Alba - Duomo di 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.

The earliest structure have been built on the site at the end of the 5th century. A subsequent Romanesque structure was built on its ruins. The current structure originally dates to the first half of the 12th century but was reshaped. It was restructured into late Gothic architecture n the 15th century by bishop Andrea Novelli who arrived in Alba in 1484. The most important renovation dates to 1652 to repair the damage caused by earthquakes in 1626. The last major restoration was undertaken in the 19th century.

St. Theobald (aka "Teobaldo Roggeri") was a shoemaker known for his simple lifestyle and dedication to the needs of the poor. He also worked also as a porter, carrying sacks of grain from place to place. Roggeri died in 1150 and was buried on an unmarked piece of land between the two churches of San Lorenzo and San Silvestro. His tomb became a place of pilgrimage and miracles, but after several decades his tomb darkened and was lost. His remains were rediscovered in 1429 by the Bishop of Alba and are now kept in Alba Cathedral.

Here is the reliquary bust, made in 1430/1450. It was stolen from the cathedral in 1983 but was rediscovered in Minneapolis/USA in 2011 and returned to Alba a year later.