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It is probably one of the first photos taken in Via Mameli with the Parish Church of San Giacomo. The sidewalks were made of stone slabs, and the paving of raw stones from the river Lemme and the central carriageway of stone blocks that you can see in the photo below


Via Goffredo Mameli: Note the pavement made of the stones of the Lemme and the central tracks made of stone blocks that were removed completely at the end of the 50 '.
          
The sandstone facade of the Church of the Patron of Gavi Saint James (is one of the best preserved medieval monuments of Piedmont). The bell tower is of the eighteenth-century, octagonal.
The Portino, the only survivor of the four gates of the city.


The Fort in all its majesty. Its grandeur dominates Gavi as a mighty sentinel that protects and reassures it.
Piazza San Rocco. the east entrance of Gavi. On the left Villa Gavina. To help you understand: where there is the light pole, today there is the PasticceriaBar Traverso.

Via Roma and Via Goffredo Mameli arriving from east, on the right Piazza Dante


Piazza Roma and the building of primary schools Leopoldo Gaetano Romano.

Piazza Roma and Via Roma. Observe the background behind the square, there are
not houses jet.

Gavi border on the bank of the Lemme,  front barrier to continuation of the city walls that went up to the Fort. (You can see part of the wall between the two church towers)


Shrine of Our Lady of the Guard and the hamlet Nebbioli with the old "osteria".

Sanctuary of N.S.della Guardia in Gavi and N.S.di Caravaggio on Mount Tobbio.

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The history of Gavi is tied for the most of its history to the wonderful Republic of Genoa, at which the gaviesi, are kept constantly united and intimately close affinity to nature, homogeneity of habits, customs and language (dialect).
Remember that Gavi is still under the Diocese of Genoa.

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Of great historical and architectural interest is the old Parish Church of San Giacomo, that preserves the Romanesque building (XIV sec.) Two portals, and in the interior (transformed in the sixteenth century.), valuable paintings by Genoese masters and a Madonna of Gandolfino D'Asti, and frescoes five and  seventeenth-century in the oratory of Sts. Philip and James.

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An ancient legend says that a French princess named Gavina on the run from his father who did not gave she in marriage to her sweetheart, did build on Monte Moro, in the right bank of the river Lemme a manor house where she lived, founding the city of Gavi , closed and protected by a high wall.

The fortress with the current strong (382msl), is precisely derived from an ancient castle of the twelfth century.
The old castle was transformed into a fortress on project of Fiorenzuola between 1626-1630, built by the Genoese, with its galleries and complex buildings. Was lately also used as penitentiary 1885-1907.
Currently, the fortress shows a star-shaped with six bastions developing an acute angle, united by the curtain wall.

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Of great importance is the old part of the town with old houses, medieval ruins and the door towered called The Portino, the only remains of four, that gave access to the city walls. The material used for its construction is typical of the Romanesque period, the local sandstone cut and square located in the oldest buildings in Gavi.

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Very interesting are the three "oratori" born as a venue for three brotherhoods: the Turchini, the Whites and the Reds, built between the fifteenth and seventeenth century.
All retain valuable sculptures, frescoes and decorations from XVII and XVIII century.

The particularity 'of the "oratori" are "I Christi", large crucifixes richly decorated  with wooden sculptures. Suggestive processions, with members of the brotherhoods in their old garments. "I Cristi" are held precariously in balance by one man caring it with dance steps, the stops and the change of the bearer is very spectacular given the amount of the Crucifix .

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Of interest are the Roman remains of the amphitheater and the ancient home of duty Libarna. The Shrine of Our Madonna of the Guard (anno1575 up a hill 403msl), some ancient villas and a large number of well-preserved medieval castles on the summits of countries neighbors.

Suggestive, but should be done with the necessary precautions, it is the ascent to Monte Tobbio (1,172 msl). From the summit besides the visit to the Church of Our Madonna of Caravaggio, in the beautiful summer days, you can sweep from the sea of ​​Genoa to the Po Valley and the Alps and have a better understanding of the strategic position of Gavi and Vallemme.