Top left: Piazza Medici ("Medici Square") andTroyana Tower;top right: a monument of Vittorio Alfieri in Piazza Alfieri ("Alfieri Square");middle left: Piazza Roma ("Rome Square") and Comentina Tower;middle upper right: vineyards inMongardino;middle lower right:Palio di Asti Festival on September;bottom: town hall and San Secondo church
People have lived in and around what is now Asti since theNeolithic period. Before their defeat in 174 BC by the Romans, tribes ofLigures, theStatielli, dominated the area and thetoponym probably derives fromAst which means "hill" in the ancientCeltic language.
In 124 BC the Romans built acastrum, or fortified camp, which eventually evolved into a full city named Hasta. In 89 BC the city received the status ofcolonia, and in 49 BC that ofmunicipium. Asti became an important city of the AugustanRegio IX, favoured by its strategic position on the Tanaro river and on theVia Fulvia, which linked Derthona (Tortona) to Augusta Taurinorum (Turin). Other roads connected the city to the main passes for what are todaySwitzerland andFrance.
The city was crucial during the early stages of the barbarian invasions which stormed Italy during the fall of theWestern Roman Empire. In early 402 AD, theVisigoths had invaded northern Italy and were advancing onMediolanum (modernMilan) which was the imperial capital at that time.Honorius, the young emperor and a resident in that city, unable to wait for promised reinforcements any longer, was compelled to flee from Milan for safety in the city ofArles inGaul. However, just after his convoy had left Milan and crossed theRiver Po his escape route through theAlps was cut off by the Gothic cavalry. This forced him to take emergency refuge in the city of Hasta until more Roman troops could be assembled in Italy. The Goths placed Hasta under siege until March when GeneralStilicho, bringing reinforcements from theRhine, fought and defeated them at theBattle of Pollentia. After this first victorious defence, thanks to a massive line of walls, Hasta suffered from the barbarian invasions which stormed Italy after the fall of theWestern Empire, and declined economically.
In the second half of the 6th century, it was chosen as a seat for one of the 36 Duchies in which theLombards divided Italy. The territory of Asti comprised a wide area, stretching out toAlbenga and theMaritime Alps. This remained when northern Italy was conquered by theFranks in 774, with the title of County.
In the late Carolingian age, Asti was ruled directly by his bishops, who were the main landlords of the area. Most important are Audax (904-926) and Bruningus (937-966), who moved the episcopal seat to the Castel Vecchio ("Old Castle"), where it remained until 1409. Thebishopric of Asti remained a powerful entity well into the 11th century when Pietro II received huge privileges by emperorHenry II. In the second half of the century, Bishop Otto tried to resist the aims of the powerful countessAdelaide of Susa, who damaged the city several times. During Otto's reign, acommune and theconsul magistrates are mentioned for the first time (1095).
Asti was one of the firstfree communes of Italy, and in 1140 received the right to mint coins of its own byConrad II. As the commune, however, had begun to erode the lands of the bishop and other local feudatories, the latter sued for help toFrederick Barbarossa, who presented under thecity walls with a huge army in February 1155. After a short siege, Asti was stormed and burnt. Subsequently, Asti adhered to theLombard League (1169) against the German emperor, but was again defeated in 1174. Despite this, after thePeace of Constance (1183), the city gained further privileges.
The 13th century saw the peak of the Astigiani economic and cultural splendour, only momentarily hindered by wars againstAlba,Alessandria,Savoy,Milan (which besieged the city in 1230) and theMarquesses of Montferrat andSaluzzo. In particular, the commune aimed to gain control over the lucrative trade routes leading northwards from the Ligurian ports. In this period, the rise of theCasane Astigiane resulted in contrasting political familial alliances ofGuelph and Ghibelline supporters. During the wars led by EmperorFrederick II in northern Italy, the city chose his side: Asti was defeated by the Guelphs of Alessandria at Quattordio and Clamandrana, but thanks toGenoese help, it recovered easily. After Frederick's death, the struggle againstThomas II of Savoy became fierce: the Astigiani defeated him on February 23, 1255, at theBattle of Montebruno, but Thomas (who had been taken prisoner) replied ordering all traders from Asti to be arrested inSavoy andFrance. This move showed worry on the part of Asti's neighbouring states over the excessive power gained by the city, which had captured Alba and controlled bothChieri and Turin.
