Cairo Montenotte
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Cairo Montenotte () is a ''
comune A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the City status in Italy, titl ...
'' (municipality) in the
Province of Savona The province of Savona (; Ligurian language, Ligurian: ''provinsa de Sann-a'') is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Liguria region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Savona, which has a population of 61,219 inhabitants. The province has a ...
in
Liguria Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...
, an Italian region located west of
Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
and northwest of
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
. Located in Val Bormida, it is a member of the Comunità Montana Alta Val Bormida. It is considered to be the main centre of Val Bormida and it has 12691 inhabitants. It is the fourth municipality in the province together with
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
,
Albenga Albenga (; ) is a city and ''comune'' situated on the Gulf of Genoa on the Italian Riviera in the Province of Savona in Liguria, northern Italy. Albenga has the nickname of ''city of a hundred spires''. The economy is mostly based on tourism, loc ...
and
Varazze Varazze (; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region of Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northeast of Savona in the Riviera di Ponente. Nearby in the Ligurian Apennines is the Monte Beigu ...
, as well as the most popular municipality in
Liguria Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...
among those without outlet on the sea. The municipal area is the biggest in the province behind
Sassello Sassello (; locally ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about north of Savona in the northern side of the Ligurian Apennines. It is the birthplace of Blessed ...
, and the fifth in
Liguria Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...
. In 2007, Cairo Montenotte drew up a project of collaboration with other municipalities of Val Bormida through the formulation of the so-called ‘Piano Strategico delle Città delle Bormide’, focusing on establishing the area within the Ligurian socio-economic context in a more effective way. It is known for being the birthplace of the patriot Giuseppe Cesare Abba. Cairo Montenotte borders the following municipalities: Albisola Superiore,
Altare Altare (, , L’Atæ in local dialect) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. As of 1 January 2009, it had a population of 2,160 Augus ...
,
Carcare Carcare (; ; , locally ) is a (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. Carcare borders the following municipalities: Altare, Cairo Montenotte, Cosseria, ...
, Cengio, Cosseria, Dego, Giusvalla, Gottasecca, Pontinvrea, Saliceto, and
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
.


Geography

Cairo Montenotte is situated in the high part of Val Bormida, more precisely in the countryside behind
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
, and it is the biggest and most important town of Val Bormida. The urban area reaches an average height of 340 m a.s.l., and it expands in the valley floor along the left shore of Spigno’s Bormida River. Bric del Tesoro is the highest peak of the town district, with a height of 860 m a.s.l.


