Valenza

For other uses, seeValenza (disambiguation).

Valenza Valensa(Piedmontese)
Comune
Comune di Valenza
Coat of arms
Location of Valenza
Valenza Location of Valenza in Italy Valenza Valenza (Piedmont)
Coordinates:45°1′N8°39′E
Country	Italy
Region	Piedmont
Province	Alessandria(AL)
Frazioni	Villabella, Montevalenza
Government
• Mayor	Maurizio Oddone
Area
• Total	48.49 km2(18.72 sq mi)
Elevation	125 m (410 ft)
Population (31 December 2020)
• Total	18,239
• Density	380/km2(970/sq mi)
Demonym	Valenzani
Time zone	UTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2(CEST)
Postal code	15048
Dialing code	0131
Website	Official website

Valenza(Piedmontese:ValensaorValensá) is acomune(municipality) in theProvince of Alessandriain the Italian regionPiedmont,located about 80 kilometres (50 mi) east ofTurinand about 11 kilometres (7 mi) north ofAlessandria,in the extremeMontferrat’s offshoots, in theLombardy’s border.

It’s sometimes called “Valenza Po”.

It’s also one of the principal zones in the Alessandria’s province, due to itsschoolspoles and the hospital.

History

A stronghold of theLigures,it was conquered by theRomansin the 2nd century BC, and became aforumasForum Fulvii Valentinum,having law jurisdiction and a market. After the fall of theWestern Roman Empire,most of the population moved from the hills of the previous settlement to live where the current town is. It was ravaged by theBurgundiansand ruled by theLombards.After theFrankconquest of northern Italy, it became part of themark of Montferrat.

Overshadowed by the power of the nearbyAlessandria,it attracted the attentions ofGaleazzo I Visconti,duke of Milan, but his plot to capture the city failed. The Viscount were however able to conquer Valenza in 1370. Later the town was sacked by the French troops (1499 and 1515), reconquered by the Spaniards (1521) underCharles V(1521) and then again captured by the French (1523). However, in the latter year it was given back to Charles V. Again surrendered to the French in 1557, it finally was assigned to Spain in 1559 by theTreaty of Cateau-Cambrésis.

In 1635, during theThirty Years' War,Valenza resisted for 60 days a siege from French,ParmenseandSavoyardtroops. During the later part of theFranco-Spanish War (1635–59),it again withstood a French siege in 1641, but in 1656, after 70 days of siege, it capitulated to French, Savoyard andModenesetroops.

Valenza was besieged again in 1696, but this time the French and Savoyards were unable to capture it. In 1707, in the course of theWar of Spanish Succession,it was conquered byVictor Amadeus II of Savoy,who had its possession confirmed in 1713 by theTreaty of Utrecht.Thenceforth Valenza followed Piedmontese-Sardinian history, and after 1861 that of the kingdom of Italy.

The city of Valenza in collaboration with the Brotherhood of San Bernardino reward every year since 1988 the best jeweler with the statuette ofSan Eligio.This statuette aims to reward the artisans who help the city of Valenza building the reputation of Italian Capital Jewelry.

Twin towns

• Rocca Imperiale,Italy