Municipalities of the Alta Langa: Belvedere Langhe

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Belvedere Langhe owes its name to the beautiful geographical position, from where you can admire the majority of the Maritime and Cottian Alps and the underneath lowland of the Tanaro river a few kilometres of distance. From the historical centre it is possible to see also the hills of Alba and the Cuneo and Turin valleys.

History

The origins of this place go back to the XII century. The name of this village is mentioned for the first time in a document about the ownership of the Pedona Abbey (Borgo San Dalmazzo) under the name Ugnolio, which will be used for almost a century yet.  In 1331 the fief passed to Giovanni il Grande, Lord of Dogliani, then in 1339, his possessions were divided among his children. The name Belvedere is mentioned in a document about the tithes “in decimis Ugnolis qui nunc vocatur Beluere”, dated 1352. On a hill called Castellaccio, near the nowadays cemetery, some archaeological excavations brought to the light the walls of the old town and some skeletons, so that it is common opinion that in this point arose the village of Ugnolio. 

After the domination of the marquis of Saluzzo, in 1601 Belvedere was conjoined with Piedmont, under the lead of the Savoy. 

The parish church, dedicated to St. Nicolao, already existed in 1579 and it was enlarged many times: it has an eighteen-century façade.  

Traditions

  • On the second Sunday after Easter, the “Festa dei Micun” is celebrated, that is, of the blessed breads, in the oratory dedicated to Saints Sebastiano and Fabiano, home of the Confraternity known as the “Battuti Bianchi”, which carries the wooden statue of St. Sebastian in procession. After the blessing of the loaves has been made, distribution is made to the members of the company, who are made up of only the male inhabitants of the town and then to foreigners.
  • On Sunday closest to December 6th is celebrated the patron saint of Belvedere, San Nicola da Bari, to which the parish church of S. Nicolao is named. The celebration of the thanksgiving festival consists in the offer to the altar by the farmers of the crops of the cultivation of the land as a sign of gratitude for the agricultural products obtained during the year. At the end of the churchyard there is the blessing, once of the towing and transport animals, now of the agricultural machinery.
  • The most important festival in the town is August 15th dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, located in the village called the Assumption, with music, dancing and gastronomic specialties in the square.
  • On August 16th, the feast of San Rocco is celebrated in the homonymous village with the characteristic “ule throw”: throw of the ball that is used for pallapugn and bottles placed at a height of a couple of meters.

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