The town appears to have been inhabited since prehistoric times, as shown by archaeological finds from pre-Roman and Roman periods. Its name first appears in documents dated 973.
For centuries, Capriata was at the center of political struggles, expansionist ambitions, and wars, passing through the hands of numerous lords and rulers. The village fought against the people of Alessandria, allied with Genoa, was destroyed again by the Alessandrini, returned to Genoese control, and later came under the Duchy of Milan—all by 1317. It then became part of the Marquisate of Monferrato, and two centuries later it was destroyed first by the French and then by the Spanish in 1648, finally entering the Savoy domains in 1708. Capriata once had a castle and a walled enclosure with access gates, and today it is still dominated by the Castel Vecchio, which is in a rather poor state of preservation.
The 12th-century tower, also poorly preserved, retains a massive presence, a true defensive bulwark that was part of the walls. The fortification and tower may be even older, forming part of a system of watchtowers already present during the Carolingian era, around 750–1100, and perhaps dating back to Byzantine times.
Within the village, houses from the 1400s can still be found, decorated with frescoes, alongside many ancient buildings that have been adapted for new uses but continue to bear witness to a past shaped by noble lordships.
The parish church, dedicated to St. Peter and Paul and Our Lady of the Rosary, features three large naves. Likely built in the 13th century, it has undergone renovations and modifications like almost all churches in the area.
Inside, visitors can admire valuable furnishings, including wooden statues, an altar carved from unusual black marble, and above all a recently restored canvas measuring two and a half meters by two, attributed to the Ligurian artist Luca Cambiaso, one of the greatest exponents of 16th-century Ligurian painting.
What immediately catches the eye in the village are the two tall Baroque bell towers, as well as a couple of small churches on the outskirts: the Church of San Rocco and the Chapel of the Madonnetta.
