Saluzzo, Medieval commune in Piedmont, Italy
Saluzzo, also known as Salusso, is a commune in the Province of Cuneo in Piedmont, Italy, located on a hill 340 meters (1115 feet) above sea level. The historic center spreads along narrow lanes with medieval walls, surrounded by fields and orchards, overlooking the plain and Alpine peaks in the distance.
The Marquisate was founded in 1142 and governed territories between the Stura di Demonte River, the Po River, and the Alps through the 16th century. France took control in 1548, and the town later passed to the Duchy of Savoy.
The local name derives from the Latin Salutiæ, referring to its position on a hillside where the Po Valley meets ancient trade paths. Today the narrow streets and squares retain the feel of a small town where residents walk daily through cobbled lanes and pause in cafés beneath stone arches.
A walk through the lanes reveals cobblestone paths and stone staircases, so sturdy footwear helps for comfortable walking. Most museums and churches sit in the upper part of the center, reachable on foot or via narrow climbs from the lower town.
Ludovico I commissioned the Buco di Viso, an Alpine tunnel linking the region to Dauphiné and Provence for expanded trade routes. This 15th-century mountain passage is among the earliest of its kind in Europe.
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