Borgo San Martino: Churches, Rice Fields and Local Cuisine

Between the Plain, the Rotaldo and Local History

Borgo San Martino combines religious architecture, the history of the “S. Carlo” Salesian College and a landscape shaped by agriculture. The town’s history can be encountered both at the Salesian College and in the parish church, while the landscape remains marked by the plain, the Rotaldo and agricultural areas. If you would like to consider culture, landscape and regional everyday life together, you will find several clearly distinguishable ways here to explore an Italian town.

A Plain with an Agricultural Character

The inhabited area of Borgo San Martino lies in a plain shaped by poplar stands and cereal crops. Borgo San Martino is located on the right bank of the Rotaldo stream. The area includes several farmsteads surrounded by rice fields. Thus, the settlement area, watercourse and agriculturally used land emerge as essential landscape features of the town. For spatial orientation, both the riverside location and the agriculturally shaped plain are equally relevant.

Palazzo, College and School Institute

The Palazzo dei Marchesi Scarampi is now the “S. Carlo” Salesian College, a religious college dating from the 17th and 20th centuries. Don Bosco bought the Scarampi family’s villa in 1870 and founded the San Carlo school institute there, which remained in operation until 1999. Culture enthusiasts can therefore associate the building with Don Bosco and the history of the school institute. For those interested in culture, this historical context provides an approach to architecture, religious life and the history of education.

Church and Sacred Details

The parish church of Saints Quirico and Giulitta was built in 1278 and restored between 1922 and 1925 to restore its original lines. It was built in the Romanesque-Gothic style.

Two 18th-century arches are considered landmarks of Borgo San Martino. In the Chapel of Don Bosco, a reredos on the small altar depicts Saint John Bosco alongside Saint Dominic Savio and other students. The landmark and the specific pictorial motif add clearly distinguishable details to the church and architectural history.

A Connection to Alessandria and Casale Monferrato

The Greenway delle due cittadelle connects the citadels of Alessandria and Casale Monferrato and passes through Borgo San Martino. If you would like to mentally connect your visit to the town with further landscape features, this route places Borgo San Martino in a context shared with both cities. This makes it possible to view the town not only through its buildings, but also through its location along this connection. For travel planning, this connection forms a distinct spatial focus alongside the historic buildings and cuisine.

Rice, Salumi and Agnolotti

Rice is one of the local foods in Borgo San Martino and is prepared there in many different ways. Local foods also include salumi and Emmegi’s agnolotti. This provides you with a culinary perspective that places the rice fields and these dishes at the center without reducing the cuisine to a single product.

The Sagra delle Fragole reached its 100th edition; the event was open to everyone and offered good food and music.

More Places for Your Travel Planning

Cardona, Mombello Monferrato, Tassarolo, Quattordio, Borgoratto Alessandrino, Frassineto Po, Alessandria and Novi Ligure.

To the higher-level travel overview: Alessandria.