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🔔 The Italian Almanac

October 11

Stories and curiosities for October 11, from the Italy of a thousand bell towers.

Impossible geography 📅 1865

Europe's highest summit has two maps: Rome draws the border across the top of Mont Blanc, Paris puts the whole peak in France

Above Courmayeur, in Italy's Aosta Valley, the summit of Mont Blanc, 4,807.3 metres at the latest survey in 2025, sits on a line that two countries draw differently. A bilateral agreement of 1861, still legally valid, makes the summit itself the frontier, shared half and half; but in 1865 a French map by Captain Mieulet moved the line and enclosed the top in France. Since then Italy's Istituto Geografico Militare has kept the border along the crest, the French IGN puts the whole peak on its side, and Swiss maps simply mark the area as disputed. On the ground, from the Torino hut up to the summit, Italian authorities are in charge. Nobody has ever settled it.

📍 Discover Courmayeur

Today's tidbits

On the table today

Coratina, the olive named after Corato: Apulia's bitter, peppery oil comes from a late harvest

In the countryside north of Bari, in Apulia, the olive takes its name from the town. Coratina, also known as racioppa di Corato or olivo a grappoli, is the variety Corato claims as its own, grown across the area up to Andria and the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. The oil is yellow-green, intense and fruity, slightly bitter from oleuropein and peppery from its polyphenols, about 560 milligrams per kilo, with acidity below 0.2%. The yield is high, 20 to 25%, but it takes patience: the harvest is late, from November to January. In October the trees are still loaded, and the new oil that catches in your throat is a matter of weeks.

📍 Corato →
Vanished Italy 1976

Consonno, the village bulldozed to build a fun fair with a minaret: two landslides and the toy town stays empty

Above Olginate, near Lecco in Lombardy, Consonno was down to about sixty residents when, in 1962, its owners sold it to Mario Bagno's firm for some 22.5 million lire. By 1966 the bulldozers had spared only the 13th-century church of San Maurizio, the rectory and the cemetery. In place of the houses rose a minaret, the Hotel Plaza, a dance hall, a pagoda and a castle as the gateway; the signs read “A Consonno è sempre festa”. A landslide buried the road in 1967, visitors fell away from 1972, and a second landslide in 1976 closed it all. Today it is a ghost town, privately owned, its buildings unsafe.

📍 Olginate →

🎉 Celebrations today in… 4

4 towns with a guide celebrate their patron saint on October 11

Other saints of the day 4

Porto ViroMaria Santissima Madre di Dio · Veneto Cellarengosan Firmino di Uzès · Piedmont Valsamoggiasan Giovanni XXIII · Emilia-Romagna Calossosant'Alessandro Sauli · Piedmont
Patron saint festival 📍 Calosso

Feast of Saint Alexander Sauli

📅 Every year, on 11 October

On 11 October Calosso celebrates its patron Saint Alexander Sauli; the town also hosts the Fiera del Rapulé, with wine tastings in the "crotìn" carved into the tuff.

Patron saint festival 📍 Valsamoggia

Feast of Saint John XXIII

📅 Every year, on 11 October

On 11 October Valsamoggia celebrates its patron Saint John XXIII; the municipality, formed by the merger of five former municipalities, also preserves the Rocca dei Bentivoglio.

Patron saint festival 📍 Marudo

Feast of Saints Gervasio and Protasio

📅 Every year, on the second Sunday of October

On the second Sunday of October Marudo, a municipality of 1,568 inhabitants in the province of Lodi, celebrates its patron saints Gervasio and Protasio.

Patron saint festival 📍 Mezzana Bigli

Feast of San Giovanni Battista

📅 Every year, on the second Sunday of October

On the second Sunday of October Mezzana Bigli, a municipality of 1,108 inhabitants in the province of Pavia, celebrates its patron San Giovanni Battista (Saint John the Baptist).

Patron saint festival 📍 Santa Croce del Sannio

Feast of San Sebastiano

📅 Every year, on the second Sunday of October

On the second Sunday of October Santa Croce del Sannio, a municipality of 985 inhabitants in the province of Benevento, celebrates its patron San Sebastiano.

Patron saint festival 📍 Camigliano

Feast of San Simeone Profeta

📅 Every year, on the second Sunday of October

On the second Sunday of October Camigliano, a municipality of 1,902 inhabitants in the province of Caserta, celebrates the patronal feast of San Simeone Profeta (Simeon the Prophet).

Patron saint festival 📍 Graglia

Feast of Santa Fede

📅 Every year, on the second Sunday of October

On the second Sunday of October Graglia, a municipality of 1,588 inhabitants in the province of Biella, celebrates its patroness Santa Fede (Saint Faith).

Patron saint festival 📍 Faule

Feast of the Corpi Santi

📅 Every year, on the second Sunday and the third Monday of October

On the second Sunday of October Faule, a municipality of 496 inhabitants in the province of Cuneo, celebrates the Corpi Santi (Holy Bodies), its patrons.

Patron saint festival 📍 Ubiale Clanezzo

Feasts of Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Godehard

📅 Every year, on the second Sunday of October in Ubiale and on 4 May in Clanezzo

Ubiale Clanezzo, a municipality of 1,399 inhabitants in the province of Bergamo, has two patrons: Our Lady of the Rosary in Ubiale, on the second Sunday of October, and Saint Godehard in Clanezzo, on 4 May.

Patron saint festival 📍 Villasanta

Saint Anastasia and Saint Marcus the Soldier, patrons of the land of the Monza Park

📅 Every year, on the second Sunday of October, moved from 25 December as it coincides with Christmas

Villasanta celebrates Saint Anastasia and Saint Marcus the Soldier on the second Sunday of October. Since Saint Anastasia's feast falls on 25 December, coinciding with Christmas, ancient tradition moved the patronal feast to the second Sunday of October, which also coincides with the co-patron's feast day.

Patron saint festival 📍 Carosino

Saint Blaise, patron of the Wine Festival

📅 Every year, on the second Sunday of October; 3 February brings the blessing of the throat

Carosino celebrates its patron Saint Blaise with the true patronal feast on the second Sunday of October; on 3 February, the liturgical feast is instead celebrated, with the blessing of the throat and a procession with the saint's statue.

Patron saint festival 📍 Inzago

The Assumption of Mary, patron with the Cattle Fair

📅 Every year, on the second weekend of October, with the Cattle Fair on the Monday

Inzago celebrates the Assumption of Mary on the second weekend of October, in the church dedicated to her. The town's feast, very distinctive, recalls the origins of Inzago and its traditions: the main attractions are the Cattle Fair, held on the Monday, and Mass with a procession starting from the square.