In the Staffora Valley, Ponte Nizza is located in the valley of the stream of the same name, at the confluence with the Nizza, forming a side valley. Its geographic position is enchanting, surrounded by splendid views.
The birth of the new municipality
The municipality was established in 1928, following the merger of the villages of Trebbiano, San Ponzo di Semola and Cecima. This merger led to the formation of the new municipality, which sought to unite local resources and communities to promote the development of the area and improve the quality of life of its inhabitants. However, in 1955 Cecima regained its administrative autonomy, returning to being an independent municipality.
An intricate web of fiefs and noble families
The history of Ponte Nizza and its territory is closely linked to that of the Malaspina family, which was awarded the fiefs of Pizzocorno and Trebbiano, thus increasing its political and economic power in the area.
Trebbiano has always remained in the noble Malaspina family, while Pizzocorno has had a more complex history. In the mid 12th century, the fief was entrusted to the Abbey of Sant'Alberto di Butrio, a change of ownership that had a significant impact on the fate of Pizzocorno and its management. Over the following centuries, the fief passed under various seigniories, undergoing political and administrative changes.
At the end of the 15th century, the fief of Pizzocorno returned to the hands of the Malaspina family. San Ponzo di Semola was instead part of the fief of Cecima and followed its fate.
Ponte Nizza, land of wonders
In terms of monuments, the municipality of Ponte Nizza boasts a number of historical treasures. In addition to the ruins of the medieval castle of Pietro dal Verme in Pizzocorno, the most important jewel is the ancient and prestigious abbey of Sant’Alberto di Butrio, a destination for many pilgrims in search of an oasis of peace, dating back to the early years of the year 1000.
The building is located in a picturesque natural setting, on a rocky spur. It consists of three churches, the oldest of which was built by Albert, a rich religious man who had distributed all his wealth to the poor before retiring to be a hermit. It is said that Frederick Barbarossa in 1167 and Edward II of England passed through the abbey, which is still guarded today by the monks.
Not far from the hermitage of S. Alberto di Butrio is the Carmelo locality with stone houses, evidence of the ancient peasant civilisation of the Oltrepò Pavese.
The small village of San Ponzo has a Romanesque church in the centre of the small square, declared a national monument, with traces of 16th- and 18th-century frescoes inside, as well as a stone baptismal font dating back to 1161.
The caves of San Ponzo
About three kilometres away, towards Monte Vallassa, are the caves where, in the 3rd century A.D., San Ponzo lived as a hermit, whose remains are preserved inside the parish church. It is said that the drops of water that drip from the cave where the hermit's body was found have miraculous virtues, including that of obtaining milk for mothers in need.
The Green-way and the old railway
In Ponte Nizza, where the Voghera-Varzi Greenway route passes today and the old railway station once stood, there is now a new structure that serves as a reception point and junction for hikers and cyclists and houses the museum dedicated to the old railway. The new space houses the complete archive of the railway's history from 1925 (planning stage) to 1966, the year the last train passed through.
