The Belbo is a stream about 86 km long that runs through much of the province of Cuneo, Asti and Alessandria. It rises from the Langhe, between Liguria and Piedmont, in the hills of Montezemolo and from there touches the Lands dear to the great Piedmontese writers Bebbe Fenoglio and Cesare Pavese.
The writer from Santo Stefano Belbo places in the Belbo, in opposition to the urban Po, all the symbolism typical of his mythical vision of the countryside. In this sense the river becomes synonymous with life and discovery, death and rebirth, sensuality and escape, play and childlike irrationality.
Quite different meanings the Belbo has taken on in the collective imagination since the tragic flood of 1994. A mild torrent integrated in the memory of the people turned into an uncontrollable instrument of devastation.
Remembering the flood means remembering that the river is alive and as such must be cared for and integrated into the context of territorial socio-economic development. Taking care of the Belbo means ensuring the safety of the community. This is one of the messages that with Open Monuments we try to communicate to all families.
