Fossano
| Fossano | ||
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| Comune | ||
| Città di Fossano | ||
Fossano Castle.
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 Fossano
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| Coordinates: 44°33′N 07°44′E / 44.550°N 7.733°E | ||
| Country | Italy | |
| Region | Piedmont | |
| Province / Metropolitan city | Cuneo (CN) | |
| Frazioni | Boschetti, Cussanio, Gerbo, Loreto, Maddalene, Mellea, Murazzo, Piovani, San Lorenzo, San Martino, San Sebastiano, Santa Lucia, Sant'Antonio Baligio, San Vittore, Tagliata | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Davide Sordella | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 130 km2 (50 sq mi) | |
| Elevation | 375 m (1,230 ft) | |
| Population (31 December 2010) | ||
| • Total | 24,854 | |
| • Density | 190/km2 (500/sq mi) | |
| Demonym(s) | Fossanesi | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | |
| Postal code | 12045 | |
| Dialing code | 0172 | |
| Patron saint | Juvenal of Narni | |
| Saint day | First Sunday of May | |
| Website | Official website | |
Fossano is a town and comune of Piedmont, Italy, in the province of Cuneo. It is the fourth largest town of the Province of Cuneo, after Cuneo, Alba and Bra.
It lies on the main railway line from Turin to Cuneo and to Savona, and has a branch line to Mondovì.
Chief industries of the town include confectionery (with Italian industries Balocco and Maina), chemicals, metallurgy, and textiles.
Fossano appeared as a commune in 1236, founded by a Guelph league of cities, but in 1251 had to yield to Asti. In 1304 it was acquired by the Marquisate of Saluzzo. It finally surrendered in 1314 to Filippo d'Acaia, whose successor handed it over to the house of Savoy.
The name Fossano could be the transformation of the name "locus" or "fundus faucianus", from the Roman first name Faucius, or derive from the word "fossato" (ditch), in Piedmontese "fossà", from which "fossan" (inhabitant of the ditch).The sinkings are in fact characteristic of the hill on which the first city village rose. The historians agree speaking about “great ditch of the Chiotto”in dialect Ciot, hole, pit... Another alternative hypothesis is that the name comes from the latin “fons sana" (healthy spring), to indicate the presence in the proximitiy of a drinkable water spring.
The old section of Fossano lies in the high part of the town. It is divided in two borghi (ancient quarters): Borgo Piazza (Square's Quarter), developed in the 15th through 18th centuries, and Borgo Vecchio (Old Quarter), dating from the Middle Ages. Rich in mediaeval, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, it is characterized by the ancient portici (arcades), built on both sides of via Roma (the main street of the old town) but also along other streets, such as via Cavour, via Garibaldi, via Barotti, via Muratori. On the Eastern side, the old town is delimited by viale Mellano, a pedestrian promenade with views of Langhe; while on the Western side, along via Martiri dell'Indipendenza, viale Sacerdote and viale Bianco, there is a view of South-western Alps, whose apex is Monviso. Some sections of the ancient town walls are still extant.
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Wikipedia