The route of the core zone “Monferrato of Infernot”

The infernot is a not essential addendum of the cellar but very useful to guard and preserve wine after bottling. It consists of a small chamber dug below ground, without direct air and light, which is located alongside or under the cellar but in direct contact with it. Etymologically linkable to the old Provençal enfernet, designating a narrow prison, and early applied, as it seems obvious, to a narrow space, underground, main cellar’s outbuilding, the word "infernotto", with semantics oscillation, will also arrive to designate the greater room. Infernot are under private homes in most of the municipalities of Casale hills, but above all where there’s the “pietra da cantoni” ("stone for cantoni"). The Monferrato Casalese territory is characterized by its geologic history; there are rocks of the Miocene period such as the “pietra da cantoni”, a marly-calcareous or siliceous-calcareous sandstone, whose origin can be attributed to ancient sedimentary deposits, characteristic of shallow marine environments. The stone, geologically known as sandstone, by all improperly called "tuff", is very suitable for the excavation and creation of infernot because it is quite workable and ensures constant and fit climate and humidity for storage of bottled wine. The preparation of infernot was with two well distinct operations. Excavation was by the same owner of home, retrieving the room, which often expanded beyond the limits of the property, invading the space underneath the public street, public square and other people’s properties. Then, a “pietra da cantoni” quarryman, more specialized, finished the work odeling from solid, as far as the compactness of the stone allowed him, stone steps, niches, shelves for bottles.

(taken from the publication "Infernot – forms and expressions carved into the “pietra da cantoni", realized by the Ecomuseum of “Pietra da Cantoni” – Regione Piemonte)

Table n. 1 landscape route km. development in the area of excellence "Monferrato of Infernot" with "Post Stations of the Landscape ".

Altitude Partial Progressive (m distances distances (Km) s.l.m.) (Km) Vignale M.to - P.zza Italia 259 0,00 Vignale M.to - Belvedere Melvin Jones 281 0,35 0,35 Vignale M.to - Chiesa S. Bartolomeo 315 0,50 0,15 Camagna - Sacrario banda Lenti 244 3,95 3,45 Camagna - P.zza Lenti 254 4,60 0,65 Camagna - Chiesa S. Eusebio 265 4,90 0,30 S.P. Casale Altavilla 138 8,75 3,85 Frassinello - Via Cavour 217 10,80 2,05 Frassinello - Chiesa S. Bernardo 204 12,65 1,85 Rosignano M.to - V.le Repubblica Madonna dell'Assalto 244 19,05 5,15 Rosignano M.to - Via Bonelli Belvedere 271 19,45 0,40 Ozzano M.to - Chiesa S. Salvatore 234 23,90 4,45 Ozzano M.to - belvedere cimitero 265 24,65 0,75 - Chiesa romanica S. Quirico 257 28,30 0,65 Sala - Via Roma 228 33,85 4,45 Sala - Chiesa S. Grato 255 34,70 0,85 - P.zza Filippini 220 37,55 0,90 Ottiglio - Fraz. Moleto Chiesetta romanica 241 41,80 3,00 - P.zza Europa 269 44,65 0,85 Olivola - Chiesa S. Pietro 256 45,35 0,70 Frassinello 236 47,35 2,00 Vignale M.to - P.zza Italia 259 51,40 2,45

Table n. 2 landscape-route profile of Basso Monferrato.

Altimetry Profile of the route 350

315 300 294 281 283 279 279 271 265 265 269 259 257 255 256 259 250 254 244 244 241 234 235 236 228 Quote 217 220 (m s.l.m.) 200 204

