Aschi "Freestone"'s photos

And they fly again in spring and summer, with every gust of wind a parachute invasion

Besides all the medieval buildings, the city of Alba has a lot more to offer, among other things, is surrounded by famous vineyards and orchards, a centre of the confectionery industry and the headquarters of the Ferrero company. Headquarters of Mondo, a manufacturer of rubber surfaces, balls and special sports surfaces, which has been equipping all the athletics stadiums for the Olympic Games since 1976.

Medieval tower "Torre Sineo " Alba is also called the "city of a hundred towers", because in the past a great number of towers were built for defensive purposes and as family towers of the rich noble families. Of the many towers, only a few are still standing and are now considered the city's main attractions. One of the most important and best preserved is the Sineo Tower, dating from the 12th century.

Three fresh tea herbs from my garden: upstairs: Lemon balm left: peppermint right: Jiaogulan - herb of immortality Jiaogulan originates from China and has been very popular there as a tea since the Middle Ages.

The Cathedral of Alba It is a Romanesque building, the earliest building was erected here at the end of the 5th century, and the present building, dating from the first half of the 12th century, is built with the typical red brick. Between the 12th and 15th century the cathedral was rebuilt with late gothic elements, in 1626 an earthquake caused considerable damage to the building, which was repaired in 1652 in a major renovation, the last major restoration was carried out between 1867 and 1878, the current appearance dates back to a controversial renovation in the 19th century

On the way in the alleys of Alba PiP: The church Santa Maria Maddalena, would be a rare Bjou . The church of Santa Maria Maddalena is a Roman Catholic church built in late Baroque style, with an unfinished brick facade, the pattern of concave and convex bricks characteristic of late Baroque architecture. The simple exterior is not reminiscent of the refined and colourful interior, which unfortunately could not be visited.

HFF stays behind the fences and stays healthy, enjoys the moment and makes the best of the corona situation Have a nice weekend, everybody.

Our first impressions of Alba, a historical town with about 31.500 inhabitants on the edge of the Po Valley, the main town of the Langhe and seat of the diocese of Alba. The settlement history of Alba goes back to the Neolithic 6th to 3rd millennium B.C. The Ligurians settled here and in 173 B.C. the Roman Empire took over the regime ,since 89 B.C. with the name Alba Pompeia known as the Roman town. Conquered by the Longobards and Saracens in the Middle Ages ,in the 12th century it became a free city and joined the Lombard League of Northern Italian cities. Constantly fought over between different family clans, the city fell to the Gonzaga, conquered three times by Charles Emanuel I and lost again, involved in the power conflict between France and Spain. In 1631 during the peace negotiations Alba fell to the Savoy. During Napoleon's reign, the Republic of Alba was established here and in October and November 1944 the local resistance movement against the fascist dictatorship in Italy proclaimed the Republic of Alba again.

For the farewell from Barbaresco a picture of the parish church San Giovanni Battista Just before the year one thousand there was a church in Barbaresco, approximately on this spot behind the castle, the present building was built in 1728 and opened for worship in 1730. In baroque style and in solid construction it was further embellished and extended over the years, in 1756 it was equipped with a bell tower. The church was not accessible to the public.

From the top the view goes over the Tanaro valley, which is 200 meters lower, up to the Alps. For a long time a ruin, the tower can be visited today after careful restoration, it is one of the most important tourist attractions of the area.

In the stairwell on the way to the viewing platform view of the village centre of Barbaresco

DOCG Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita Amarone an Italian red wine from the Valpolicella area in the Veneto region It is a dry red wine, which is aged similarly to a sweet wine. Some of the grapes are dried before pressing ), which gives the wine its high alcohol content. It is a heavy wine with a great richness of aromas. It keeps its character in the bottle for 10 to 15 years, some even up to 30 years. Amarone is considered one of the great red wines of Italy, along with Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino and the wines from Bolgheri.

From afar you can see the symbol of the village of Barbaresco, the medieval walled tower, the largest and most massive in Piedmont. For a long time a ruin, the tower can be visited today after careful restoration, it is one of the main tourist attractions of the area. With a height of 36 metres and 9 floors entirely made of bricks, the tower was built around the year 1000 to defend the city against the Saracens and is a witness to Barbaresco's medieval past.

We continue from Neive through the vineyards to Barbaresco, one of the most beautiful villages in the world. municipality with about 650 inhabitants. Here different wines are cultivated Barbaresco is a wine of the region which, like Barolo, is produced from the Nebbiolo grape variety and is considered "the little brother" of Barolo. The Barbaresco is also called "wine of the queen". Nebbiolo grapes ripen late and are often harvested only in October, when the fog (la nebbia) moves into the vineyards.

a monument commemorating the fallen of the two world wars, a praying child at whose feet a rifle and a helmet lie, both meant as signs of war.

in these difficult times, words of various people get timely meaning again, including one from Emperor Willhem II: "I believe in the horse. The automobile is only a passing fancy." Have a nice spring weekend, and stay healthy at home. HFF

on a walk through the village, view from the village over the valley and various discoveries

Parish church St. Peter and Paul This parish church has been in existence since the 12th century and was rebuilt in the 18th century, with extensions and unfinished facades dating from the 19th century, which makes the exterior of the church not very attractive, so only pictures of the interior. Inside there are works of art from the eighteenth century, among which there are various processional statues, altarpieces, an inlaid choral altar and a magnificent organ.