Cosseria
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Cosseria

Cosseria

Small Ligurian Apennine commune with medieval castle ruins above two Bormida valleys.

Cosseria is a small agricultural commune on the northern slope of the Ligurian Apennines, sitting on the ridge between the upper valleys of the two Bormidas rivers. The territory is sparsely settled, with the economy based on vegetables and cattle.

The village has medieval roots: it is mentioned in a diploma of Otto I in 967, and was held successively by the Marchesi di Clavesana and the Del Carretto family. The ruins of a medieval castle — the Castrum Crucis Ferrae — still stand at the Montecala pass, with the original entrance gate, sections of the walls, and part of the keep surviving. The parish church of the Immacolata, rebuilt in 1656–60 and restored in 1831, has a fine rose window.

Guide

Things to Do

Cosseria has two real attractions, both linked to its medieval past. The ruins of the Castrum Crucis Ferrae stand on the Montecala pass, still showing the original gate, walls, and part of the keep — a quiet site with a wide view across the upper Bormida valleys. The parish Church of the Immacolata Concezione, rebuilt in the mid-17th century, has a large rose window and a small but interesting set of period decoration.

Beyond the village, the Bric Tana–Val Bormida regional park and walking paths through chestnut forest offer easy, low-traffic hiking. The Napoleonic battlefield where the French defeated the Piedmontese in April 1796 is just south of the modern village; a few markers remain.

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