Altare - Italy

Altare (SV)

Liguria (Italy)

It rises near the Hill of Cadibona, or openings of Altar, which marks the transition from the Alps Apennines. Medieval town, belonged first to the Del Carretto and from 1393 to the Marquis of Monferrato, through which the art of glassmaking, begun by the Benedictine monks of Bergeggi benefits from an expansion that led to the glassmakers of Altare productive excellence and art is today universally recognized.
In 1495 he founded the University of glass and promulgated the statutes governing the art.
Unlike glass of Burano, the teachers preferred to transparency at the Altar of colored glass, and this is the salient feature of the historical collection which can be seen in the glass museum, housed in the oratory of San Sebastian but about to be transferred to the splendid villa in Liberty Rose.
Villa Agar, "twin" of the Villa Rosa is located instead of the nursing home.
Both were built in the early twentieth century by order of Archbishop Bertolotti, who donated it to the two sisters.
The Altar of the twelfth century castle, now reduced to a few ruins, was the scene of the long feud with the Genoese, who destroyed it in 1629.
A Cadibona is rather strong Tecchio, built to defend the pass.
Also worth seeing are the church of Our Lady of the Annunciation with the bell tower of the late fourteenth century and the parish of St. Eugene in 1651.
The forest, after the abandonment of farms, is regaining ground: beech, oak, chestnut oak, and above all, in the undergrowth and ferns, juniper, holly, holly, broom.
With a little 'luck you sights foxes, hares, and squirrels. Bormida have been sighted recently on the herons, immigrants from France.
The area lends itself to trekking and mountain biking.
In late July he organizes the "Festival Bat", a night race in mountain biking, festive and spectacular.
In Altare has lived since childhood Aldo Capasso, novelist and essayist, literary critic and poet candidate for the Nobel prize twice.