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Villanova d'Albenga

Description

A Medieval town in the province of Savona, located at the confluence of the rivers Arroscia and Lerrone. It features a board shape structure with one central road that cuts the town in two and this is crossed at right angles by six minor roads that divide groups of houses in perfectly symmetrical areas. There are fourteen distinguished residential blocks, all long and narrow, that feature an evocative play of specularity. The intent of the planners was to create a plan perfectly square, but the failure is due to the geologic difficulties of the Ligurian territory: in fact, two sides of the perimeter of Villanova appear to be irregular. However, the town's urban plan makes it one of the most beautiful places in Liguria. The whole village is surrounded by fortified walls within which, along the entire route, runs a communicated road "sottomurale". The walls are still present in good part, like the ten towers and two gates. At the center of the village is situated the ancient well, built in the Middle Ages and symbol of Villanova, which until 1930 was also the only source of drinking water for the inhabitants.
The village was built in 1288 by the inhabitants of the town of Albenga, that during the XII and XIII centuries, founded smaller villages towards the inland, to defend its land upstream. Villanova, allied to Albenga, followed the same fate and historical events. Submitted to the control of the Republic of Genoa, it became part of the Kingdom of Sardinia in 1815 and then part of the Kingdom of Italy since 1861.

Not to miss:
The Parish Church of Santo Stefano of the XII century in Romanesque style, frequently refurbished over the centuries. It features one nave and two major aisles and preserves frescoes from the XV and XVI century and an organ of the XVIII century. It is flanked by a Bell tower of the XIII century.
The Church of Santa Caterina da Siena, which features a single nave and preserves inside many artworks, including a fresco of 1632.
The Church of Our Lady of Grace in the Baroque style, which houses a wooden statue of 1804 by the sculptor Barabino of Genoa.
The Oratory of San Giovanni Battista with frescoes of the XIV and XV century and a statue made by Giovanni Battista Draghi of 1834.
The Church of Santa Maria della Rotonda or Santa Maria del Soccorso, built in 1520 on the main road to Garlenda, is in Renaissance style and is flanked by a Bell tower.
The Shrine of Our Lady of the Snow, the Church of San Bernardo and the Oratory of St. John the Baptist in the village of Ligo.
The Church of San Marco in the historic village of Coasco.
The Church of Our Lady of the Assumption in the village of Bossoleto.

Map

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