Information about Fobello in the Province of Vercelli
The name would seem to derive from the word “Fo”, which in Valsesian means beech tree.
The origins of Fobello date back to the first half of the 1300s when the shepherds made the cattle’s summer quarters permanent.
This picturesque locality composed of almost 30 villages was the favourite destination of an elite tourism over the last century which has left its mark mainly in the villas; it was also the birthplace of various famous figures among whom, Vincenzo Lancia, the famous Italian car manufacturer.
Fobello is part of the Upper Valsesia Natural park and provides many opportunities for excursions: Alpe Sasso San Giovanni, Alpe del Cadone, Alpe del Cortese, Alpe Solivo, Alpe Dorcie and the Colle d’Egua following the GTA itinerary (Grand Tour Des Alpes).
The parish church of Saint James, completely rebuilt in 1931 was constructed in 1545 and destroyed following the two floods in 1781 and 1923; it contains various valuable works such as XVI and XVII century tablets, an inlaid choir and stained glass. Near the Church the ancient Oratory of the Visitation contains a polyptych of 1585.
This small town is also home to two small but important museums: the permanent petit-point exhibition and the Carestia – Tirozzo herb collection. The petit-point museum was specifically founded to publicise the value of this typical craft and to pay homage to the painstaking work of the Valsesian women (info: 0163 55135).
The Abbot Antonio Carestia, who lived and was minister in Riva Valdobbia, gathered samples of plants from along the slopes of the Pennine Alps over the years; his discoveries and studies of a copious number of species valorised the flora of the Valsesia.
The abbot-scholar who set up many herbariums not just in Italy (the biggest is the “great herbarium” in Turin) but also abroad (Germany, Switzerland, France and England) gave a present of several thousand specimens to his friend and travelling companion, Doctor Camillo Tirozzo, the doctor of Riva Valdobbia. Later this was passed down to his son Pier Ugo Tirozzo of Fobello and the collection was donated in the latter’s will to the CAI Varallo together with a house and various Fobellian costumes with the pledge to set up a museum. (Info: Club Alpino, Varallo Sesia section, tel. 0163 51530).
Recently opened, the bakery of “Vulaiga” which supplies many of the shops in the Valley is not to be missed if you want to try some entirely organic, home-made bread.
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