The Portici di San Rocco (Porticos of San Rocco) open in the historic center of Cessole, next to the Town Hall and the church square. More than a simple covered passageway, they represent one of the places that best illustrate the town's civil and commercial history.
In the spring of 1640, Cessole was going through a particularly difficult period, marked by poor harvests, frost, drought, hail, and the aftermath of war. Local officials therefore requested permission to organize a weekly market and two annual fairs, hoping to attract traders and make food and other goods more readily available.
The request was granted, and in June 1640, the first market in the Bormida Valley was held under these porticoes and in the surrounding spaces. The loggia thus preserves the memory of a decision made not only to encourage trade, but also to provide tangible support to the population.
What to see
Notice the succession of arches, stone pillars, and vaults that form the covered passageway. The structure allowed goods to be displayed and traded, sheltered from the sun and rain, transforming this part of the village into a small commercial and social hub.
An inscription commemorates the market's establishment in 1640. Try to imagine the space bustling with residents, foreign merchants, animals, agricultural products, and goods not normally available in the village.
The porticoes are closely connected to the Town Hall and the square, where for centuries the community's administrative, religious, and commercial functions met. From here, you can continue on foot along the streets of the historic village, past stone houses and steep sections paved with sternia.
In the immediate vicinity is the Parish Church of Nostra Signora Assunta, built on two levels above the ancient Oratory of the Battuti. The porticoes, town hall, and church offer a glimpse into Cessole's history in a single, intimate space.