179

158 150 154 138

100

50

0

90 5 90 5 0 5 0,35 95 90 ,75 80 65 , 05 ,6 3 ,40 ,85 55 ,80 05 6 ,35 95 0,00 4,60 , , 24,65 7 , 4,70 1 3, 7 8, m 4, 8 9, 29 33 3 36,65 7, 38,80 4 45,35 4 51,40 K m m 12 1 m 28 3 Km - Km 3, Km K K m m 13 K m m m m m m - - - - - Km 10 K Km 23, - Km 2 Km K K Km Km Km 44, K K s i K - Km - Km - - K - Km - - - K - - ia i t o la o - - o - Km 4 a ne nt l r - re r la a io o o P. li Jo en to te nte ico - ini - S. a Ital Le sebi r Sa gl ropa - etr t a a ltavi vou ardo - ssal mi r Rom ti ipp Prera Prera o M. zza L Eu A Ca n vato ci Mo a . Grato - l Eu . Pi ivi a I e . e r Qui pe i S Ot Fi vio vio S zz P.zz r and P S. ia e ll'A V r i romanica - Km 4 B - e b V Rosignane Sal ere S. o - B a Bi Frassinell P. sal r d S. a vi a iesa pe zza t - to o esa - S. B a ic i io P. t Bivio Olivola - Km 43,80 ved hi . Ca o ved di Cella b v - se - P.zza M. el C P l Sal - Ch e a B - iesa ale pe hiesa bi io M.to le - amagna - S. nell h n donn C be la l hi vol e Chiesa S.Sacrari BartolomeoC - Kma 0,50 ssi - - roman ig C li - a - C Ma to . Monti Sa tt O ivola - Chiesa nal igna a Fr - - Via Bonelli.to Belvedere - Km 19,4 O l g V M. O Vi le M.to o M Fraz Camagn sinello o Chiesa Moleto amagn Str. Comu M.t - igna C zan zzano V Fras z O nte nano O Vignale M.to - g Mo Rosi Rosignano M.to lla Ce Ottiglio - Fraz.

1. morphological and agronomic aspects This area includes the municipalities of , Camagna, Frassinello, Olivola, Cella Monte, , Ottiglio, Rosignano and . The area consists of the Central Monferrato hills and, marginally, of the river Po, (North-East), which progressively decrease proceeding Eastward towards the river Po, which is the Northern and Eastern boundary toward its confluence with the river Tanaro - whose ancient alluvial terraces border Southward. Under the geological profile – during the formation of the Piemontese Tertiary Basin and its subsequent raising – we can find calcareous-clay natural substrates in different colours according to different periods. In some areas even oldest lithological layers emerge, belonging to 15-20 million years ago, forming the so- called "pietra da cantoni", a widely used material for building at local level. Modeling made by erosion on this ancient surface, raised from the depths of sea, is affected by the different composition of deposits, derived from sedimentation in more or less deep waters. The richest deposits of silts and clays have smoother shapes, gradients and differences in level are less relevant, while where coarser grain sizes (sand) predominate the height rises in steep slopes that develop on higher differences in level. This morphological distinction shows itself even in the use of soil that is mainly agricultural (corn, wheat, vineyards and arboriculture for wood) in the first case, and becomes predominantly forest in the second. Relating to the composition of woods in addition to the common matrix of robinia (locust-tree) in expansion either on ex farming or after repeated coppicing, there are chestnut coppice in regress with oaks (farnia, durmast, downy oak and, sometimes, cerro). Often oaks also dominate in the plain of the coppice. In particular in cooler impluvium stations persist the querco-hornbeam, typical of plain horizon, while in the South-facing slopes it prevails the orno-downy oak wood, often in the manna-ash pioneer variant. The settlement system in Monferrato is predominantly of height, but connected to the two main traffic routes of the area: the way of the valley bottom that runs through the Valcerrina and the transverse crossing axis to Asti-Moncalvo. Casale – Monferrato historical capital - appears relatively external, perhaps because put only in the 15 th century among centres of gravitation of the Marquises Paleologi’s Court. In the area in the Southeast of city, the settlement system is on the contrary strongly structured on the roads group that put in communication with Po passing by Frassineto-, , and Mirabello, and on node that connects Casale to . The plain nature of the area and its agricultural vocation, however, have favoured the development of a dense network of roads in depth in the settlement. Inside Monferrato, more generally, we can identify structural elements that have their distinctive features. Minor watercourses, right tributaries of the Po river, that flows in theWest-East direction, are surrounded by between-hills valley bottoms, where dry farming prevails with dominant cereals, poplar-trees and meadows. These are truffles high attitude areas; in particular, to signal the Stura of Monferrato, which flows in val Cerrina, subparallel to Po river, before its confluence at . Going east the hills lower and become progressively thin, separated from plains of the Tanaro, in the South and of the Po river, in the East, by residual portions of ancient terraces that descend towards the plain with steep slopes. In the Northeast the Po plain widens, characterized by rice use.

