Alexandria
Edited by:
Massimo Martini
Access
Alessandria is situated in south-eastern Piedmont and can be reached via an extensive motorway network. The main road link is the [A21] Turin–Piacenza–Brescia motorway, which crosses the province from west to east, with the Alessandria Ovest and Alessandria Est exits. The Genoa Voltri–Gravellona Toce motorway joins the network near the city at the Alessandria Sud exit, creating a transport hub linking the area to Liguria and northern Piedmont. Local road links are provided by the Padana Inferiore state road, which runs along the Tanaro valley floor towards Tortona, and by a provincial road connecting to Casale Monferrato, the code of which I have been unable to verify with certainty [to be completed]. Alessandria railway station is a hub on the Piedmont network operated by Trenitalia (TI), with direct connections to Turin, Milan and Genoa. Urban and suburban public transport is operated by AMAG Mobilità S.p.A. The nearest airport with scheduled flights is the&“Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport”, approximately 80 km away, accessible via the [A26] motorway; “Milan Malpensa Airport” is located approximately 115 km to the north. In winter, persistent mist and fog may occur on the plain, resulting in reduced visibility on roads outside built-up areas.
Introduction
Alessandria lies in the south-eastern Piedmont plain, at the point where the River Tanaro is joined by the River Bormida before flowing on towards the River Po. The municipal area extends across a floodplain at an altitude of between 70 and 120 metres, opening out to the south and east towards the foothills of the Monferrato and the northern foothills of the Ligurian Apennines. It borders Alluvioni Piovera, Bosco Marengo, Castellazzo Bormida, Castelletto Monferrato, Frugarolo, Montecastello, Oviglio, Pecetto di Valenza, Pietra Marazzi, Quargnento, Sale, San Salvatore Monferrato, Solero, Tortona and Valenza. Its location at the crossroads between Piedmont, Liguria and Lombardy has made it, ever since its medieval foundation, a centre of trade and transit – a role it still fulfils today as the provincial capital.
Description
The municipal area of Alessandria is predominantly flat, lying at an altitude of between 70 and 120 metres, and is characterised by the confluence of the Bormida and the Tanaro rivers to the east of the town centre. Over time, the two watercourseshave, over time, shaped a landscape of river terraces and floodplains that still harbour patches of riparian vegetation, including black alder (Alnus glutinosa) and white poplar (Populus alba) along the banks. The surrounding agricultural area is mainly devoted to cereals and industrial crops, with vineyards in the hilly areas to the east towards Monferrato.
Founded in 1168 as a newly established town by the communes of the Lombard League, Alessandria immediately assumed a defensive role against the expansionist ambitions of Frederick I of Hohenstaufen, known as Barbarossa, and obtained formal recognition as a free commune with the Peace of Constance in 1183. The town’s foundation did not follow the growth of a pre-existing settlement, but was a deliberate act by the allied communities — Bergoglio, Gamondio, Marengo and Rovereto being among the principal ones — united for the sake of common defence; and this collective nature of its construction left its mark on the urban structure, with neighbourhoods of distinct origins remaining integrated into the city’s fabric. In the centuries that followed, the town was contested between the Visconti, Sforza and Savoy families, until it was definitively annexed to the Duchy of Savoy in 1707. The city’s history was marked by repeated sieges and occupations, including that of 1174–1175 by imperial troops, which was repelled in part thanks to the legendary resistance recounted in the tale of the horse Marengo, the historical accuracy of which remains a matter of debate. The 18th century saw the construction of the Citadel, a bastioned military complex commissioned by the House of Savoy from 1728 onwards, which remains one of the largest examples of military architecture from that period in northern Italy. Umberto Eco, born in Alessandria in 1932, has repeatedly referred to the city in his writings as a place of intellectual formation.
The city’s economy is based on agriculture, manufacturing and services linked to its role as the provincial capital and a transport hub connecting Piedmont, Liguria and Lombardy. Among the culinary traditions recognised by the municipality with a Municipal Designation (De.Co.) are theAlessandria-style agnolotto, rabatòn, sweet focaccia and Mandrogne beef salami.
The architectural heritage of the historic centre includes the Cathedral of Alessandria, a neoclassical building dating from the 18th century, and the Citadel of Alessandria, which forms part of the European military heritage network. Palazzo Ghilini, the seat of the Prefecture, and Palazzo Cuttica di Cassine are the most notable examples of civil Baroque architecture. The municipal area does not include any protected areas of national or regional significance, but the neighbouring municipalities towards Monferrato offer access to the wine-growing landscapes recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.
For those undertaking long-distance walks, Alessandria lies along the route of the Via Francigena in its Piedmontese variant, and serves as a stopping point and starting point for excursions to the hills of eastern Monferrato and to the Piedmontese Po Nature Reserve.
Information
General information
Area: 203.57 km²
Altitude of the county town: 95 m
Highest point: 268 m
Population: 93,465 (as at 31 January 2026)
Name in dialect: Lissandria (Piedmontese)
Name of inhabitants: Alessandrini
Patron saint: Saint Baudolino (10 November)
Neighbouring municipalities: Alluvioni Piovera – Bosco Marengo – Castellazzo Bormida – Castelletto Monferrato – Frugarolo – Montecastello – Oviglio – Pecetto di Valenza – Pietra Marazzi – Quargnento – Sale – San Salvatore Monferrato – Solero – Tortona – Valenza
Province: Alessandria
Region: Piedmont
Country: Italy
Official website: https://www.comune.alessandria.it