Located at the entrance to the Val Nure, at the foot of the hills of Piacenza, Ponte d'Olio was built in a strategic position to control the passage of goods towards the region of Liguria. The town's name, in fact, derives from the presence in the area, since ancient times, of warehouses for the oil storage. The first news of the existence of a bridge over the Nure, a hostel and a church entitled to San Giacomo go back to the IX century. Economically the town developed and was fortified, of which remain the fortifications erected to protect its streams and a mighty furnace with three chimney towers, reflecting the traditional production of bricks.
Sites of Interest:
- the Castle of Riva, of medieval origins (with an inscription dated 1277), features a trapezoidal shaped plan and was built mostly with pebbles and stones of the Nure. Renovated in the XIX century in neo-Gothic style, it is now privately owned;
- the Castle of Torrano, also of medieval times and probably built just after the year 1000. A nearby watch tower was incorporated into the main structure, which was later destroyed by order of Galeazzo Visconti in 1321. Rebuilt it belonged to various local lords and today it is privately owned;
- the XVI century Castle of Folignano, which features a square plan with circular corner towers;
- the Furnaces, an example of industrial architecture, built in 1890 for the production of limestone; closed for several years, they are at present accessible by guided tours;
- the XVI century press machine;
- the Church of San Rocco, the in main town centre;
- the Church of San Giacomo, refurbished in the XVIII century, with a Baroque façade and massive Bell Tower.