Montechiaro d'Acqui

Montechiaro d'Acqui
Comune
Comune di Montechiaro d'Acqui
View of Montechiaro Alto.
Coat of arms
Montechiaro d'Acqui Location of Montechiaro d'Acqui in Italy
Coordinates: 44°36′N 8°23′E / 44.600°N 8.383°E / 44.600; 8.383
Country	Italy
Region	Piedmont
Province / Metropolitan city	Alessandria (AL)
Frazioni	Montechiaro Piana
Government
• Mayor	Angelo Maria Cagno (Local electoral list)
Area
• Total	17.5 km2 (6.8 sq mi)
Elevation	540 m (1,770 ft)
Population (10 October 2015)
• Total	564
• Density	32/km2 (83/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Montechiaresi
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	15010
Dialing code	0144
Patron saint	Saint George
Website	Official website

Montechiaro d'Acqui is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Alessandria in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Turin and about 40 kilometres (25 mi) southwest of Alessandria.

Montechiaro d'Acqui borders the following municipalities: Cartosio, Castelletto d'Erro, Denice, Malvicino, Mombaldone, Ponti, and Spigno Monferrato.

First signs of inhabitants are found in the surroundings of the Pieve del Cauro (7th century), an old parish church under the influence of the Monastery of Saint Quintino of Spigno Monferrato, now in ruins just outside the hamlet Piana. This church was likely built on an ancient Roman statio placed along the Via Aemilia Scauri.

In the 11-13th centuries, due to the increase of trade along the ridge route between the Po valley and the Ligurian Sea and the need to provide a better military defence, the current medieval village of Montechiaro Alto (Mons Cauri) was built. In that period, marquis Delfino del Bosco ceded the authority on Montechiaro to the city of Alessandria. However, in 1284 the inhabitants brokered a treaty with marquis Del Carretto.

Then ruled by the Duchy of Milan, after the death of Filippo Maria Visconti (1447) Montechiaro was occupied by the armies of Francesco Sforza. Since 1454 the feud was ceded to the noble families of Del Carretto of Bossolasco and then to Scarampi di Cairo Montenotte. New trades and sales led to the rule of the Marquis of Canelli, the Scarampi-Crivello, the Cavoretti of Belvedere and the Gianazzo of Pamparato, which maintained the feud even after the oath of allegiance to the House of Savoy (1736). Since 18th century, Montechiaro was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia, the Kingdom of Italy and, finally, of the Italian Republic.