Olivola – Pietra da Cantoni, Olive Oil and Historic Cellars

Olivola between Hills, Valley and Local History

Olivola is set panoramically on a hill and overlooks the Rotaldo stream valley on its left side. The location combines expansive views across the valley with a clearly recognizable village character. If you would like to consider both the landscape and the area’s architectural heritage during your trip to Italy, you will encounter regional stone and several tangible historical traces here. For orientation on site, it is worth keeping in mind the transition between open landscapes and stone buildings.

Pietra da Cantoni as the Local Building Material

The village is built almost entirely from Pietra da Cantoni. This sandstone formed millions of years ago, when the area was covered by the sea. Its formation predates the construction of the village by a very long period. As you walk through Olivola, the stone is immediately present in the built environment.

Historical Traces in the Village

Villa del Bel Riposo was the residence of the noble Guazzi and Candiani families. Below the villa, the first cellar of Bricco dei Guazzi was carved into tuff; it dates from the 16th century.

The Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo preserves the lower part of its original bell tower from the 12th century. A sandstone graffito on its exterior wall bears the date 1633. The dates range from the 12th century to the year 1633.

The Infernot add another connection between stone and wine. In Olivola, Pietra da Cantoni is the most important building material for these underground cellars carved into sandstone for storing valuable wine bottles. The underground complex complements the stone village with rooms whose purpose is wine storage.

For those interested in culture, the highlights of this village are found in specific buildings and spaces: Villa del Bel Riposo, the Church of Santi Pietro e Paolo, sandstone graffiti and the Infernot.

Olive Oil, Landscape and Craftsmanship

As early as around the 18th century, extra virgin olive oil was produced in the Olivola area for the House of Savoy.

The Olio-&-UNESCO experience includes a walk through olive groves to the golden Big Bench Dorata. The Big Bench Dorata is located at a viewpoint overlooking vineyards and the hills opposite, near Frassinello and Vignale. The walk therefore leads from the olive groves to a specific destination in a landscape of vineyards and hills. For planning your day, the walk remains tied to a clearly defined landscape destination.

The range of craftsmanship includes furnishings such as clocks, trays, boxes and house numbers. It also includes custom-made architectural elements, including kitchen worktops, washbasins, mirror frames and artistic panels. The craft production combines everyday objects with custom architectural pieces.

An offering focused on tasting and sharing knowledge about olive oil in Monferrato explores its origins and tradition. The tasting combines sampling with an examination of its origins and tradition.

Further destinations for orientation: Sarezzano, Borghetto Di Borbera, Montaldo Cosola, Valmacca, Frassineto Po, Lu, Garbagna, Fresonara

To the broader travel overview: Alessandria.