Art and culture: a touch of history
A touch of history
Tortona, the ancient Dertona originally belonged to Ligurian people.
It is during the Roman Age, specifically during the Imperial Age, that Tortona enjoyed a period of great prosperity, thanks to its strategic position which placed it in the heart of the most important communication highways: between Piacenza and Genoa, linked by Via Postumia, Acqui Terme (the ancient Aquae Statiellae), Asti (Hasta), Turin (Augusta Taurinorum) and the Alps. Under Ottaviano Tortona was renamed Iulia Dertona.
The most prosperous period came during the Medieval Commune Age when Tortona became an important commercial centre, thanks to its central position among Genoa and the plain of the Po.
This prosperity increased the rivarly towards the city of Pavia which was supported by Barbarossa and it finally led to the fight: after two months of hard siege, Tortona inhabitants were obliged to surrender on the 18th of April 1155. The city was deeply damaged, with specific regards to the external walls and the towers.
After some internal fights, the city definitely fell under the Milan rule during the first half of the XIV century. In 1347 Tortona was invaded by Luchino Visconti’s troops and later by the Sforza’s troops.
When the Spaniards obtained the rule of Milan in the XVI century, Tortona became the bulwark for the defence of the southern boundaries of the Dukedom. For this reason the fortress was modernized and fortified in order to make it suitable for the use of artillery.
After two centuries, in the beginning of the XVIII century, Tortona fell under the rule of Austrians for a three-year period due to the Spanish war of succession, until Carlo Emanuele III di Savoia managed to adding it to Sardegna Kingdom.
With Napoleon, who asked for Piedmont property with the armistice of Cherasco, Tortona became “seat” of the Italian Army. Torre Garofoli esate was the seat of Napoleon’s headquarters during the Marengo battle on the 14th of June 1800 and “witness” of the death of the General Desaix, the sole real author of Napoleon’s win.
However, the new politic agreements agreed upon with the Zar lead Napoleon to destroy the Tortona fortress, except for the tower which still remains the symbol of Tortona. In 1814 Tortona fell under the Savoia rule once again and starter to enjoy a new period of economical growth, demographic increase and building expansion– Teatro Civico and Via Emila’s Arcades are among the most important works.
