Cuneo, Piedmont, Italy

🇮🇹 Cuneo is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo. It is located at 550 metres (1,804 ft) in the south-west of Piedmont, at the confluence of the rivers Stura and Gesso.

Cuneo is bounded by the municipalities of Beinette, Borgo San Dalmazzo, Boves, Busca, Caraglio, Castelletto Stura, Centallo, Cervasca, Morozzo, Peveragno, Tarantasca and Vignolo.

It is located near six mountain passes: • Colle della Maddalena at 1,996 metres (6,549 ft) • Colle di Tenda at 1,871 metres (6,138 ft) – Tunnel of Tenda at 1,300 metres (4,300 ft), 3 km (1.9 mi) long • Colle del Melogno at 1,027 metres (3,369 ft) • Colle San Bernardo at 957 metres (3,140 ft) • Colle di Nava at 934 metres (3,064 ft) • Colle di Cadibona at 459 metres (1,506 ft).

History Cuneo was founded in 1198 by the local population, who declared it an independent commune, freeing themselves from the authority of the bishops of Asti and the marquisses of Montferrat and Saluzzo. In 1210, the latter occupied it, and in 1231 the Cuneesi rebelled. In 1238, they were recognised as a free commune by Emperor Frederick II.

In 1259, the independence of Cuneo ceased forever, as it gave itself, also to take protection against its more powerful neighbours, to Charles I of Anjou, who was then the Count of Provence. Together with Alba, it was the main Angevine possession in Northern Italy; Angevine rule interrupted by periods under the control of Saluzzo, Savoy, and the Visconti of Milan was ended in 1382 when Cuneo was acquired by the Duchy of Savoy.

Cuneo became an important stronghold of the expanding Savoy state. The city was thus besieged several times by France: first in 1515 by Swiss troops of Francis I of France, then again in 1542, 1557, 1639, 1641, 1691 and, during the War of the Austrian Succession, in 1741. Cuneo resisted each siege successfully. The city was taken by France only during the Napoleonic Wars and was made the capital of the Stura department. After the restoration of the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the unification of Italy, Cuneo became the capital of its namesake province in 1859.

During World War II, from 1943 to 1945, it was one of the main centres of partisan resistance against the German occupation of Italy. In 1943, Cuneo's Jewish citizens were briefly arrested and imprisoned at the nearby Borgo San Dalmazzo concentration camp by the order of Minister of the Interior Guido Buffarini Guidi. They were freed before the Minister's orders came into effect and most community members fled Cuneo into hiding.

However, on 9 December 1944, the Cuneo Police Department reopened the camp and imprisoned the remaining Jewish residents of Cuneo most of whom were then deported to Auschwitz. Few survived according to reports. Italian partisans liberated Cuneo from the German and Italian fascist occupation on 25 April 1945. The retreating fascist forces murdered the remaining six Jewish prisoners being held at Cuneo's local prison.

Tourist Industry • Villa Oldofredi Tadini, built in the 14th and 15th centuries as a watchtower. It is now a museum housing collections of the owners, the Mocchia and Oldofredi Tadini families. • Villa Tornaforte, surrounded by an English-style park. • Civic Museum • Railway Museum • Churches of Santa Croce, San Giovanni Decollato and Santissima Annunziata, housing paintings by Giovan Francesco Gaggini. • Panoramic funicular that connects plateau to Gesso river.

Subdivisions Most important and populated: Centro storico, Cuneo centro, Cuneo nuova, San Paolo, Donatello, Gramsci, San Rocco, Cerialdo, Confreria and Borgo San Giuseppe.

Cuisine and food Cuneo's specialty is Cuneesi al rhum, small meringues with dark chocolate coating and a rum-based chocolate filling. They are a creation of Andrea Arione (1923), who also registered the name, and sold them in the bar still located in the central square, Piazza Galimberti; another claim makes them a creation of pastry chef Pietro Galletti from Dronero. Another specialty is "raviolini al plin", a small ravioli pasta made with meat and vegetables. The most famous brand there is Pastificio Boetti, also located close to the central square.

Volleyball There is an important volleyball club, Piemonte Volley who won 1 Italian Volleyball League, 3 CEV Cup, 2 CEV SuperCup, 4 Italian Volleyball Cup and 3 Italian Volleyball SuperCup.

Sport: Football Associazione Calcio Cuneo 1905 (A.C. Cuneo 1905) who plays in the 3rd level of Italian football.

Transport: Cycling Many times stage of Giro d'Italia. In 2016, for the first time in the Giro history, the race arrived in Sant'Anna di Vinadio sanctuary, the highest sanctuary in Europe, 2035 m, and the day after, on May 29, the race started from Cuneo. Since 1987 Cuneo has been the start and arrival point of the amateur international race "La Fausto Coppi".

Economy Companies active in the province include: • Michelin in Mondovì • Miroglio in Alba • Ferrero SpA in Alba • Maina in Fossano • Balocco in Fossano • Merlo in San Defendente (Cervasca) • Arpa industriale in Bra • Bottero in Cuneo • Mondo in Alba • Mtm-Brc in Cherasco • Abet in Bra • Edizioni San Paolo in Alba

Many important industrial groups have branches in the province: Michelin (Cuneo and Fossano), Saint-Gobain (Savigliano), Valeo (Mondovì), Asahi Glass Co. (Cuneo), ITT (Barge), Diageo (Santa Vittoria d'Alba) and Nestlé (Moretta).

Cuneo is also the land of important wines, mostly produced in the Langhe and Roero hills, such as Barbaresco, Barolo, Nebbiolo, Barbera and many others.