In the Bormida Valley, on its left bank, just over 160 meters above sea level and surrounded by the vine-clad hills of Alto Monferrato, lies the ancient town of Acqui Terme.
Not far away rise the first hills of the Ligurian Apennines, while on the opposite side the land opens toward the plain of Alessandria.
It is precisely from the Ligurian hills that one of Acqui’s most historically important resources originates—a resource that probably led to its very foundation: its thermal waters.
As mentioned, the rainwater that seeps through the rocks of Mount Beigua and nearby hills re-emerges after a long underground journey, enriched with minerals and heat, right in the city center at a spring known as “La Bollente”.
The earliest archaeological evidence of human presence around natural thermal springs dates to the Neolithic period, between 5500 and 3500 years ago.
The presence of Ligurian tribes during the Bronze Age, around a thousand years before Christ, is well documented. The Statielli people later fell under Roman rule, conquered by the legions between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. From that time, the town took the name Acquae Statiellae and began to develop into an important center.
With the construction of the Via Aemilia Scauri in 109 BC, the settlement took on the features of a commercial and artisan town, complete with advanced infrastructures such as sewers and an aqueduct. It was also enriched with monuments—a theater, an amphitheater, and, of course, thermal baths, which Pliny the Elder described as among the most beautiful in the entire Roman Empire.
Fortunately, direct evidence of the aqueduct survives: fifteen tall pillars divided into two groups of seven and eight, some topped with arches. Only four remain today, located on the outskirts of the city near the Bormida stream.
They are among the best preserved in northern Italy. The tapered pillars reach a height of about 15 meters, while the arches span nearly 3.5 meters.
Above the entirely brick structure ran the conduit that carried water from the collection basin in Lagoscuro, about 12 kilometers away.
Most of the aqueduct ran underground and featured remarkably advanced engineering for its time, while the raised section likely consisted of around 40 pillars.
The precise route within the city is uncertain, but evidence indicates that the water was stored in a large cistern and distributed through lead pipes to various parts of Acqui.
Traces of the ancient baths can still be seen in the remains of a pool—probably the calidarium, the hottest part of the baths—located along Corso Bagni.
Unearthed during excavations in 1913, the pool was lined with marble imported from Greece or Asia Minor and was fed directly by the Bollente spring.
Measuring 13 by 6.5 meters, it hints at the vast scale of the entire thermal complex, which likely occupied what was then a suburban area. Illustrations and a 3D reconstruction of the complex can be viewed on the city’s archaeological museum website.
The amphitheater stood in the same area, leaning against the hillside. Discovered in the 1950s, it has never been excavated—something that, one hopes, will happen in the future, though logistical difficulties have so far prevented it. Dating to the 1st or 2nd century AD, it stood near Via Cassino, where a pottery workshop and dwelling from the Roman era have also been found. Near Corso Cavour, a portico with columns or pillars likely formed part of a votive temple.
After the Romans, the Lombards settled here from the late 6th century until the 10th, when Aleramo appeared in the city’s history and that of the wider region. Although Acqui fell within the Marca Aleramica, Emperor Otto II granted it to the bishop, creating a true enclave within Monferrato—autonomous and independent from the marquisate.
The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta was built during this period and consecrated in 1067. This Romanesque church, originally with three naves, has been expanded, enriched, and decorated many times over the centuries. In the early 1800s, two additional aisles were added, giving it its present layout. The imposing bell tower dates from the second half of the 15th century, a period that—following the devastating plague of the mid-1300s, which wiped out two-thirds of the area’s population—proved to be one of the most prosperous in the city’s history.
The cathedral’s entrance is marked by a splendid 1481 portal. Inside, the spacious Baroque interior is richly adorned with stuccoes, paintings, frescoes, and sculptures, including a remarkable marble relief of St. Jerome on the central altar. The crypt, dating to the 11th century and supported by 98 marble columns, is particularly striking. The rectory with its cloister, built in the late 15th century, is also noteworthy. The cathedral’s true treasure, however, lies in the Canons’ Sacristy or Chapter House, which houses the Triptych of the Virgin of Montserrat by Bartolomé Bermejo.
This is a truly extraordinary work created at the end of the 1400s by the man considered to be the most important Spanish painter of the 15th century, and it shows clear Flemish influences. The triptych was commissioned by Francesco Della Chiesa, a wealthy merchant from Acqui, during his stay in Valencia, to be placed in the family chapel upon his death.