2. cultural-historical characters There are two Roman roads: the first ran parallel to the course of the river Po and touched the settlements of Camino, Pontestura, and Casale (Vardacate), to go on in the direction of Valenza (Valentia) and , important river crossings. The second is the path to Moncalvo and Pontestura, part of the road that from Asti led to Vercelli. In medieval and modern age a new transverse axis which linked Casale with the Alto Monferrato and crossed the river Tanaro at acquired progressive importance. It is to be stressed how the area corresponds to the core, survived independent until the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), of the Marquisate (later Duchy) of Monferrato, and how, then, it presents cultural features which left evident traces in art and architecture. The general settlement features are deeply different between the hilly area and the one next to the course of the river Po. In the first case the settlement is centralized, of hill or ridge; only in the course of 1800-1900, with the gradual spread of the railway network, the first commercial settlements appeared in the bottom of the valley, collection points of growing and vine. The historic settlement organization dates back, as it is usual, to the final centuries of the middle ages and it seems occasionally orientated by the birth/restoration of some settlements (Brusasco, , Montemagno etc.) and the strengthening of castles (Montiglio, , Moncalvo, ). In the area of casalese plain the settlement has obvious colonization characters - that saw both the Municipality of Casale and the Marquis of Monferrato - and, depending on the period in which it was conducted, it took the form of villages of new foundation with preordained matrix (centuries. XIII-XV: , Borgo San Martino, Occimiano, Mirabello) or scattered units, sometimes developed from an agricultural castle (centuries15th-16 th :Valmacca, , Baldesco, Castel Grana) which included land possessions also very large, mostly planted with cereals (introduction of rice in the 1800).

3. socio-economic aspects Monferrato, long depressed area (especially after the progressive abandonment of forms taken by casalese economy since decades between the centuries XIX and XX) it offers itself now, like the Langhe and the Roero, as area with strong touristic vocation, supported and encouraged by the activities related to the viticulture and food-and-wine. The phenomenon itself, positive, however, threatens to undermine the consolidated territorial dynamics putting the ambit to the same risks of other areas that present similar forms of territory economic exploitation: incompatibility between historical territorial structures and accommodation needs, extremes of trends to monocultural transformation of the countrysides, spread of productive activities, commercial and services in the areas of the valley bottom. On the other hand there are dynamics of transformation of crop planning and of naturalistic system overall, after processes triggered by the abandonment of traditional farming practices: - erosion determined by runoff waters is consistent in particular where the vineyard cultivation remains, even for the poor maintenance of the works of water regulation; - there is a progressive abandonment of wine-growing with a return by tree species (both locust-tree and native species), and in “oldest” invasions there is already a form of coppice prevalent treatment and exploited for the production of firewood. The peculiarities of the area, accentuated by a specific historical-cultural identity, are still clearly recognizable and strongly linked to the presence of viticulture. The hilly territory, in the wooden portions, preserves in part its naturalness and takes advantage of the progress of the recolonization of these surfaces with the promotion of integration/replacement of specialized maidicoltura.

4. panoramic itinerary of Basso Monferrato Scenic route of Basso Monferrato we can make it begin from Vignale M.to but can be initiated from each of the other municipalities affected, being a ring path for most of its development.

