ALESSANDRIA, THE 20TH CENTURY - ALESSANDRIA ITINERARY

Day 1

Arrive in Alessandria, check in at centrally-located hotel and walk in the city centre starting from Piazza Libertà, administrative centre of the city with Palazzo Ghilini, Napoleon's preferred residence, Palazzo del Comune or Palazzo Rosso, Palatium Vetus (the broletto). The latter, headquarters of Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Alessandria, is the first town hall of the city and is still home to important medieval remains. It has been home to Spanish governors, the Savoy family, and Napoleonic Prefects. Inside, you can admire the precious collections of local painters and sculptors, as well as a collection dedicated to the battle of Marengo fought in 1800 a few kilometers from the city.
The visit continues, to admire the mosaic by Gino Severini which embellishes the facade of the Post and Telegraph building: realized between 1940 and 1941, it illustrates the history of telecommunications. The walk will continue along the streets of Borgo Rovereto, with the Church of Santa Maria di Castello and its medieval walls which bear witness to its existence prior to the foundation of the city, to the Citadel, one of the greatest European monuments of permanent 18th century fortification.
Lunch at leisure. In the afternoon, possibility to visit the Art Rooms or the Ethnographic Museum "C'era una volta". Possibility to stop off in one of the pastry shops granted De.Co recognition.
Dinner in typical osteria with local menu and overnight accommodation in centrally-located hotel.

Day 2

After breakfast at the hotel, a city itinerary developed by Mario Mantelli, scholar and urban architect of Alessandria, to discover the architecture of Ignazio Gardella.
Alessandria features many buildings designed by the famous Maestro, some of which are true milestones of 20th century architecture. In Alessandria, Gardella designed buildings with very different purposes, in which the shape was always inextricably linked to the function. Many of these were commissioned by the Borsalino family, enlightened industrialists and benefactors of the city. The first projects date to the late 1920s when Ignazio worked alongside his father Arnaldo, and the late 1990s with his son Jacopo.
Guided tour of the city, lunch at leisure en route.
Stop-off points along the way to discover the architectural treasures:
• Borsalino Offices (1929, studio of engineers Gardella and Martini), corso 100 cannoni corner via Cavour
• Fur cutting facility (1955-56), corso XX settembre corner via Wagner
• Borsalino employee housing (1950-52), corso Borsalino 15 and 17
• Pediatric pavilion of the Children’s hospital “Cesare Arrigo” (1956-57), spalto Marengo 46
• Anti-tuberculosis dispensary (1936-38), via don Francesco Gasparolo, 2-4
• Hygiene and prophylaxis laboratory (1937-39), via don Francesco Gasparolo, 1
• Former San Giacomo psychiatric hospital (1900-1907, studio of engineers Martini and Gardella), San Giacomo (1900-1907, studio of Engineers Martini and Gardella), spalto Marengo, 35 corner via Mazzini
• Istituto Tecnico ITIS “Volta” (1960-66), spalto Marengo 42
• Teresio Borsalino hospital, previously Sanatorium Vittorio Emanuele III (1929-35), viale Forlanini 2
• Mother house of Divine Providence (1929), isolated between via Faà di Bruno, XXIV maggio, Tripoli and Moncalvo
• Expansion of the Borsalino retirement home (1935) isolated between via San Pio V, Ghilini, Savonarola and corso Lamarmora
• Agorà Complex (corso cento Cannoni, 25 / corso Borsalino)