History

The name "Cairo" comes from the
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
"carium", which itself comes from the ancient Ligurian stem "car-", meaning "stone" or "rock". According to many archeological finds, this area has been inhabited since the
Neolithic age The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wid ...
. In fact,
arrowhead An arrowhead or point is the usually sharpened and hardened tip of an arrow, which contributes a majority of the projectile mass and is responsible for impacting and penetrating a target, or sometimes for special purposes such as signaling. ...
s,
spear A spear is a polearm consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with Fire hardening, fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable materia ...
s,
dagger A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually one or two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a cutting or stabbing, thrusting weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or ...
s and
axe An axe (; sometimes spelled ax in American English; American and British English spelling differences#Miscellaneous spelling differences, see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for thousands of years to shape, split, a ...
s are stored in Calasanzio Institute in Genoa Cornigliano, and a polished stone axe is kept in the Ligurian Archeological Museum in Genoa Pegli. Probably before the
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
Conquest, Cairo was inhabited by the Ligurian Statielli. After the
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
Conquest of the Ligurian territory, the Bormida Valley was crossed by the Via Aemilia Scauri, commissioned by the censor Marco Emilio Scauro in 109 BC, that connected the city of ''Derthona'' (
Tortona Tortona (; , ; ) is a ''comune'' of Piemonte, in the Province of Alessandria, Italy. Tortona is sited on the right bank of the Scrivia between the plain of Spinetta Marengo, Marengo and the foothills of the Ligurian Apennines. Its ''frazione'' of ...
) and ''Vada Sabatia'' (
Vado Ligure Vado Ligure (), in antiquity Vada Sabatia, is a port town and ''comune'' in the province of Savona, Liguria, in northern Italy. The town despite its size has become one of the largest ports in Northwest Italy. Economy Vado has a large indus ...
), and in Cairo there was the station of ''Canalicum'' or ''Calanico''. The road network was enlarged with the building of
Via Julia Augusta The Via Julia Augusta (modern Italian Via Giulia Augusta) is the name given to the Roman road formed by the merging of the Via Aemilia Scauri with the Via Postumia. History The Via Julia Augusta was begun in 13 BC by Augustus, and its engineering ...
, commissioned by Augusto in 13 BC in order to assure the connection with the Gallic provinces. In the exact place where today stands Nostra Signora delle Grazie Church, there have been found several Roman artefacts and remains of an ancient rustic
villa A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house that provided an escape from urban life. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the f ...
(farm) from the Imperial period. Since the Lombard period, the local area was included in the San Colombano di
Bobbio Bobbio (Emilian language#Dialects, Bobbiese: ; ; ) is a small town and ''comune'' in the province of Piacenza in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy. It is located in the Trebbia River valley southwest of the town Piacenza. There is also an abbey and a ...
( PC) Abbey domains through the San Salvatore di Giusvalla Abbey control, directly dependent upon the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
. Together with many other territories, this area was included in the royal, imperial and monastic
feud A feud , also known in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, private war, or mob war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially family, families or clans. Feuds begin ...
. The toponym ''‘Carium’'' made an appearance for the first time in a document from 967 AD, in which the Emperor Ottone I di Sassonia decided to offer to Aleramo several territories already devastated by Lombard and
Saracen upright 1.5, Late 15th-century German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to refer to the people who lived in and near what was designated by the Rom ...
past incursions. The 8 May 1080, Cairo inhabitants signed a pact of friendship with Savonesi, people coming from
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
, signed again in 1120, 1188, 1194, as documents from 998 and 1014 state. In 1091 Cairo was hold by Bonifacio del Vasto who will later divest some lands to Ferrania's Abbey, that was built in 1097. A bull from
Pope Innocent II Pope Innocent II (; died 24 September 1143), born Gregorio Papareschi, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 14 February 1130 to his death in 1143. His election as Pope was controversial, and the first eight years o ...
dated 20 February 1141, cites Cairo's castle, that has been placed under the protection of the
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
together with the Saint Eugine Benedictine Abbey of Bergeggi Island. From 1131 until 1191 it was part of Marca di Savona. A popular legend reports that
Francis of Assisi Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone ( 1181 – 3 October 1226), known as Francis of Assisi, was an Italians, Italian Mysticism, mystic, poet and Friar, Catholic friar who founded the religious order of the Franciscans. Inspired to lead a Chris ...
crossed the town in 1213, when he was travelling towards
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, but it has not been proved by any written document. On 5 July 1214, Ottone Del Carretto, lord of
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
, sold Cairo's castle to
Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
together with its annexed lands. On July 16, Ottone was elected feudal lord of Cairo, Carretto, Vigneroli and half of
Carcare Carcare (; ; , locally ) is a (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. Carcare borders the following municipalities: Altare, Cairo Montenotte, Cosseria, ...
