Refrancore
Encyclopedia
Refrancore is a village and comune
in the northwestern Italian
province of Asti
in the Piedmont
region, located some 13 km east of Asti
in the Basso Monferrato. The territory of the comune
extends over an area of 13.15 km² and is largely devoted to agriculture, in particular to vineyards growing the Grignolino
and Barbera
wine grapes.
Although having only around 1,600 official residents, the population and activity within the village is enhanced by the presence of holiday homes and surrounding hamlets which officially lie within other village boundaries.
and Lombards
. The battle was won by the Lombards and the blood spilt by the Franks tinted a local stream red giving the area the Latin name Rivus ex sanguine Francorum which literally means “A stream full of the Franks’ blood”. This became abbreviated to Rivusfrancorum and eventually Refrancore.
At one time there was a small castle on the hill above the village, a drawing of which appears in the Codex Astensis
. The last remains of the castle were razed in the 19th century in preparation for the construction of a church which was never actually built.
On the hill near the site of the Castle there is a fifteenth-century ricetto
fort which has remained almost entirely intact. Presently it is used as a kindergarten and old people’s home. The chapel which was part of the fort has been restored.
In the main square there is a clock tower which is all that remains of the eighteenth-century parish church which was demolished at the start of the twentieth century.
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
in the northwestern Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
province of Asti
Province of Asti
The Province of Asti is a province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Its capital is the city of Asti. To the north west it borders on the province of Turin; to the south west it borders on the province of Cuneo. To the east it borders on the province of Alessandria, while in the south it...
in the Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
region, located some 13 km east of Asti
Asti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
in the Basso Monferrato. The territory of the comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
extends over an area of 13.15 km² and is largely devoted to agriculture, in particular to vineyards growing the Grignolino
Grignolino
Grignolino is a red Italian wine grape variety commonly grown in the Piedmont region. It makes light colored wines and rosés with very fruity aromas, strong acidity and tannins. The name Grignolino derives from the word grignole which means "many pips" in the local Piedmontese dialect of the Asti...
and Barbera
Barbera
Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy . It produces good yields and is known for deep color, low tannins and high levels of acid...
wine grapes.
Although having only around 1,600 official residents, the population and activity within the village is enhanced by the presence of holiday homes and surrounding hamlets which officially lie within other village boundaries.
History and main sights
The name Refrancore derives from a battle fought between the FranksFranks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
and Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
. The battle was won by the Lombards and the blood spilt by the Franks tinted a local stream red giving the area the Latin name Rivus ex sanguine Francorum which literally means “A stream full of the Franks’ blood”. This became abbreviated to Rivusfrancorum and eventually Refrancore.
At one time there was a small castle on the hill above the village, a drawing of which appears in the Codex Astensis
Codex Astensis
The Codex Astensis is a Medieval catalog of documents relating to the Asti region. Dating to the 14th century, it describes events related to the medieval commune of Asti from 1065 to 1353.-History:...
. The last remains of the castle were razed in the 19th century in preparation for the construction of a church which was never actually built.
On the hill near the site of the Castle there is a fifteenth-century ricetto
Ricetto
A Ricetto was a small fortified area used in Italian villages for protection of the residents in case of attack, particularly from marauders and bands of soldiers and mercenaries from invading armies....
fort which has remained almost entirely intact. Presently it is used as a kindergarten and old people’s home. The chapel which was part of the fort has been restored.
In the main square there is a clock tower which is all that remains of the eighteenth-century parish church which was demolished at the start of the twentieth century.