An ancient village located in the heart of Monferrato, in the province of Alessandria, Montechiaro d’Acqui is known for the beauty of its surrounding landscape, made up of gullies framed by woods and broom bushes.
Montechiaro d’Acqui has ancient origins, dating back to the Roman period and linked to the ancient Via Emilia Scauri.
During the Middle Ages, the village was the scene of clashes between different factions vying for control of the territory. Its position between the Po Valley and the port of Savona meant that French, Spanish, Savoyard, and Napoleonic armies passed through here, making it the site of numerous conflicts and battles. Over the centuries, Montechiaro d’Acqui grew and prospered thanks to noble families who built palaces and castles both in the village and in the surrounding territories.
The historic center of the village is separated from the more modern part of town and is characterized by narrow streets whose paving is still original, with a distinctive arrangement of stones. The historic center is very well preserved and features numerous palaces with walls bearing tangible signs of the village’s medieval and later Renaissance past.
Today, the village is home to around 570 people.
Among the main historic and artistic sites are the remains of the Castle, built in the 12th century by the Aleramic marquises. The castle was expanded and modified over the following centuries and was demolished by the Spanish in 1630. The ruins were partially restored in 1966 to secure the area. Today, some of the bastions and underground rooms remain.
The Church of San Giorgio, located in the middle of the historic center, dates back to 1595 and features a late Renaissance façade, three interior naves with sculpted sandstone columns, and a beautiful 14th-century stone tabernacle. Adjacent to it is the Oratory of Sant’Antonio, where the Holy Thorns from Christ’s crown are preserved; the story of this relic is fascinating for those who wish to explore it.
Particularly striking is the sandstone staircase that climbs through the old village, built in 1930 to replace a previous paved path called the “ponte.” Also notable is the 45-meter-high red brick chimney, a piece of industrial archaeology that tells the story of the local kiln’s nearly continuous activity from the 1700s to the 1960s, producing bricks and roof tiles using locally sourced clay.
A few kilometers from the village is the Sanctuary of Madonna della Carpeneta, built in 1653 around a 16th-century frescoed pillar. The sanctuary itself is a Baroque church constructed in the 18th century.
The territory surrounding Montechiaro d’Acqui is rich in hills covered with vineyards and chestnut and oak woods, with numerous hiking trails maintained by the Italian Alpine Club (CAI).
A unique feature of the village is its anchovies, served with a local sauce whose recipe remains partly secret. A spring festival, the Anciuada del Castlan, celebrates the anchovies with the famous Montechiaro anchovy sandwiches. On the same day, the religious procession known as “delle Sante Spine” takes place, commemorating the transport of the precious Holy Crown relics from the Holy Land to the village church.