, by Genoa consuls. On 5 November 1235, the family bought Rocchetta di Cairo's castle from Cavalieri Ospitalieri di San Giovanni (then Cavalieri di Malta). In 1332, the territories that belonged to Del Carretto's family passed to
Manfred IV of Saluzzo Manfred IV (died 1330) was the fifth marquess of Saluzzo from 1296, the son of Thomas I and Luisa of Ceva. Biography Manfred forced the commune of Saluzzo (granted it by his father) to sign a contract regulating the relations between the city, ...
,
Saluzzo Saluzzo (; ) is a town and former principality in the province of Cuneo, in the Piedmont region, Italy. The city of Saluzzo is built on a hill overlooking a vast, well-cultivated plain. Iron, lead, silver, marble, slate etc. are found in the su ...
marquis, then sold to Scarampi brothers on 8 February 1337 (or in 1339), which were rich bankers and merchants from
Asti Asti ( , ; ; ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) of 74,348 inhabitants (1–1–2021) located in the Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, about east of Turin, in the plain of the Tanaro, Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and ...
. The latter ones were initially
Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
feudal lords (9 July 1419), and then they became lords of the March of Montferrat with the reunion of the two principal feuds. In the 16th century, Cairo was involved in the wars between imperial and French troupes until the peace in 1599. In 1625 and 1637, the village was attacked and sacked by the
Duchy of Savoy The Duchy of Savoy (; ) was a territorial entity of the Savoyard state that existed from 1416 until 1847 and was a possession of the House of Savoy. It was created when Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, raised the County of Savoy into a duchy f ...
army that was at war with
Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
, causing a severe drought. On 5 October 1735 the vast majority of Cairo's territories went under the
Kingdom of Sardinia The Kingdom of Sardinia, also referred to as the Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica among other names, was a State (polity), country in Southern Europe from the late 13th until the mid-19th century, and from 1297 to 1768 for the Corsican part of ...
domain, and with the Treaty of Vienna on 30 August 1736 the whole lands were ceded. In 1796, the first successful battle of the Italian Campaign by
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
, known as the
Battle of Montenotte The Battle of Montenotte was fought on 12 April 1796, during the French Revolutionary Wars, between the French army under General Napoleon Bonaparte and an Austrian corps under Count Eugène-Guillaume Argenteau. The French won the battle, whi ...
, took place in Cairo, more precisely in Montenotte Superiore. Thereafter, a district of the Irish town Cork was named after this battle. With the French domination, on 2 December 1797 Cairo was established as a municipality entering the Letimbro Department, with
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
as a chief town, as part of the Ligurian Republic. On 28 April 1798, it was inserted in the I canton of the Colombo Jurisdiction, and from 1803 it became the main centre of the I canton in
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
under the Colombo Jurisdiction. Being annexed to the
First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...
, from 13 June 1805 to 1814 it was included in Montenotte Department. On 19 March 1814
Pope Pius VII Pope Pius VII (; born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti; 14 August 1742 – 20 August 1823) was head of the Catholic Church from 14 March 1800 to his death in August 1823. He ruled the Papal States from June 1800 to 17 May 1809 and again ...
crossed the village. In 1815, it was included in the
Kingdom of Sardinia The Kingdom of Sardinia, also referred to as the Kingdom of Sardinia and Corsica among other names, was a State (polity), country in Southern Europe from the late 13th until the mid-19th century, and from 1297 to 1768 for the Corsican part of ...
as the
Vienna Congress The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...
established in 1814, and in 1861 it was annexed to the
Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy (, ) was a unitary state that existed from 17 March 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 10 June 1946, when the monarchy wa ...
. From 1859 to 1927, the area was included in the 4th district of the surrounding area of Savona that was part of the province of
Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
. In 1927 the whole territory went under the newly established
Province of Savona The province of Savona (; Ligurian language, Ligurian: ''provinsa de Sann-a'') is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Liguria region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Savona, which has a population of 61,219 inhabitants. The province has a ...
. King Victor Emmanuel II authorised Cairo to gain the name ''Cairo Montenotte'', with a royal decree dated 8 April 1863, in memory of the battle of 11 and 12 April 1796. In 1880 the two municipalities of Carretto and Rocchetta di Cairo were suppressed and included in the municipality of Cairo Montenotte. In December 1916, the Defence Section of Cairo Montenotte was born and activated in January 1917 with three Voisin III. In the summer of 1918, it became the 305th Section, that remained until February 1919. In 1929, Cairo Montenotte underwent the last territorial adjustment when the village of Monti was integrated to it, after the suppression of the municipalities of Santa Giulia and Brovida included in the one of Dego. The 7 January 1956 the village obtained the title of ‘Città’ (''city''), thanks to the Decree of the President of the Italian Republic that was
Giovanni Gronchi Giovanni Gronchi, (; 10 September 1887 – 17 October 1978) was an Italian politician from Christian Democracy who served as President of Italy from 1955 to 1962 and was marked by a controversial and failed attempt to bring about an "opening t ...
. The post-war period was successful for the economic and urban development, enough to make it one of the most important industrial centres in the province and region. From 1973 to 2008 it was part of the Comunità Montana Alta Val Bormida (suppressed in 2011).


