In the province of Cuneo, in Piedmont, lies the village of Neive, It is located in the Western Langhe and is divided into two sections. The oldest is on a hillock, while the most recent is located in a position below, crossed by the Torrent Tinella. The upper Neive was always chosen as the residence of the noble class, who took advantage of the beauty of the place, its strategic position and the richness of the vineyards.
It was elected as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and boasts just over 3 thousand inhabitants. It develops on two levels, as mentioned, but between the raised ground and the lower part there is an easy connection, so as to quickly find yourself a Neive Borgonuovo, a decidedly more modern area than the fascinating medieval center.
Neive history
The origin of the village of Neive is very ancient. It is necessary to go back in time to the time of the Romans. This is attested by the name itself, which refers to the gens Naevia, that is a Roman noble family who owned it. During the Middle Ages a fortified castle was built, in the surroundings of which a monastery of Benedictine monks was later built, coming from the abbey of San Benigno Canavese. In 1276, however, the castle was destroyed during a war between municipalities. Of the monastery, however, only the Tower of the Monastery remains. Fortunately, the historic center has been protected over the centuries, which still boasts the ancient medieval structure.
What to see in Neive
The historic center of Neive is splendid and is characterized by splendid brick buildings and stone streets. Among the palaces to admire there is undoubtedly the Casaforte of the Counts Cotti di Ceres, dating back to the thirteenth century. The list is extensive and also includes the Palazzo della Contessa Demaria, from the XNUMXth century, and the Palazzo dei Conti di Castelborgo, from the XNUMXth century. Everything is wonderfully wrapped in a luxuriant nature, which dominates everything, between hills and vineyards. The latter give various fine wines, and here are the main ones:
- Barbera
- Dolcetto d'Alba
- Barbaresco
- Moscato d'Asti
Piazza Italia is in the center of Neive. This is where all the main administrative offices are located. The beautiful Town Hall Building is right here. Nearby there is also the Clock Tower, which preserves the Roman funerary plaque in its wall. Also worth visiting is the Church of the Archconfraternity of San Michele, built in the eighteenth century, as well as the parish church of Ss. Pietro e Paolo. Sacred art finds ample space here, as evidenced by the sixteenth-century chapels dedicated to San Rocco and San Sebastiano.
We were talking about excellent local wines before, which leads us to emphasize the chance to visit some wineries. You can thus discover the production process and perhaps try a glass or two. At the center of the village there is also the Casa della Donna Selvatica Museum, whose admission is free, dedicated to the production of Grappa della Donna Selvatica.
What to eat
Here you can eat the typical dishes of the Piedmontese Langhe, with authentic traditional flavors:
- Veal with tuna sauce
- Piedmontese cod
- Tajarin with white truffle of Alba, with porcini mushrooms or with meat sauce
- Piedmontese fried
- Piedmontese Fassona
Featured photo source: https://www.facebook.com/comuneNeive