This state of affairs led to the intervention ofCharles I of Anjou, then King of Naples and the most powerful man in Italy. After someguerrilla actions, Asti signed a pact of alliance withPavia,Genoa andWilliam VII of Montferrat. In 1274 the Astigiani troops were defeated at theBattle of Cassano, but, on December 12, 1275, were victorious over the Angevins at theBattle of Roccavione, ending Charles' attempt to expand in Piedmont. In the 1290s, after William VII had also been defeated, Asti was the most powerful city in Piedmont. However, internal struggles for the control of trading and banking enterprises soon divided the city into factions. The most prominent faction was the powerful bankers of the Solari family, who, in 1314, gave the city to kingRobert of Naples.
In 1339,Ghibelline exiles recaptured the city, expelling the Solari and their Neopolitan allies. Shortly thereafter in 1340,Luchino Visconti, Lord of Milan took control of Asti, an act which the rulers of the commune formally accepted in 1342 to protect against the potential of a Solari counteroffensive.[6] To protect the new burgs of the city, Visconti built a citadel and a second ring of walls. In 1345, at theBattle of Gamenario, the Ghibelline Astigiani andJohn II of Montferrat defeated the Neapolitans in a clash between Guelph forces from the Kingdom of Naples and the Ghibellines supported by the Lombard communes. After the Battle of Gamenario, John II expanded the territory of Montferrat and ultimately in 1356 took Asti from the Visconti ending 16 years of control by Milan.[7] John ruled over Asti until 1372, but seven years later the city council submitted toGaleazzo II Visconti's authority. Later in 1389, when Galeazzo's daughterValentina Visconti marriesLouis of Valois, Duke of Orléans, Asti will be included as part of her dowry.
With the exception of several brief periods under Visconti, Montferrat andSforza rule, Asti remained under Valois control; it eventually became a direct subject of theFrench Crown. The situation changed in the early 16th century, during the wars betweenCharles V andFrancis I of France. In 1526 it was besieged in vain by Charles' condottieroFabrizio Maramaldo. Three years later, Asti was conveyed as a result of theTreaty of Cambrai to the Holy Roman Empire by which it was ruled until 1531 when Emperor Charles V gave the territory as a fiefdom to his cousinBeatrice of Portugal, Duchess of Savoy. Later at the time of Beatrice's death in 1538, Asti was inherited by her son and included on the Savoys' heritage.
Asti was one of the main Savoyard strongholds in later wars. In 1616, besieged by the Spanish governor of Milan, it was defended by DukeCharles Emmanuel I himself. In 1630–31, the city suffered a high mortality rate from an outbreak of theplague. Some years later Asti was conquered by the Spanish, although Savoy regained the city in 1643. Another unsuccessful Spanish siege occurred in 1650. In November 1703, during theWar of Spanish Succession, Asti fell to France again; it was reconquered in 1705 byVictor Amadeus II. In 1745 French troops invaded the city once more, but it was liberated the following year.
The cathedral of AstiView of Asti and the Collegiata di San Secondo – Antonio Bignoli 1857.
In 1797 the Astigiani, enraged by the continuous military campaigns and by their resulting poor economic situation, revolted against the Savoyard government. On July 28 the Repubblica Astese was declared. However, it was suppressed only two days later. The revolutionary chiefs were arrested and executed. The following year the Savoyards were expelled from Piedmont by theFrench revolutionary army, and Asti was occupied by general Montrichard. After a short reversal, the French returned after the victory atMarengo (1800) near to Alessandra.Napoleon himself visited Asti on April 29, 1805, but was received rather coldly by the citizens. The city was demoted and incorporated with Alessandra under the department of Marengo. After the end of the French empire, Asti returned toPiedmont in 1814; the city followed Piedmontese history until the unification of Italy in 1861.
Asti has a continental climate which is moderated by the proximity of the Mediterranean sea: its winters are warmer, and its summers cooler thanTurin. Rain falls mostly during the spring and autumn; during the hottest months, rain is less common, but stronger when it does occur, usually in thunderstorms. During November and December in particular, the town of Asti can be prone to fog, which is less common in the higher-altitude areas that surround it.
Sections of the ancient city walls remain on the north side of the city and in the late 20th century building work uncovered a section of Roman wall in the center of the city.