Cityscape


Churches

* Parish Church of Saint Lawrence in the town centre of Cairo Montenotte. It was first mentioned on 4 May 1190. It was expanded after the plague in 1630 and it was fully finished in 1642. In the inside there are some frescos by Paolo Gerolamo Brusco, statues by Antonio Brilla and a crucifix by
Anton Maria Maragliano Anton Maria Maragliano (18 September 1664 – 7 March 1739) was an Italian sculptor of the Baroque period, known primarily for his wooden statues. He was born in Genoa, where he led an important workshop. He is called also Maraggiano by some ...
. This church has been declared national monument. Its patron is
Our Lady of Sorrows Our Lady of Sorrows (), Our Lady of Dolours, the Sorrowful Mother or Mother of Sorrows (), and Our Lady of Piety, Our Lady of the Seven Sorrows or Our Lady of the Seven Dolours are Titles of Mary, names by which Mary, mother of Jesus, is referr ...
. * Ex oratory of Saint Sebastian and its Disciplining, near Porta Piemonte, in the town centre of Cario Montenotte. The only remains of the original structure are the left side wall and that of the apse. There officiated the
Order of Friars Minor The Order of Friars Minor (commonly called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; Post-nominal letters, postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a Mendicant orders, mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis ...
of the convent of San Francesco and it was the home of the Company of Disciplining or Battuti, also called Confraternity of San Sebastiano, obedient to the rule of San Carlo and custodians of various relics including that of San Teodoro. * Chapel of Saint Rocco outside the walls of the town, it was built for a vow people from Cairo Montenotte made after the plague in 1599. Inside there is an altar dedicated to
Saint Roch Roch (lived c. 1348 – 15/16 August 1376/79; traditionally c. 1295 – 16 August 1327), also called Rock in English, was a Majorcan Catholic confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August and 9 September in Italy; he was especially invo ...
and San Gaetano. * Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, it was built on the ruins of a pagan temple. Its structures hides the ruins of a cell of San Donato of the
Benedictine The Benedictines, officially the Order of Saint Benedict (, abbreviated as O.S.B. or OSB), are a mainly contemplative monastic order of the Catholic Church for men and for women who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. Initiated in 529, th ...
monks already mentioned in 992, that became a parish church in 1014. * Parish Church of Cristo Re, Immaculate Heart of Mary and Saint Barbara in Bragno, founded in 1934. * Chapel of Saint Rocco in Carnovale, built in 1648 above the ruins of a sacred building. * Parish Church of Saint Martino in the hamlet of Carretto. * Parish Church of Saint Agata in the hamlet of Chiappella. * Parish Church of Saint Lazzaro in the hamlet of Colombera. * Abbey of Ferrania and parish church of Saints Saints Peter and Paul (medieval name Ferranica) is one of the oldest settlements in the area. The structure, located in the suburb of San Pietro, has preserved the original layout, transforming into houses those that were the buildings of the convent. * Chapel of Saint Michele in the hamlet of Ferrere, built in 1694. * Chapel of Saint Margherita of Fornaci, it is located on the slope above the quarry of Fornaci. * Parish Church of Santissimo Nome di Maria in the hamlet of Montenotte Inferiore. * Chapel of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary in the hamlet of Monti, built in 1913. * Parish church of Saint Andrew in the hamlet of Rocchetta Cairo. * Parish church of
Saint Joseph According to the canonical Gospels, Joseph (; ) was a 1st-century Jewish man of Nazareth who was married to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and was the legal father of Jesus. Joseph is venerated as Saint Joseph in the Catholic Church, Eastern O ...
, in the hamlet of San Giuseppe di Cairo. It was rebuilt in 1957 after the previous chapel was demolished to make room for the local railway station. * Chapel of Saint Anna, in the hamlet of Sant'Anna. * Ex convent of San Francesco in the hamlet of Ville, built in the thirteenth century at the behest of Ottone Del Carretto. It is the most prestigious monument in Cairo Montenotte. * Church of Saint Matthew in the hamlet of Ville. * Chapel of the Magdalene, mentioned in a pastoral report of 1577, rebuilt in 1633. * Chapel of the Madonna del Bosco, built in 1623. * Church of Santa Maria del Roccaro, called Our Lady of the Visitation in a pastoral visit of 1644, it has been transformed into civil dwellings. *
Jehovah's Witness Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co- ...
Assembly Halls.


Buildings and palaces

* Scarampi Palace, dated XVII century. After the abandonment of the Castle of Cairo Montenotte in 1637, it became the headquarters of the various feudal lords of the village. Since 1972 part of the premises are occupied by th
civic library F.C. Rossi
dated 1958, and by the Ferrania Film Museum, founded in 2017. * De Mari Palace, formerly Scarampi Palace and Palace of Durazzo family. * Villa De Mari, dated XVIII, it was built on a project by Carlo Barabino. * Ponte romano called "degli Alemanni". * Porta Soprana, in the southern part of the village. It is dated XIV century, and it is composed by a quadrangular tower with a double
ogival An ogive ( ) is the roundly tapered end of a two- or three-dimensional object. Ogive curves and surfaces are used in engineering, architecture, woodworking, and ballistics. Etymology The French Orientalist Georges Séraphin Colin gives as ...
brick opening. * Porta Sottana, in the northern part of the village Cairese.