4.1 the interventions in the Municipality of Vignale Monferrato Piazza Italia with its large parking is the ideal starting point of the route of Basso Monferrato. Vignale Monferrato, seat of the prestigious event "VIGNALEDANZA" and of the Enoteca Regionale del Monferrato, at present under renovation, offers two very scenic spots located close to the urban center.This is, up from Piazza Italia, in Via Bergamaschino, Belvedere Melvin Jones , since equipped by the municipal administration with a diorama that shows the location of the main peaks of the Alpi of Piemonte and Val d'Aosta and the one located at the Church of San Bartolomeo , which opens on a really very suggestive view. In both viewpoints bicycle racks and totems that signal them have been placed.

4.2 the interventions in the Municipality of Descending slightly toward valley we leave behind the town of Vignale M.to to go up to Camagna Monferrato and make a first stop near the intersection that leads to the Sacrarium of the Banda Lenti , a partisan formation among the most important of the Resistenza in Monferrato, along with the Banda Tom, which formed after September 8, 1943 around the persons of Agostino Lenti from Camagna and former officer of the Alpini (mountain military troops). The monument commemorates the sacrifice of these partisans who were found, caught by the fascists and carried to Valenza where they were sentenced to death and killed, on September 12, 1944. Near the sacrarium a totem has been placed. Back to the road in few minutes we reach Camagna in Piazza Lenti where have been installed a bicycle rack and a totem in order to signal the lookout site on the Parvis of the Church of Sant’Eusebio , from where we can raise the look above the roofs of houses and appreciate the view over the vineyards of Basso Monferrato.

4.3 interventions in the municipality of Left Camagna towards Frassinello, the path winds down along the municipal road Stramba, to intercept, after a straight over 1 kilometer long, S.P. 50 Casale-Altavilla. Crossed the provincial road the route continues to the left to take, immediately on the right, the municipal road of Lignano, in the direction of Frassinello Monferrato. At the entrance to the town, keeping the right, we take, on the left, via Cavour, towards the cemetery. Here, to stress the visual to cone towards Cella Monte, it was put a light metal carpentry frame assembled on a chassis with iron shaped structure coated with a micro-perforated metal sheet, fixed to the ground with two cement plinths.To host the visitor, in front of the frame there’s a bench coated with “Pietra da Cantoni”, widely used material in the area. The bicycle rack and the totem complete the intervention. Walking back in via Cavour, we go down to continue to via Battisti and then to via Roma.At the stop sign we take the SP 46 up to a crossroad where to continue in the direction of Church of San Bernardo rural, Church indicated by the laying of a bicycle rack and a totem.

4.4 the interventions in the Municipality of Continuing along the municipal road Grossa, the route, through a long straight (over 2.5 km) leads to Rosignano Monferrato, leaving on the right the Uviglie castle complex. From the valley bottom, the climb towards Rosignano is very challenging but, arrived at the first concentric ring of the town that tightens around the tuffaceous marl "rocca" (rock), the landscape pays abundantly every fatigue.The first evocative glimpse is the Madonna dell’Assalto (“of the assault”) so named following the strong and effective resistance of the village to the Spanish troops during the siege of 1640. A bicycle rack and a totem are here to signal a truly remarkable panoramic view towards the the hill that hosts the Uviglie Castle. Climbing on top of the rock, the Belvedere in Via Bonelli is already equipped with fitment and benches. A bicycle rack and a totem complete the intervention.

4.5 the interventions in the Municipality of Ozzano Monferrato From Rosignano we continue in the direction of the town of Ozzano Monferrato representing the Northern offshoot of core zone no. 9. The road goes down toward the valley bottom (Via Madonna delle Grazie and Via Rosignano)to go back in a more accentuated way towards the town and the courtyard of the Church of San Salvatore which offers a spectacular glimpse on the hills of Rosignano and Cella Monte. From Ozzano, going back to the road for Cella Monte, we go down along the Via Santa Maria to go up towards the municipal cemetery showing a panoramic view of the town of Ozzano. In both situations the laying of two bicycle racks and totemic symbols identify the most beautiful viewpoints.

