Alba

The town on the south bank of the Tanaro has been under Roman rule since 89 BC. It was a Roman municipium under the name Alba Pompeia.

In the early Middle Ages, Alba was conquered by the Burgundians, the Lombards and later the Franks and suffered from the Saracen invasions. In the 12th century, Alba became a free comune and joined the Lombard League of Northern Italian Cities. Several monasteries and hospitals were built in the walled city area. It fell under the rule of the Gonzaga, was conquered and lost three times by Charles Emmanuel I and then fell into the power conflict between France and Spain. With the Peace of Cherasco (1631), Alba fell to the Savoy. Today Alba is world famous for the white truffles that grow here.

Medieval tower houses