Military buildings

* Cairo Montenotte Castle. It was built in the eleventh-twelfth century (there are no reliable sources) and it was under the control of Ottone Del Carretto, and then sold in
Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
. In 1337 it became a fief of the Scarampi family, who lived there until the seventeenth century. In 1625 it was involved in the War of Zuccarello between the
Republic of Genoa The Republic of Genoa ( ; ; ) was a medieval and early modern Maritime republics, maritime republic from the years 1099 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italy, Italian coast. During the Late Middle Ages, it was a major commercial power in ...
and the
Duke of Savoy The titles of the count of Savoy, and then duke of Savoy, are titles of nobility attached to the historical territory of Savoy. Since its creation, in the 11th century, the House of Savoy held the county. Several of these rulers ruled as kings at ...
, whose troops destroyed it in 1627. * Castello di Rocchetta Cairo. First mentioned on 5 November 1235, it was sold by the
Knights Hospitaller The Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, commonly known as the Knights Hospitaller (), is a Catholic military order. It was founded in the crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in the 12th century and had headquarters there ...
of San Giovanni to Ottone I Del Carretto. It also passed to the Scarampi in 1337 and, later, to the Incisa di Camerana. It suffered serious damage during the Napoleonic battle of Dego (First Battle of Dego, 1794). * Castello di Carretto. Dated back to the second half of the thirteenth century and partially ruined. It was an important point of sighting and signaling along the "via marenca". From the castle you can see other manors of Del Carretto (Rocchetta, Cairo and Dego).


Natural areas

In the municipal territory of Cairo Montenotte there are two sites of Community Importance, proposed by the
Natura 2000 Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. It is made up of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas designated under the Habitats Directive and the Birds Directive, respectiv ...
network of
Liguria Liguria (; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region of north-western Italy; its Capital city, capital is Genoa. Its territory is crossed by the Alps and the Apennine Mountains, Apennines Mountain chain, mountain range and is roughly coextensive with ...
, for its particular natural and geological interest. The first site is shared between the municipalities of Dego and Cairo Montenotte (Rocchetta Cairo), in the alluvial plain of Bormida. Among the flora is reported the presence of Ligurian
saffron Saffron () is a spice derived from the flower of '' Crocus sativus'', commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent ...
(''Crocus ligusticus''), while among the animal species the black-winged stilt, the red-footed falcon, the
hen harrier The hen harrier (''Circus cyaneus'') is a bird of prey. It breeds in Palearctic, Eurasia. The term "hen harrier" refers to its former habit of preying on free-ranging fowl. It bird migration, migrates to more southerly areas in winter. Eurasian ...
and the
northern lapwing The northern lapwing (''Vanellus vanellus''), also known as the peewit or pewit, tuit or tewit, green plover, or (in Ireland and Great Britain) pyewipe or just lapwing, is a bird in the lapwing subfamily. It is common through temperate Palearcti ...
. The second site, also located between Dego and Rocchetta Cairo, in the Nature Reserve of Adelasia, sees the presence of
orchids Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Orchids are cosmopolitan plants that are found in almost every habitat on Earth ...
and '' quercus × crenata''; among the animals the
crayfish Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans belonging to the infraorder Astacidea, which also contains lobsters. Taxonomically, they are members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea. They breathe through feather-like gills. Some spe ...
, the
beetle Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...
and the
greater horseshoe bat The greater horseshoe bat (''Rhinolophus ferrumequinum'') is an Insectivore, insectivorous bat of the genus ''Rhinolophus''. Its distribution covers Europe, Northern Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Asia. It is the largest of the horseshoe bats i ...
. Other natural sites of the territory are the woods of Montenotte, the Cave of the Elms and the wildlife oasis of the Piana di Rocchetta.


