The name is there in 985 as Ripa alta, in 1191 as Ripalta Vallis Burmide: it comes from the high bank the village holds above the river Bormida. The arms still say so, with a wavy silver band for the water.
In 1216 Rivalta set itself up as a free commune; then for almost four centuries it was a border fortress between Monferrato and the Milanese. The castrum can still be read in the plan: four-sided, with streets at right angles forming the contrade, the ditch at the entrance and the brick facing of the walls, defended by four corner towers. Of the two gates a fourteenth-century stump is left.
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📅 Every year, on 4 August
On 4 August Rivalta Bormida, a municipality of 1,417 inhabitants in the province of Alessandria, celebrates its patron Saint Dominic (San Domenico) with the zucchini sagra.
Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Outside Rivalta Bormida, but an easy day trip away.
