Tortona, Administrative commune in Province of Alessandria, Italy.
Tortona is a commune in the Province of Alessandria located on the right bank of the Scrivia River at an elevation of 122 meters (400 feet). The town sits between the Marengo plain and the hills of the Ligurian Apennines, linking the Po Valley with coastal territories.
The settlement of Dertona was established in 123 BC as a military station at the crossing of Via Postumia and Via Aemilia Scauri. This strategic junction developed over centuries into a trading center between the Alps and the Ligurian coast.
The ancient name Dertona lives on in the designation of inhabitants as "Dertonesi," reflecting the town's long Roman connection. Streets in the center still follow the ancient grid pattern that formed around the intersection of two major Roman routes.
The commune sits along two major highways, the A07 between Milan and Genoa and the A21 between Turin and the Adriatic coast, making arrival from any direction straightforward. Parking areas are available both at the town edges and near the old center, where walking becomes the best way to explore.
The cathedral from the 16th century houses works by Camillo Procaccini and combines architectural elements from several periods in one building. The surrounding hills produce grape varieties such as Barbera, Dolcetto, Moscato and Timorasso, with cultivation reaching back to the 14th century.
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