Genola: Churches, Town Hall Palace and Quaquare

Historic Genola Among Palaces and Churches

In Genola, local food culture meets a multifaceted religious and architectural history. The town hall palace was built around the middle of the 18th century by the Vitale family – Counts of Genola and Marquises of Ceva and San Vitale (Sant'Antonio Baligio). Parts of the building retain the original architectural lines, including the halls on the piano nobile, the façade, the monumental staircase and the loggia facing the inner courtyard. Villa Tapparelli was built on the south side of the castle in 1759. Carlo Giovenale Tapparelli, a direct descendant of Gioffredo, built it using the ruins of several older structures.

The parish church of San Michele Arcangelo was redesigned in the Neo-Gothic style between 1913 and 1924. The parish priest at the time, Bartolomeo Adamo, commissioned the architects Annibale Galateri and Francesco Giuseppe Momo to carry out the work. The church houses an organ dating from 1856, made by the Vegezzi-Bossi company or, more specifically, by the Vegezzi-Bossi brothers. It also contains one of the three wooden statues by Giovanni Battista Bernero, called La Madonna dei giovani. A fresco from 1480 depicts Saint Lucy and Saint Catherine of Alexandria.

The Church of the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception was built in the Baroque style at the beginning of the 18th century. Its single-nave interior has a barrel vault. Around the main altar dedicated to the Virgin of the Immaculate Conception are five 17th-century paintings: Saint Vincent Ferrer, Saint Marzian, the Immaculate Conception between Saints Lawrence and Marzian, the Nativity of Mary and Saint Michael the Archangel. The former church housed a 15th-century fresco of the Crucifixion; it is now kept in the Genola town hall palace. The Priory of San Nazario was founded at the beginning of the 11th century by Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Santi Vittore e Costanzo di Villar San Costanzo. Locally, it served as an important centre for the spiritual care of the population and as a reference point for the spread of culture. The first documented mention of the Cappella di Santa Maria dates from a document of 1263, which refers to the “boscho Sancte Marie”.

Cycling Tour and Local Specialty

A cycling tour reaches Genola railway station at kilometre 19.3. Within Genola, the route follows Via Pirandello alongside a green space with a pond. The Cappella di Santa Maria, formerly known as Santa Maria del Bosco, is located in the open countryside a few kilometres from the centre of Genola. Thanks to the large meadow in front of it, it makes a suitable destination for a cycling tour.

The Quaquare are part of the local character. They are biscuits typical of Genola, made from white flour and featuring a rough surface. A strip of dough forms their characteristic shape: it is shaped into a drop or, according to another interpretation, a heart. Quaquare are among the traditional agri-food products of Piedmont and are traditionally made in the municipality of Genola and the surrounding towns. The Sagra delle Quaquare is held every year from May onwards. It includes concerts, sporting and cultural events, as well as themed meals open to the local population.

Discover More Destinations

For further travel planning, you can also explore Gallo, Melle, Morozzo, Barolo, Pontechianale, Castellar, Foresto and Piazza.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cuneo.