The river Po, the Rocca of Cavour, Villafranca Piemonte, Saluzzo, woods and parks
From Turin, following the Southbound ring road (tangenziale sud), we exit at "La Loggia" and, after a few kilometers on the SS20, reach the Sanctuary of Vallinotto, 18th century masterpiece created by the architect Bernardo Antonio Vittone.
Tracing the flow of the river Po, travellers choosing to take the quiet secondary roads soon find themselves immersed in the atmosphere of the ancient "Via del Sale" which, in the middle ages, animated the riverbanks. At Villafranca Piemonte we pay visit to the Missione Chapel, first recorded mention of which dates back to the 11th century. The frescoes present on the façade were painted in the early 16th century by Bernardino Luini.
Not far from here lies the town of Cavour and, rising up out of the flat flood plains, the castle of the same name. The fortress lies within the "Parco della Fascia Fluviale del Po": the most complex archaeological site in the area, where an impressive number of megalithic carvings, polychrome Neolithic paintings and medieval ruins have been found. Close by there is one of the most important Romanesque buildings in the region: the Abbey of Santa Maria. Founded in 1037, the abbey houses the oldest altar in Piedmont.
At Bagnolo Piemonte we visit the 12th century Malingri Castle. Recently restored by the present owner, the castle, complete with triple perimeter wall, is one of very few surviving medieval fortresses to have conserved all the characteristics of a military outpost.
After a brief stop at Barge where to sample the town's crunchy "bataje" biscuits, we head for the Abbey of Santa Maria Staffarda, founded in 1135 by the Cistercian Monks. In addition to the monk's cells, this large complex is comprised of an elegant cloister with twin columns, capitulary hall, refectory, and some nine dairy rooms.
Approximately 10kms from the Abbey lies the enchanting little town of Saluzzo, capital of the historic marquisate. Here, the 15th century urban structure of the town has been perfectly conserved. The narrow cobbled streets of the town are overlooked by the imposing Castiglia, stronghold reached via the Salita al Castello: a road lined with sumptuous patrician palazzi.
Just 3kms from Saluzzo, in the direction of Cuneo, we find the 12th century Castle of Manta. The medieval fortress was enlarged by the marquis of Saluzzo at the start of the 15th century and it was in this period that the magnificent fresco in the Sala Baronale was realised. The fresco, the author of which has yet to be identified, depicts Prodi and Eroine, characters taken from Le Chevalier Errant, the novel written by the Marquis Tommaso III. The anonymous painter's decidedly melancholic vision of the decline of the chivalric period contrasts starkly with the lustful goings-on illustrated in the Fountain of Youth, present in the same hall.