The area to the northwest of the city, between the centre and the cathedral, is rich in medieval palaces and merchants' houses, many with monumental towers. Asti was known as the city of 100 towers (although there were 120 in total) of which several still remain, among them, theTower of the Comentini (13th century), the octagonalTorre de Regibus andTorre Troyana (13th century), as well as the ancientTorre Rossa, built during the reign of the Roman EmperorAugustus.
Asti is the home to several old churches. These include:
Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta (built in the 13th century over another Cathedral), one of the biggest in Piedmont, in Romanesque-Gothic style. The monumentbelfry is from 1266. the façade is characterized by three portals, each surmounted by a big rose window. The interior, with a nave and two aisles, houses a cycle of 18th-centuryfrescoes, some altarpieces byGandolfino d'Asti and precioussilver artworks from the 15th-16th centuries. The presbytery has a noteworthy mosaic floor, from the pre-existing church. Next to the last pilasters of the nave are two 14th-century artworks, the funerary seal of bishop Baldracco Malabaila and the equestrian portrait of Arricino Moneta.
Collegiata di San Secondo (13th century) in the old medieval centre next to thePalazzo Civico. It is dedicated to the city'spatron saint,Secundus of Asti. The crypt is from the 6th century. The façade has three notable Gothic portals, while the interior houses a polyptych byGandolfino d'Asti and other works.
Santa Maria Nuova (11th century).
San Martino, First mentioned in 886, the old Gothic edifice was dismantled in 1696 and rebuilt along Baroque lines in 1736.
Sant'Anastasio (8th-12th century), whose museum has some antique capitals and sculptures.
One of the most famous events held in Asti is the famousPalio di Asti, in which all the old town wards, called "Rioni" and "Borghi" plus nearby towns compete in a bare-back horse race. This event recalls a victory in battle versus the rival cityAlba, during the Middle Ages after the victorious battle a race was held around Alba's walls, and from then on every year in Asti. Asti's Palio is the oldest recorded one in Italy, and in modern times is held in the triangular Piazza Alfieri preceded by a medieval pageant through the old town on the 3rd Sunday of September.
The three neighbouring Provinces of Asti,Cuneo, andAlessandria incorporate theLanghe andMonferrato Hills region in the centre of Piedmont,limestone andsandstone deposits laid down by the retreatingAdriatic some 5 million years ago[citation needed], and are home to some of Italy's most known red wines, plus some white ones.
Asti is the centre of production of the sparklingAsti (DOCG, often known asAsti Spumante). Asti is typically sweet and low inalcohol (often below 8%). It is made solely from themoscato bianco whitemuscat grape. Other wines include a premium version known asMoscato d'Asti (DOCG) and the redBarbera.
The first products from the province of Asti to become known internationally areMartini and Rossi,Gancia and Riccadonna, which made commercial wines like Asti Spumante; red wines such asBarbera d'Asti, Freisa d'Asti, Grignolino d'Asti,Bonarda, Grignolino andRuché di Castagnole Monferrato are also becoming widespread worldwide. These wines and many others can be sampled during the week-long Douja d'Or wine exhibition which is held at the same time as the Palio and Sagre.
The first documentation on the variety Freisa d'Asti are from the beginning of the 16th century.
Asti is also famous for itsAsti's Festival of Festivals, held in September a week before the Palio. During the festival most of the towns in Asti's province meet in a great square called "Campo del Palio", they offer typical food and wine for which they are known. On the Sunday of the Sagre, all the towns involved stage a parade with floats depicting traditional farming with everyone in costume along Asti's roads to reach "Campo del Palio" square.
Asti province becomes a gourmand's delight from October to December in thewhite truffle or "tartufo bianco" season. Although neighbouring Alba is better known for its October truffle fair, some of the best truffles are found around Asti's hills, and every weekend there is a local truffle festival.
The main football club of the town wasAsti Calcio F.C. (ex-A.C.D. Asti), which folded in 2017. Another football club, A.S.D. Colline Alfieri Don Bosco (ex-A.C. Celle, fromCelle Enomondo), relocated to the city and was renamed to "A.S.D. Alfieri Asti" in 2017. Since 2019 it was known asA.S.D. Asti.
^Colussi, Paolo; Tolfo, Maria Grazia (2012)."Chronology of Milan from 1326 to 1350".Storia di Milano. Storiadimilano di Paolo Colussi e Mariagrazia Tolfo. Retrieved4 March 2025.
