The area is also renowned for its excellent hazelnuts, while livestock farming contributes with the prized Piemontese cattle, famous for their tender cuts.
The origins of the village are uncertain, though they likely date back to Roman times, just as the origin of its name remains unclear. What is certain is the Lombard presence around the year 1000, and a document from 927 contains the first recorded mention of Portacomaro.
The history of the village is pieced together from scattered documents—some recount daily life within the settlement, others tell of invasions, battles, and political alliances that shaped not only the village but the entire Monferrato region. Portacomaro may not have played a leading role in major historical events, but tradition holds that Emperor Frederick Barbarossa chose it as his headquarters during the siege of Asti in 1174.
Looking at the village today, one immediately notices the presence of the ancient ricetto—the fortified refuge with houses built within defensive walls dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries. Perched on the hilltop, the walls were constructed from bricks laid on foundations of local tuff stone quarried from the hill itself. Within the ricetto are the village’s main buildings.
What stands out to visitors is the absence of a castle. Indeed, Portacomaro never had one: in 1179, the Marquis of Monferrato was forced to sign an agreement with the city of Asti renouncing the right to build castles or garrisons, effectively demilitarizing the village. This left Portacomaro marginal in the grand sweep of history, though it did not spare it from raids and pillaging.
From 1837, when the neighboring municipality of Migliandolo was incorporated, Portacomaro began to grow economically thanks to new roads and the arrival of the railway. Its population rose from 1,200 in 1828 to 2,723 in 1902.
The village’s most important religious building is the Church of San Bartolomeo. Originally built in the 15th century, it was rebuilt in 1699. Its asymmetrical layout comes from the addition of a single nave instead of the two planned in 1853. The current façade and bell tower date from 1870. Inside, the lateral altar dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, crafted in painted stucco and gilded wood, is of particular value. Also within the ricetto is the 17th-century Church of the Battuti, or Santissima Annunziata.
Just outside the town, where the old cemetery once stood, is the Romanesque Church of San Pietro, probably dating to 1130 and originally Portacomaro’s parish church. By 1583 it had fallen into ruin and was used as a cemetery church, but it was restored in 1585 and remained in good condition for centuries. The cemetery was abandoned in 1910, and the church stripped of its furnishings. After a major restoration in 2000, it is once again open to visitors. The façade, built of stone and brick, is simple and gabled, while the interior, divided into two bare spaces, still preserves beautiful frescoes from the 13th or early 14th century. On these, graffiti dated 1463 can be clearly seen—an early example of vandalism on works of art.
Portacomaro is also the birthplace of the Bergoglio family. In 2022, Pope Francis visited the village to meet his relatives.

The area is also renowned for its excellent hazelnuts, while livestock farming contributes with the prized Piemontese cattle, famous for their tender cuts.

The origins of the village are uncertain, though they likely date back to Roman times, just as the origin of its name remains unclear.

What is certain is the Lombard presence around the year 1000, and a document from 927 contains the first recorded mention of Portacomaro.

The history of the village is pieced together from scattered documents—some recount daily life within the settlement, others tell of invasions, battles, and political alliances that shaped not only the village but the entire Monferrato region. Portacomaro may not have played a leading role in major historical events, but tradition holds that Emperor Frederick Barbarossa chose it as his headquarters during the siege of Asti in 1174.

Looking at the village today, one immediately notices the presence of the ancient ricetto—the fortified refuge with houses built within defensive walls dating back to the 10th and 11th centuries. Perched on the hilltop, the walls were constructed from bricks laid on foundations of local tuff stone quarried from the hill itself. Within the ricetto are the village’s main buildings.

What stands out to visitors is the absence of a castle. Indeed, Portacomaro never had one: in 1179, the Marquis of Monferrato was forced to sign an agreement with the city of Asti renouncing the right to build castles or garrisons, effectively demilitarizing the village. This left Portacomaro marginal in the grand sweep of history, though it did not spare it from raids and pillaging.

From 1837, when the neighboring municipality of Migliandolo was incorporated, Portacomaro began to grow economically thanks to new roads and the arrival of the railway. Its population rose from 1,200 in 1828 to 2,723 in 1902.

The village’s most important religious building is the Church of San Bartolomeo. Originally built in the 15th century, it was rebuilt in 1699. Its asymmetrical layout comes from the addition of a single nave instead of the two planned in 1853. The current façade and bell tower date from 1870. Inside, the lateral altar dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary, crafted in painted stucco and gilded wood, is of particular value. Also within the ricetto is the 17th-century Church of the Battuti, or Santissima Annunziata.

Just outside the town, where the old cemetery once stood, is the Romanesque Church of San Pietro, probably dating to 1130 and originally Portacomaro’s parish church. By 1583 it had fallen into ruin and was used as a cemetery church, but it was restored in 1585 and remained in good condition for centuries. The cemetery was abandoned in 1910, and the church stripped of its furnishings. After a major restoration in 2000, it is once again open to visitors. The façade, built of stone and brick, is simple and gabled, while the interior, divided into two bare spaces, still preserves beautiful frescoes from the 13th or early 14th century. On these, graffiti dated 1463 can be clearly seen—an early example of vandalism on works of art.

Portacomaro is also the birthplace of the Bergoglio family. In 2022, Pope Francis visited the village to meet his relatives.