***  Gavi, not only Cortese  ***    

             Versione italiana

Welcome to Gavi! At an altitude of 233 meters it extends in an area of ​​5,090 hectares, and it is thanks to the particularly fertile ground, to the ideal climate and especially to man's tenacity, that the screw, in these parts, rewards the labors with harvests quality grapes which, through a careful winemaking, producing renowned wines in the international field. Legend has it that a name Gavia princess, daughter of Clodomiro king of the Franks, who married against the wishes of the court came to Gavi to escape from the troops of the king. Here the couple they found water, forests and peace, and I decided to stop.
Legend has it that they were discovered and that the two, with the permission of the Pope, they could settle equally in Gavi and the Queen of the Goths, Amalasunta, gave them authority over the territory.
The princess was beautiful and Cortese; hence the name of the grape that gives rise to Gavi. Many different and interesting are the events that take place throughout the territory of Gavi; These proposals have the dual objective to preserve and make known to tourists than it is the culture, the tradition, the gastronomy of the Gavi area.

Gavi has ancient origins; findings suggest the existence of the Neolithic station Cavatium from which the Latin Gavium. The chronicles mention the existence of a "castle" on the summit of Mount Moro: in it, according to legend, found refuge from his persecutors the Gavia princess. When the Roman empire, Gavi remained of the Byzantine sphere, then franc. The discovery of the remains of Arab weapons documents the presence of the Saracens (X century): from then on the east side of the mountain is actually called Monte Moro. Historical information on some of Gavi Castle you have in 973. At that time belonged to Gavi Obertenghi family. From these he descended the branch marquis that the twelfth century assumed the title "Gavi". First Marquis of Gavi was Guido, took office on site around 1065, which ceded in 1116 to the Marquis to his son Alberto. During the long rule of Alberto (60 years), Gavi, surrounded by powers in sharp growth as the vast municipality of Tortona, the Marquis Aleramico and Genoa, and commercialmentestrategica position, she saw its power grow and become pawn ambitissima.Gavi found himself often at the center of disputes and alliances, enjoying a serene period only during the rule of the Emperor Frederick of Swabia 1, known as Barbarossa, bound by friendship to the Marquis of Gavi and in possession of a tower of the castle where he stayed several times . At Barbarossa's death (1190) the fate of the Marquis of cables went increasingly declining until September 16, 1202 by an official act, passed to the Genoese the village, the castle and the Curia, composed of Tassarolo, Pasturana, Montaldo (Strict) , Amelio, Cross and Gottorba, and throughout their territory as well Scrivia.

The Fort was closely linked to the events of the Republic of Genoa. In the decade 1348-1358 Gavi and its castle are under the dominion of the noble Visconti family. In 1359 Gavi back in possession of the Republic of Genoa and followed its vicissitudes, until, ups and downs, back to the Visconti. The second of the Visconti began in 1418, then the castle was sold to the Fregoso and, in 1468, to the Guasco family of Alessandria. In 1528 Gavi Forte and his return under the rule of the Republic of Genoa. It finally opened a long period of peace. In 1625, Gavi and its castle were affected by the war between Genoa and the French-Piedmontese.
When, in the siege of 1625, the French army and Savoyard employed for the first time artillery it was understood that the structure of the fort was no longer adequate. 1 rectors of the Republic of Genoa was convinced of the need to fortify the castle and to do this he was appointed one of the biggest experts in military buildings, the Fiorenzuola. Work began in 1626 and lasted four years transforming the castle in the current mighty fortress. The fortress could accommodate a garrison which could reach 1000 men. Then in late '600 and early' 700 it was built the fortification of Mount Moro.In that time stopped in Gavi the elebre Descartes. In the mid '700 the Gavi fortress was for a heavy period under Austrian rule and, during the Napoleonic period was the scene of battle between the French and Austrian troops. Finally Following the treaty between France, Austria and England in 1814, the republic of Genoa was abolished and its territory was transferred under the rule of the King of Sardinia Vittorio Emanuele I
The Portino (pictured above right) is the only survivor of the four gates to the village, a defensive system based on walls coming down from the fort and surrounding the entire town of Gavi. to the right bank of the Lemme stream. The structure of the early thirteenth century, is today a rectangular tower, covered by a roof with four slopes; Originally the tower had no roof but ended with battlements.
The mother church was the Pieve di Gavi S. Ilaria on Lemme, (left below) located on the road to St. Christopher and long ago abandoned and desecrated. It was built before 1000, perhaps on the remains of a pre-existing temple Lombard-Byzantine, on a protruding rock on the Lemme, overlooking the wide loop created by the river.

                                          

About the current Parish Church of St. Giacomo Maggiore, (below) the first document that confirms the existence of August 15, 1172, when the Alexandrians swear fidelity and allegiance to the Marquis of Gavi. The facade is in pure Romanesque style, intact as when the church was built in local sandstone, in the second half of the twelfth century.

   

The Sanctuary of N.S. Guard (below left) was built in less than four months in 1861 thanks to the work of the people of Gavi and the population of the surrounding villages. Sorge sull'ameno Turchini hill, in view of Gavi, and is a magnificent temple in Greek cross, the svelte and elegant forms. He prized marble floor red Levanto; There are three altars, one dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, according to the Marriage of Maria Vergine, and the largest, topped by beautiful niche houses the wooden statue of the Celestial Guardian.

The Sanctuary of N.S. Delle Grazie, (bottom right) Franciscan convent destination for centuries of pilgrimage, is today, nell'assommarsi five structures, six, eighteenth century, on what was the original fourteenth century. At the origin of the current building complex there was a kiosk, around which, following the passage of San Bernardino of Siena in apostolic pilgrimage, was built around 1450, the Oratory of San Bernardino, a name that was added to the oldest of Santa Maria delle Grazie. In time there arose a hospice for pilgrims who later became the convent, in the eighteenth century there were the extension works and the most impressive transformations that did take to the Sanctuary the current structure.
 

                      
                                                                                                                          Versione italiana           Site of Gavi

PRINCIPAL WAY TO GAVI:
da Torino: A21 - uscita Alessandria Est km 120
                   A21/A26 - uscita Nevi Ligure km 120
da Milano: A7 - uscita Serravalle Scrivia km 100
da Genova: A7 - uscita Vignole Borbera km 50
                     A26 - uscita Ovada km 60
                     strada della Bocchetta km 39 
 More informations on www.gavi.info