is an important town of
Piedmont ,
Italy , in the
Province Of Cuneo . It is considered the capital of the hilly area of
Langhe , and is famous for the white
Truffle ,
Peach and
Wine production.
The
Confectionery group
Ferrero is based in Alba.
Alba's origins date before the Roman civilization, connected probably to the presence of
Celt and
Ligurian tribe in the area.
The town is on the site of the ancient , probably founded by the Roman consul
Gnaeus Pompeius Strabo while constructing a road from
Aquae Statiellae (
Acqui ) to
Augusta Taurinorum (
Turin ). Alba was the birthplace of
Publius Helvius Pertinax , who was the shortest reigning Roman emperor.
After the fall of the
Western Empire , the city was repeatedly sacked by
Burgundians ,
Lombards and
Franks . In the 11th century it become a free commune and was a member of the
Lombard League . Contended by the families of
Montferrat and
Visconti , it was later a
Gonzaga possession.
Charles Emmanuel I Of Savoy conquered it two times, while later
France and
Spain battled for its possession. The
Treaty Of Cherasco assigned Alba definitively to
Savoy
Alba won a Gold Medal for Military Valour for the heroic activity of its citizens as partisans, in the course of
World War II .
Of the Roman city, which had a polygonal form, parts of fortified gate and remains of some edifices with marbles and mosaics can still be seen.
Other attractions include:
- the Romanesque (Duomo), built in 12th Century , probably over holy edifices of Roman age. It was restructured in 15th Century , by bishop Andrea Novelli, and again in the following centuries. The current appearance is from the controversial restoration of 19th century, of which the three portals and the crpyt are from the original edifice. The church is well known for its wood-carved chorus made in 1512 by Bernardino Fossati. The current belfry, from the 12th century, includes entirely the original bell tower.
- The Gothic church of (13th-14th century]], the most artistically relevant church in town. It has a noteworthy portal with a triple arch within an ogival arch, a polygonal apse and traces of Renaissance frescoes. During the Napoleonic Wars it was used a stable, and was reconsecrated on June 22 , 1827 .
- The Baroque church of , housing a ''Madonna of the Graces'' (1377) by Barnaba da Modena and a ''Madonna with Saints'' (1508) by Macrino d'Alba.
The city museums include the F. Eusebio Municipal Museum of Archaeology and Natural Science.
Alba has several
Sister Cities , including
Medford, Oregon .
