A municipality in the province of Cuneo, the village of Vezza d'Alba is perched on a hill and is dominated by the white church, whose bell tower profile stands out clearly and from where it is possible to admire a unique panorama of the countryside. The inhabitants are mainly devoted to agriculture: of major importance for the local economy is the cultivation of vines, from which excellent wines are produced, and the cultivation of fruit, in particular a variety of pear much appreciated.
The area was inhabited since ancient times by popoulations of pre-Ligurian and pre-Indo-European origins. The Roman conquerors left evidence of their presence in the building of roads and in the "fundus Rubiano". Vezza was extremely important in the early Middle Ages and the presence of the Lombards here is almost certain. Around 1200 the area submitted the domain of the Bishop of Asti. It became fief and belonged to the De Vicia until mid-XIV century, when it was occupied and devastated by the Compagnia degli Inglesi (Company of the English). In the second half of the XIV century the village was ceded to the De Ponte of Asti and in the XV century to the Roero. After the death of Oddone Roero, head of the Vezza and Guarene families, the fief was confiscated.
Not to miss:
- the Church of San Bernardino dates back to the XVIII century, while the Bell Tower was completed some years later. Inside it preserves valuable paintings of the artist Fea, that date back to 1636 and XVIII century frescoes of the artist Bongiovanni;
- the XII century Church of Our Lady of the Woods, located between the Valley Sanche and the Valley Maggiore. It features a single nave plan in Romanesque style. In the XV century the Roero had built the adjoining convent. Inside it keeps a valuable fresco depicting the Annunciation dating from the XV century;
- the Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta and San Martino;
- the Church of Our Lady of Guado;
- the Church of Our Lady of the Airali;
- the Church of San Carlo;
- the Nature Museum of the Roero, which preserves a collection of fossils and the residential features of the Roero;
- the Rocca or Rock Castle, located at about 350 meters above sea level, at the centre of the town around which the housing area was built.