Carlo Borromeo is dedicated the most richly decorated and finished chapel, object, in 2004, of a restoration that returned it, like to the other three chapels, the original aspect. The nineteenth-century repaintings (1911) had in fact overwhelmed the close link between rigorous catellamontian architecture and stucco decoration.

Inhabitants registered^[8]

The "Vininvilla" takes place in the first weekend of September Festival of Wine and Fresh Bagna, a wine competition and market exhibition of DOC and DOCG wines from the Asti area selected by ONAV. During the festival there are rides and the Charity Counter curated by the former students of the Opera Pia Sant'Elena. In reality, throughout the month of September and also in the last weekends of August there are parties, events or initiatives that enliven the town by the various associations or hamlets.

At the exhibition market you can taste and buy at cellar prices approx. 200 wines selected at the National wine competition Vininvilla for DOC and DOCG of the province of Asti, the most representative of the territory of Astigiano for number of wines and producers participating.

All combined with the best dishes of the territory among which stands out Fresh Bag, a typical dish of the town. Robust, straightforward, traditional and well-rooted, it is an authentic summer dish and not an evolution of the well-known bagna caoda. It's the same ingredients, but it's more similar to also cold of Provence.

• "Maiale d'Autore", which takes place on the third Sunday of May, concerns the pig and the processes to which its meat is subjected. This festival also has its main events on a weekend in which on Saturday evening some Pro-Loco of municipalities belonging to the Val Triversa cook dishes, the basic theme of which is precisely pork. The “Maiale d'Autore” Fair is part of the initiative ""Return to the Fair", Circuito delle Antiche Fiere del Monferrato Astigiano dell'I.C. Leader Plus, promoted by G.A.L. Lower Monferrato Astigiano.
• "Gusto all'Oratorio" which takes place on a Saturday evening in the month of July in which animators and catechists of the parish oratory cook various dishes that can be tasted in the charming Piazza Goria adjacent to the parish oratory. It is also known as the "Appetizer Festival" and dates back to 2005
• "Birrinvilla" Beer Festival with gastronomic specialties, craft beer, shows and attractions. It takes place the first weekend of June.
• Bagna caoda beneficial for LILT, curated by the Pro loco of Villafranca d'Asti. It takes place in November.

From 26 May 2014, the opposition group in municipal council is represented by the civic list "Villafranca Domani", with parent Paolo Volpe. They are advisers of the list Alfredo Castaldo, Lorenzo Salvadore and Giovanni Damasio (who has taken over to the dimissionary Umberto Russo). "Villafranca Domani" opposed the exit of the Municipality from the Valtriversa Union, wanted by the majority at the end of 2013.^[10]