SCOPRIRE IL TERRITORIO

OSPITALITÀ

Isola Sant'Antonio

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Isola Snat'Antonio - churchtown hall
piazza Garibaldi 1

phone number
+39 0131 857329 

e-mail
comuneisola@idp.it  




Village situated at the confluence between the right bank of the Po river and la left bank of the Scrivia torrent. Until one century ago the territory was surrounded by the waters of the Po, Tanaro and Scrivia rivers. The main island was was known as ‘Sant’ Antonio’ because there was a chapel dedicated to the saint.

Exclusively horticultural zone, with production of many kinds of fruit and vegetables, above all melon. The earliest melon plantations date back to 1950. Here the humid soils, muddy and clayey by nature, together with the abundance of water and summer heat, represent the suitable place for its cultivation. This is a typical summer vegetable particularly appreciated for the sweetness and juiciness of its pulp.
There are two main varieties of melons: cantalupi and reticolati. The latter are typical of the Tortona region: round shaped or long shaped, when ripe the pulp turns orange and has an intense scent.
During the ‘melon Festival’ particular melon-based dishes are prepared, such as melon ice-cream, raw ham and melon, muscatel melon and risotto with melon.

In the past there were three settlements: ‘Inferno’, ‘Purgatorio’ and ‘Paradiso’. Until 1200 Isola was known as ‘Inferno’ (Hell) because it was inhabited by bandits or ‘people from hell’.
The first centre with a stable population dates back to 1545. The hamlet ‘Purgatorio’ was completely destroyed by a water flood of the Po river and the inhabitants moved to an area called ‘Brusa Vecchia’.
Isola became a distric council in 1818 by a Napoleonic decree.

worth a visit:
- the church of Sant’Antonio da Padova. Built in 1819, while the bell tower dates back to 1827 and the clock was added later, in 1838.
- Isolabella recreation centre: it features a unique spectacle to tourists, due to the vegetation surrounding the spots; fishing lakes, bike riding, walks and horseback tracks.

> hamlets: Capraglia, Casoni, Mezzovecchio, Mezzonuovo, San Pietro, Brusavecchia, Tre Cantoni
> inhabitants denomination: isolesi
> patronal day: Sant’Antonio da Padova 

n of inhabitants: 791

geographical position: north-west of Italy, the area of the Padana plain surrounding the city of Alessandria, lower Scrivia valley

altitude m: 76 above sea level

distance from: Alessandria km. 30