The Ponte Vecchio is the undisputed symbol of Bobbio, an ancient Roman center of the Trebbia valley. From the irregular profile, the stone bridge is 273 meters long and is also called Ponte Gobbo for its particular irregular profile, consisting of 11 arches placed at different heights and unequal to each other. It is hypothesized that during the Roman conquest of what was once a Ligurian-Celtic village, and unmissable, for those who come from these parts, it is to follow it, even several times, to enjoy the suggestions that transmits, in addition to the view that give on the water and the village.
A free municipality since the beginning of the 12th century, Bobbio was engaged alongside the Lombard League against Barbarossa in Legnano. Genoese province until the Unification of Italy, it was part of the Pavia area until 1923 when it passed to the province of Piacenza. History of the connected center, from the High Middle Ages, with the construction of the Abbey of San Colombano in 614, founded by the Irish abbot and missionary Colombano, evangelizer and man of action.
Appreciate the beauty and charm of the Gobbo Bridge we can not but go into the historical center, with a strong medieval structure, on which stand the bell towers of San Colombano and the Duomo. Just Piazza Duomo, crowned with arcades and ancient noble palaces, is a delightful living room in the heart of the town.
The complex of the cathedral includes, besides the concattedrale church, from the facade of 1463 framed by two bell towers, the bishop’s palace, from the original structure dating back to the eleventh century and from the current dating back to the XV, the gardens, the oratory, the old seminary and the Diocesan Museum of the Cathedral, which proposes a journey through the millenary history of the Bobbiese diocese, the Cathedral and the Episcopal Palace.
The other great religious complex of the historic center is the Abbey of San Colombano, an extraordinary architectural expression that expresses the transition between the Gothic and Renaissance periods. To see the pictorial composition of the central nave, dating back to the period between 1526 and 1530 and work of Bernardino Lanzani from San Colombano al Lambro and a mosaic of the first half of the twelfth century located in the crypt. Also worth seeing is the Museum of the Abbey, with important findings related to the history of the monastery and the village of Bobbio.
Other religious architectural features not to be missed are the seventeenth-century sanctuary of the Madonna dell’Aiuto and the monastery of San Francesco, in a rustic Franciscan style from the 13th century, located in Piazza San Francesco.
In a dominant position on the historic heart of the village is the Malaspina castle, built starting from 1304, wanted by Corradino Malaspina, stronghold of the Ghibelline politics before, becoming the residence of the Podestà under the domination of the Visconti then, and later passed under the Dal Verme and later in the hands of other noble families. Splendid the glance that can be enjoyed from the garden on the city and on the frame of mountains.
But Bobbio is also a land of flavors and gastronomic delights. The scent of porcini mushrooms and truffles collected in the mountains of the area but also and above all of the charcuterie of Piacenza lands are one of the unmissable attractions of this land that also offers traditional dishes such as maccheroni alla bobbiese, fresh pasta prepared with knitting needle , strictly handmade, and topped with a tasty stew sauce.
Another typical dish of the area are the snails alla bobbiese, an ancient recipe that includes the preparation of the dish with, in addition to snails, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, tomato, parsley, nutmeg, butter, celery and wine White. Once the sauté mixture is prepared with oil, butter and chopped onion, the snails are put in and then washed with white wine; then, after allowing to evaporate, proceed with the addition of a little tomato, salt and pepper, then parsley, celery and nutmeg, cooking over a slow fire for over three hours. All that remains is to taste the dish accompanied with a good glass of Gutturnio.
