Discover Penango: Churches, History and Cycling Route

Penango is a small town whose character is shaped by the parish church of San Grato and a multifaceted history. Historical traces extend from the town’s name, which apparently first appeared in a document dating from 961, to former religious institutions. For you, this makes it a destination where local history and a cycling stage can be experienced together in a tangible way.

Cycling Route and Transport Artery

Stage 6A of the “Cammini delle alte colline ombrose e delle colline chiare” cycling route begins at Penango railway station. It is 6.60 km long and reaches the Church of San Vittore in the Cioccaro district after less than 300 metres; it then continues alongside it. This clearly defines both the starting point and the short distance to this church for your planning.

San Grato in the Small Centre

The small centre of Penango is dominated by the parish church of San Grato. The building was rebuilt in the 18th century, based on a design by the architect Francesco Ottavio Magnocavallo. Inside, San Grato houses paintings by Guglielmo Caccia. The church therefore combines a central connection to the town with specific architectural and artistic traces.

The Collegio Salesiano and Its Eventful History

The Collegio Salesiano is named after Pope Pius V and was inaugurated on 6 June 1880. Its former educational functions included a primary school, a lower secondary school and private courses that were also open to external students. In 1924, the Collegio was converted into a missionary aspirantate. It was closed after the 1965/66 school year; the former building complex was demolished in summer 1978.

Churches, Seat of Power and Religious Traces

Francesco Ottavio Magnocavallo was also involved in the rebuilding of the Church of San Vittore in the Cioccaro district. It was built on an existing Romanesque floor plan. On 4 September 1921, Penango’s war memorial was inaugurated; it is an obelisk. In Cascina Barone, the restored former seat of power now houses the “Tenuta del Barone” agritourism business.

The Relais Sant’Uffizio developed from a restored 16th-century monastery and was the seat of the Holy Office. Dominican monks bred silkworms in the attics of Sant’Uffizio. Together with the administrative independence that separated Penango from Moncalvo, this creates a townscape in which sacred, political and everyday history stand closely side by side.

Accommodation and Travel Planning

When choosing accommodation in Penango, you can therefore consider different focal points side by side: the parish church of San Grato in the small centre, the historical connections of San Vittore and Sant’Uffizio, or the 6.60 km-long Stage 6A. Provincial Road No. 457 provides additional orientation. It is the former state road connecting Asti with Casale Monferrato. This allows you to tailor your stay between local history, road connections and a cycling stage.

More destinations for your travel planning: Vaglio Serra, Cortiglione, Fontanile, Castelnuovo Belbo, Moasca, Calamandrana, Castagnole Monferrato, San Marzano Oliveto.

To the higher-level travel overview: Asti.