Many of the city’s noble palaces also date from the late 15th and 16th centuries, under the Paleologi dynasty, which ended in 1533. Strolling through the historic center—comprising the districts of Cisterna (the oldest), Borgo Nuovo, and Borgo San Pietro—one can admire these splendid residences.
Among them are the Bishop’s Palace, famous for its frescoes and portraits of 85 bishops, as well as a fascinating topographical map showing the entire Diocese of Acqui. Also notable is the Hospital of Santa Maria Maggiore, now a retirement home; Palazzo Robellini, home since 1981 to the regional wine cellar Acqui Terme e Vino; and Palazzo Roberti, once owned by the Chiabrera family. Palazzo Della Chiesa, perhaps the grandest in the historic center and later owned by the Spinola family, preserves fine furnishings and beautifully painted coffered ceilings.
Palazzo Marenco also retains its wooden ceilings, decorated with the coats of arms of the city’s most prominent families.
Throughout the historic quarters, merchants’ and artisans’ houses from the same period can still be seen, all built of brick—the defining material and architectural hallmark of the era.
The Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, built in 1720 on the site of an early Christian church and later an 11th-century abbey of St. Peter, is one of the city’s oldest religious sites. Equally notable is the Church of San Francesco, whose façade dates to 1835, though its structure incorporates earlier elements from both early Christian and 15th-century Franciscan phases. Inside are important paintings, including an Immaculate Conception by Moncalvo.
The Paleologi Castle also dates from Acqui’s golden age. Built between 1480 and 1490 on the site of an earlier “small castle” mentioned in 1056, it underwent numerous modifications and expansions. The fortress changed hands many times, suffering repeated sieges, and was largely destroyed by the Spanish in 1663. Acquired by the House of Savoy in 1708, it was converted into a prison—a role it retained until the 1970s. Today, beautifully restored, the castle is surrounded by the ancient city walls and houses the Archaeological Museum of Acqui Terme.
The museum, first opened in 2001 and modernized in 2014, covers the period from prehistory to the Middle Ages, with special emphasis on the Roman era. The castle also participates in the Open Castles initiative. Its surrounding botanical garden is especially charming, displaying archaeological finds and modern sculptures among lush greenery.
As previously noted, the thermal spring known as La Bollente is the symbolic heart of the city—a traditional gathering place for locals, located right in the main square from which narrow streets radiate into Borgo Pisterna, the oldest part of town. The spring gushes 560 liters of water per minute at a temperature of 74.5°C, releasing a distinctive sulfurous scent. Around it stands an octagonal marble pavilion, built in 1879 to a design by architect Giovanni Cerruti.
Depending on the air temperature, the hot water rises enveloped in a visible cloud of steam. Rich in minerals, it feeds the spa facilities through an underground network of pipes and forms the basis of the town’s renowned thermal treatments. Another notable feature is the Fountain of the Water Lilies, built in the 1990s purely for decoration. Made of white marble, it consists of a sequence of gently sloping basins that cascade down from the top of Corso Vigano to Piazza Italia, bridging a few meters of elevation.
Of particular interest is the Jewish Cemetery, established in 1836, which bears witness to the long-standing presence and influence of the Jewish community in Acqui. It can be visited only on specific days of the year, such as European Jewish Culture Day, or by appointment through the local tourist office.
Just outside the city stands Villa Ottolenghi, commissioned by the Ottolenghi Counts in 1920. The architectural project was begun by Federico d’Amato and later continued by Marcello Piacentini. The villa represents a remarkable collaboration among architects, sculptors, decorators, painters, and artists—brought together under the enlightened patronage of the counts to create a unique and harmonious residence. It is surrounded by a splendid park designed by Pietro Porcinai, perhaps Italy’s greatest 20th-century landscape architect, with more than 1,100 projects worldwide. The estate offers numerous attractions, making a visit both enriching and full of surprises.
Acqui Terme is a welcoming, human-scale city offering an excellent quality of life. Its streets are lined with shops and boutiques, stores selling local delicacies and regional products, and numerous fine restaurants. Cultural events abound. The city deserves broader recognition as a tourist destination, both for its artistic and architectural heritage and for its beautiful natural surroundings and strategic location in the heart of Monferrato.
Ufficio del Turismo Acqui Terme
Palazzo Comunale, viale Don Tornato, Corso Roma, 1
Tel. +39 0144 322142
www.turismo.comuneacqui.it
