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Spinetta Marengo () is a town in
Piedmont Piedmont ( ; ; ) is one of the 20 regions of Italy, located in the northwest Italy, Northwest of the country. It borders the Liguria region to the south, the Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna regions to the east, and the Aosta Valley region to the ...
, Italy located within the municipal boundaries of the ''
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 ...
'' of
Alessandria Alessandria (; ) is a city and commune in Piedmont, Italy, and the capital of the Province of Alessandria. It is also the largest municipality of the region. The city is sited on the alluvial plain between the Tanaro and the Bormida rivers, ...
. The population is 6,417. On 14 June 1800 the village was the scene of an important battle between the French army commanded 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 ...
and an Austrian army led by Melas. Every second Sunday in June, there is traditionally a costumed commemoration of the battle, drawing many international visitors. According to local legend, Majno, a thief who was said to have robbed
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 ...
while on his way to Paris in 1804 to crown
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 ...
emperor, laid up in hiding in the woods of , just by Spinetta Marengo. The dish Chicken Marengo is named after the town. According to legend, Napoleon's chef created the dish from the few ingredients he could find after the battle, using a sabre instead of a cooking knife.


Museum

A museum about the battle is today housed in the Villa Delavo, inaugurated in 1847 and built by Antonio Delavo. In this museum you can see mural paintings, videos, maps, mannequins in vintage uniforms, and other objects related to Napoleon or the battle of Marengo. A pyramid which became the symbol of the museum was also inaugurated in May 2009. 200 years later, it echoes the wish of Napoleon to build a pyramid in honor of those who died at the battle in 1800.


The Marengo treasure

In 1928, precious objects from the Roman period were uncovered by farmers in a field near the village of Marengo. Dating from the second century, the objects, all in very bad condition, included a silver bust representing the emperor
Lucius Verus Lucius Aurelius Verus (; 15 December 130 – 23 January 169) was Roman emperor from 161 until his death in 169, alongside his adoptive brother Marcus Aurelius. He was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. Verus' succession together with Ma ...
and a silver vase decorated with acanthus leaves. The objects today are conserved in the Museum of Antiquity of
Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
, awaiting restoration.


See also

* Marengo (color) * Marengo (horse)


References


External links

{{authority control Cities and towns in Piedmont Frazioni of the Province of Alessandria Alessandria Marengo campaign