4.6 the interventions in the town of Cella Monte Going up the road to Cella Monte and then parkway Cei we reach Cella Monte near the Romanesque Church of San Quirico representing the Post Station of the Landscape located on the municipal territory. At the foot of the Church, within a little terrace obtained at the side of the road, a bicycle rack and a totem have been placed, while, in the area behind the Church where there’s a green area very well maintained and equipped with benches, tables and trash cans, there’s an observation point in order to enjoy a very nice view on the hills with vines that surround the town of Rosignano Monferrato. It was achieved by placing an altana made by a truncated conical base with long steps able to lift the viewpoint completely surrounded by a high green fence hedge created using the Laurel, Laurus nobilis. The town of Cella Monte, home of the "Ecomuseo della pietra da cantoni" (http://www.ecomuseopietracantoni.it/ ), shares with the other municipalities of Basso Monferrato the tradition of infernot: they’re real subterranean art, in the shape of cellars dug in the tuffaceous marl, good, in terms of temperature, for the conservation of the wine.

4.7 the interventions in the municipality of Sala Monferrato Left Cella Monte the way turns decidedly right to descend steeply towards the hamlet Coppi (Coppi-Cella Monte Road) and at the bottom of the valley the road turns right again to go up toward the center of the Municipality of Sala Monferrato. The first Post Station of the Landscape was located in the heart of the town, in Via Roma, where a bicycle rack and a totem are located. Continuing, then, towards Ottiglio (Via Marconi) on the right leaving the town we meet the deconsecrated Church of San Grato , beautiful 18 th century monument recently object of restoration interventions by work of the Municipality.The Parvis of the Church represents a viewpoint at the edge of the northern border of the area of Grignolino, with a view on the hills of the area of the Sacro Monte of (http://www.piemontesacro.it/sacri_monti/sacro_monte_crea ), site already recognized by UNESCO. On clear sky days the view spreads to the Monte Rosa group. The intervention in object, in addition to fixing a bicycle rack and a totem, considers the restoration of the churchyard in brick course laid on edge and the reconstruction of brick pronaos’ eleation stump to create a seat functional to general project.

4.8 the interventions in the Municipality of Ottiglio Continuing the route towards Ottiglio, bypassed the hill that divides Ottiglio from Sala Monferrato, in continuous succession of vineyards and woods, we finally reach the center of the town, in Piazza Filippini, which hosts numerous restaurants and bars in which to enjoy a deserved relax, where a bicycle rack and a totem were placed. Back toward Olivola, along Via Roma, we leave behind the town of Ottiglio to turn towards hamlet Prera, and from there, towards the hamlet of Moleto. The hamlet Moleto of the Municipality of Ottiglio represents a kind of architectural workshop “en plen air” linked in particular to the ”pietra da cantoni” building typology, local provenance material of which there are still tracks with the presence of the now closed quarry still waiting for a recovery and environmental insertion intervention. A bicycle rack and a totem were placed next to the ladder which leads to a natural terrace, of private property, offering a unmatched view over hills and vine landscapes of casalese Monferrato. We can enjoy this view from the inside of a private property, equipped for public welcome, walking on the vast flat meadow made precious by a rural church, another typical element of the hilly landscape of Basso Monferrato.

4.9 the interventions in the Municipality of Olivola Tracing the route travelled in the opposite direction and turning left at the crossroads of the Loc. Pelucchini, we take Via Pugno that leads to the heart of the town of Olivola to appreciate the last two Post Stations of the Landscape, one placed in Piazza Europa, where a bicycle rack and a totem were installed and the other in Via Duca d’Aosta, in order to enjoy the view offered by the natural height on which we find the rural church of San Pietro. Similarly to the previous Station, a bicycle rack and a totem were laid at the foot of the height which hosts the Church.

The tour ends with the completion of the ring which, passing through the town of Frassinello, leads to Vignale Monferrato.