Demographics

According to Istat data on 1 January 2021, the foreign citizens resident in Cairo Montenotte are 1 521, listing the most significant presences divided by nationality: #
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
, 464 #
Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
, 229 #
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
, 229 #
Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...
, 87 #
Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
, 60 # Ucraina, 53 #
Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
, 51 #
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
, 26 #
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
, 27 #
Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
, 26


Culture


Education


School

In Cairo Montenotte there are several state educational institutions of secondary school: * Professional Institute of Industry and Craftsmanship "Leonardo Da Vinci"; * Technical and Industrial Institute "Galileo Ferraris"; * Technical and Commercial Institute for Surveyors "Federico Patetta". The three are part of a single school institution, which is the Upper Secondary Institute of Cairo Montenotte. In the town there is also the School of Formation of the Penitentiary Personnel S.F.A.P.P. Andrea "Schivo".


Events

* "Cairo Medioevale", costume historical re-enactment from 5 to 10 August. * "Sagra della Tira", gastronomic event that is usually celebrated in July.


Cuisine

Tira is a typical food from Cairo Montenotte. It has a very ancient history that has been handed down over three centuries. It is made of a loaf of bread baked in the oven, in the inside there is a
sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs, may be included as fillers or extenders. ...
.


Museum

In Cairo Montenotte is located Ferrania Film Museum, museum of industrial and territorial culture located in Palazzo Scarampi. It is dedicated to the company FILM/
Ferrania FILM Ferrania s.r.l. is a photographic film manufacturing company located in Ferrania (Liguria), Italy. Ferrania was founded in 1923 as a maker of photographic film, papers, and photographic equipment, including cameras. The company was purchase ...
/3M, once a producer of photosensitive material, located in the homonymous town.


Economy

The economy in Cairo Montenotte is mainly connected to the industries and craftmanship, but the area is also specialized in zootechnical activities that made it gain recognition at a national level, particularly for the breeding of
bovine Bovines (subfamily Bovinae) comprise a diverse group of 10 genera of medium to large-sized ungulates, including Bos, cattle, bison, African buffalo, Bubalus, water buffalos, and the four-horned and spiral-horned antelopes. The members of this gro ...
cattle. The main industries work in the
chemical A chemical substance is a unique form of matter with constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Chemical substances may take the form of a single element or chemical compounds. If two or more chemical substances can be combin ...
,
energy Energy () is the physical quantity, quantitative physical property, property that is transferred to a physical body, body or to a physical system, recognizable in the performance of Work (thermodynamics), work and in the form of heat and l ...
and
transport Transport (in British English) or transportation (in American English) is the intentional Motion, movement of humans, animals, and cargo, goods from one location to another. Mode of transport, Modes of transport include aviation, air, land tr ...
sector.


Infrastructures and transports


Roads

Cairo Montenotte's center is crossed by the state highway 29 of the Colle di Cadibona that connects the town to Dego and
Altare Altare (, , L’Atæ in local dialect) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about northwest of Savona. As of 1 January 2009, it had a population of 2,160 Augus ...
. The town is connected to the motorway Autostrada A6 Torino-Savona through the SS29var ‘Variante di Carcare e Collina Vispa’, that originates in San Giuseppe. Other roads in the territory are: SP9 leading towards the villages of Ville, Carretto and Valle Uzzone; and SP38 leading towards the villages of Bragno and
Ferrania FILM Ferrania s.r.l. is a photographic film manufacturing company located in Ferrania (Liguria), Italy. Ferrania was founded in 1923 as a maker of photographic film, papers, and photographic equipment, including cameras. The company was purchase ...
. Cairo Montenotte is also connected to the surrounding municipalities and to
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
thanks to a bus line managed by TPL Linea S.r.l. (Trasporti Ponente Ligure).


Railway

Cairo Montenotte has a
train station A train station, railroad station, or railway station is a railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passengers, freight, or both. It generally consists of at least one platform, one track, and a station building providing suc ...
, not far away from the historical city center. It is on the railway line going from Alessandria to San Giuseppe di Cairo, a branch of the Turin-Fossano-Savona railway line. The town is also linked to the rail axes Turin-Savona through the San Giuseppe di Cairo train station, located a few kilometers from the city center. The train station has been one of the most important Italian ports of call for goods in the period of maximum industrial development for the area. There are some other train stations within the municipality's borders, in particular in Rocchetta Cairo (on the Savona-Alessandria railway line), Bragno and
Ferrania FILM Ferrania s.r.l. is a photographic film manufacturing company located in Ferrania (Liguria), Italy. Ferrania was founded in 1923 as a maker of photographic film, papers, and photographic equipment, including cameras. The company was purchase ...
(on the Torino-Savona and Savona-Alessandria lines).


