Situated in the lower Monferrato region between Casale Monferrato and Alessandria, the village has experienced a dramatic population decline of 75% over just a little more than a century since 1911. Today, however, the trend—like in much of Monferrato—is reversing, and the village is home to just under 400 residents.
The original core of the village dates back to the Lombard period and developed in the classic ricetto layout, within defensive walls and typically around the castle. In 1164, Frederick Barbarossa resolved territorial disputes by granting Sala to the Marquises of Monferrato, and centuries later it passed to a consortium of noble families.
Between the 17th and 18th centuries, the village and its surrounding territory—already renowned for its excellent wines—changed hands repeatedly between the Spanish and French before coming under the House of Savoy. The village is part of the long circuit dedicated to the famous hand-dug cellars carved in the sandstone known as Pietra da Cantoni, the so-called Infernot. One of these, open to the public, lies beneath the 15th-century Church of San Francesco and was excavated by the friars in the first half of the 19th century.
The church—or rather the oratory—is positioned above the village, and villagers would often take refuge there during the many invasions and raids. A painting by Orsola Caccia, daughter of the famous Monferrato painter il Moncalvo, is still well preserved here. Three other works by il Moncalvo can be found in the 16th-century Church of San Giacomo in the center of the village, beautifully illuminated.
Within the architectural element shaped like a canopy, technically called a ciborium, above the altar, a reliquary contains a precious fragment of the True Cross. This specific type of reliquary is known as a stauroteca.
Outside the village is the small Church of San Grato, built in the second half of the 17th century as an ex-voto following a plague that affected the entire area. Another point of interest is the house museum dedicated to Nanni Ricordi, who chose this place as his “buen retiro” and passed away here in 2012.
Finally, the town hall building houses a unique curiosity: an old icehouse, dug deep into the ground with a high vaulted ceiling, above which there was reportedly a butcher’s shop. Constructed in 1861–62 along with the town hall, it has been recently restored and is open to the public.
It is also worth noting that Sala is home to a Big Bench.
