Cerignale is an ancient medieval village, surrounded by woods and springs, which stands on the slopes of Monte delle Tane. Its important water sources, in ancient times, powered numerous mills, which are still visible today.
Cerignale was the seat of a settlement of monks from the Abbey of San Colombano coming, originally, from the Lombard era. Since the 11th century, there has been news of the fortress of Cariseto, while the concession of the fiefdom to the monastery of San Paolo by Henry III dates back to 1052. In 1164, Federico Barbarossa granted it to the Malaspina family, under whose dominion it remained until the 16th century: the emperor himself stayed in the castle of Cariseto. In the sixteenth century, the fiefdom passed into the hands of Gianluigi Fieschi who was involved in the revolt against the Spanish and Andrea Doria, for which the castle was destroyed and Cerignale came under the dominion of the Doria at the behest of Charles V.
What to see in Cerignale
- CENTRO STORICO
- ORATORIO DI SANT’ANNA
- ORATORIO DI SANT’AGOSTINO
- BORGO DI PONTE ORGANASCO
- CASA TORRE DETTA “CA’ MINATA”
- ANTICO MULINO DI PIAN DEI MULINI
- SURUS, L’ELEFANTE DEL TREBBIA
The historic centre is characterised by its narrow streets paved with stones and the ancient Town Hall which stands in the main square.
Not far away, there is the church of San Lorenzo which dates back to 1560 and whose interior is embellished with frescoes by the painter Giovanni Botta from Novara.
In the Carisasca hamlet there is the Oratory of Sant’Anna: its construction dates back to the 11th century and a first extension was carried out in 1642; the façade is gabled and it has a bell tower.
Founded in the 11th century, its remains are visible along the Caminus Genuae, the road that led to Genoa, following the course of the Trebbia.
It is a small medieval centre, which was also home to a monastic cell. It stands out for the remains of the castle which are still visible today even after they have been incorporated into some sixteenth-century buildings. With its beautiful exposed stone houses, the village is one of the most well preserved in the Valley. There is also the Oratory of San Carlo, dating back to 1622.
It was built as a fortified outpost and military observation point and together with the castle it contributed to the defence of the territory. The history of the small centre is testified to by the Cariseto castle, which dates back to the 10th century. The ancient structure was originally equipped with two towers with circular bases, of which the central wall and the bases are preserved, together with the walkways and a wooden staircase. The towers overlook a 600-metre-deep precipice, on the Aveto stream, and from there you can admire a splendid panorama that ranges from Val Trebbia to Val D’Aveto.
With its still working wheel, the mill is equipped with two millstones for processing cereals and chestnuts. There are the “bedi”, canals that involve the waters that descend from the surrounding mountains which contribute to the charm and enchanting atmosphere of other times.
This is a singular mountain formation that slopes down towards the river up to the Meandri del Confiente, in the nearby municipality of Corte Brugnatella. The name derives from its shape, formed over time by the movement of the river, which resembles the back, legs and trunk of an elephant. The toponym derives from a connection with the “Battle of Trebbia” which saw the Roman army face off against that of Hannibal: thus the Trebbia Elephant was renamed Surus, from the name of the only elephant left alive from the Carthaginian expedition.
