On the road connecting Asti to Casale Monferrato, on a hill, lies the town of Moncalvo. The term “town” is not used lightly: Moncalvo was granted this title by Carlo Gonzaga in 1705, despite its small size and a population of only 3,000, a designation that is still valid today.
Officially the smallest town in Italy, Moncalvo has also been awarded the prestigious Orange Flag by the Touring Club Italy, a quality mark given to small inland towns distinguished for their touristic and environmental excellence and for the quality of their hospitality.
The history of Moncalvo spans centuries. It was certainly inhabited first by the Ligurians and then by the Romans, and it appears in documents dating back to before the year 1000.
It was initially a fief, later a possession of the church of Asti, and eventually became the first capital of Monferrato under the marquises of Monferrato themselves. With its large castle, it played a strategic role in controlling the territory and was a key player in hundreds of historical events over the centuries, including the Risorgimento. Moncalvo was besieged, destroyed, rebuilt, and passed through the hands of several important noble families, from the Paleologi to the Marquis of Ceva, from the Gonzaga to the Savoia, repeatedly.
Because of its strategic position, Moncalvo and its large castle, built on the hilltop surrounded by the typical medieval “ricetto,” were a mandatory passage for armies, sometimes friendly but more often hostile.
The 14th-century castle, probably built by Teodoro I Paleologo, was likely a residence, also used by the marquises of Monferrato, before becoming a fully-fledged fortress in the 16th century. Most of the castle was demolished by the municipality in 1878 to make way for a large square for markets and events, today known as Piazza Carlo Alberto. The square, adorned with a long portico, hosts events such as the Sagra del Bue Grasso and the truffle festival.
Some of the fortress remains include parts of the high walls, imposing bastions, and a panoramic tower. Restoration began in 2000, and today parts of the walkways are accessible, offering panoramic views over the hills and the Alps. One of the towers houses a wine shop, whose interior develops along a particularly suggestive 14th-century walkway.
The previously mentioned square connects almost seamlessly to what is considered the town’s “living room”: Piazza Garibaldi, surrounded by bars and historic shops, enhanced by beautifully painted metal signs. Overlooking the square is the historic theater, built in 1878 and still active.
Many historic buildings remain from the events that shaped Moncalvo’s prosperity, including elegant palaces from the late 13th, 14th, and Renaissance periods. Some of the best-preserved palaces date from the 17th and 18th centuries, extending to 19th-century buildings, some overlooking the old commercial street known as La Fracia, today Via XX Settembre.
Examples include Casa Lanfrancone, medieval in origin, which despite several restorations, retains its distinctive Gothic features, particularly on the ground floor.
Along the street are two unique shops: one offers eclectic interior decorations, and the other is even more unusual—a Wander Kamera, a “room of wonders” filled with antique naturalistic objects or pieces crafted in a 18th-century Mussale style.
Other important historic buildings include Palazzo Testa Fochi, Palazzo dal Pozzo, Palazzo Manacorda, and Palazzo Calegaris, as well as Palazzo de Maria from the Paleologo period. The Town Hall, which also houses the library and civic museum, dating from 1611, was founded by Guglielmo Caccia, the great artist known as “il Moncalvo,” originally as a monastery for his five daughters who later became nuns.
Among religious buildings, the Church of San Francesco, parish church since 1783, built in 1272 on a hill called Monteguardo, underwent multiple renovations. Large and rather austere, it houses paintings by Guglielmo Caccia and his daughter Orsola, also a painter. The Church of Madonna delle Grazie, designed by Ottavio Magnocavalli, a prolific 18th-century architect inspired by Palladio, is notable for its creative use of brickwork, with a terracotta facade featuring six tall paired columns and remarkable stucco decorations inside.
On La Fracia, there is the Church of Sant’Antonio Abate, built in 1623 on the site of an earlier oratory. This church also preserves works by Orsola and Guglielmo Caccia, including precious three altarpieces in scagliola (decorative plasterwork covering the front of the altars).
Of particular importance is the ancient synagogue, today closed, whose austere facade is visible, representing the only example of a Jewish temple facing a main square rather than hidden in a ghetto.
Moncalvo is lively, rich in shops and markets, with many annual events, ranging from the monthly antique market, to the white truffle, Bue Grasso, and boiled meat festivals, and even the horse blessing ceremony for the traditional Palio di Asti.