Administration


Sport


Baseball and softball

Cairo Montenotte's
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
team is calle Cairese Baseball, and it is part of a national renowned company, the Baseball Club Cairese, that was founded in 1977. Cairo Montenotte's Baseball Club has been committed in developing younger categories obtaining excellent results. Each year they churn out young talents that often get to experience professional or youth national teams. The softball team is called Star Cairo, its first team plays in the Italian A2 series. Both teams play in baseball fields located in the territory of the municipality that have been specifically built and dedicate to these agonistic disciplines.


Football

Cairo Montenotte's football teams are: * Associazione Sportiva Dilettantistica Cairese, that plays in the
Eccellenza The Eccellenza (, "excellence") is the fifth level (since 2014–15) of Italian football.Official ...
championship, with track records in
Serie C The Serie C (), officially known as Serie C NOW for sponsorship purposes, is the third-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie B and Serie A. The Lega Italiana Calcio Professionistico (Lega Pro) is the governing ...
1946-1948 and 1985–1986, played in
Serie C2 Serie C2 was the fourth highest football league in Italy, the lowest with a professional status. History Before the 1978–79 season, there were only three professional football leagues in Italy, the third being Serie C. The league menaging t ...
. Its colors are yellow and blue. * U.P. Bragno, founded in 1983, plays in the
Promozione The Promozione (, "promotion") is the sixth level in the Italian football league system. Each individual league winner within the Promozione level progresses to their closest regional league in the Eccellenza level. Depending on each league's ...
championship. Its colors are green and white. This team plays in the ‘
Paolo Ponzo Paolo Ponzo (11 March 1972 – 24 March 2013) was an Italian footballer who last played as a midfielder for Liguria club Imperia. Career Early career Born in Cairo Montenotte, Liguria, Ponzo started his senior career with Serie D club Vado. I ...
’ football field located in the village of Bragno, where they play on natural grass. * A.S.D. Aurora Calcio, that plays in the
Seconda Categoria The Seconda Categoria is the 8th level (since 2014–15) in the Italian football league system. Each individual league winner within the Seconda Categoria level progresses to their closest regional league in the Prima Categoria level. Depending on ...
championship, it is the team where
Paolo Ponzo Paolo Ponzo (11 March 1972 – 24 March 2013) was an Italian footballer who last played as a midfielder for Liguria club Imperia. Career Early career Born in Cairo Montenotte, Liguria, Ponzo started his senior career with Serie D club Vado. I ...
played, he was a
Serie A The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
player. Its colors and yellow and black. * U.S. Rocchettese, that plays in Ligurian
Seconda Categoria The Seconda Categoria is the 8th level (since 2014–15) in the Italian football league system. Each individual league winner within the Seconda Categoria level progresses to their closest regional league in the Prima Categoria level. Depending on ...
championship. Its colors and red and blue, and it plays in the Rocchetta Cairo’s municipal stadium.


Alpine ski

Sci Club Cairese, founded in 1977, organizes activities at a pre-competitive level and freeride for the younger members, and activities at a agonistic level for older people. The club, together with the Coordinamento Sci Club Valbormida, adheres to FISI (Federazione Italiana Sport Invernali) in the Ligurian Committee and participates in the Ligurian Cup. In normal snowmaking conditions, the activities take place at the Mondolè Ski area in the municipalities of
Frabosa Sottana Frabosa Sottana is a ' (municipality) in the Province of Cuneo in the Italy, Italian region Piedmont, located about south of Turin and about southeast of Cuneo. The economy is based on winter tourism, based on the nearby ski resort of Prato Nevos ...
and Frabosa Soprana. The Cairo Ski Club always attends Cairo Medievale event.


Trekking

The Subsection Valbormida of the Club Alpino Italiano (C.A.I.) is based in Cairo Montenotte, more precisely in Porta Soprana, it was founded in 1962 and it is part of
Savona Savona (; ) is a seaport and (municipality) in the west part of the northern Italian region of Liguria, and the capital of the Province of Savona. Facing the Ligurian Sea, Savona is the main center of the Riviera di Ponente (the western se ...
's provincial section of C.A.I. It is considered a free national association that organizes guided mountaineering excursions for mountain enthusiasts.


References


External links


Official website
{{authority control Cities and towns in Liguria