| Cuneo | |
| Official Name: | Comune di Cuneo |
| Coordinates: | 44.3894°N 7.5478°W |
| Region: | Piedmont |
| Province: | Cuneo (CN) |
| Frazioni: | Borgo Gesso, Borgo San Giuseppe, Confreria, Madonna Dell'Olmo, Madonna Delle Grazie, Passatore, Roata Rossi, Ronchi, San Benigno, San Pietro Del Gallo, San Rocco Castagnaretta, Spinetta, Bombonina Soprana, Cascina Barca, Cascina Belvedere, Cascina Bombonina Sottana, Cascina Bonada, Cascina Cartignano, Cascina Combe, Cascina Cordero, Cascina Filatura, Cascina Forfice, Cascina Grangia, Cascina La Provvidenza, Cascina Malaspina, Cascina Mombasiglia, Cascina Rivagnola, Cascina Roero, Cascina Sciolla, Cascina Tortagrassa, Cascina Tre Tetti, Cascina Zumaglia, Cascinali Della Trinità, Cascinali Di Torre Roa, Colombaro Ferraris, Filatoio Quaranta, La Battistina, Ruata Gauteri, Segheria Torrette, Tetti Brignone, Tetti Milano, Tetti Pesio, Tetti Ravot, Tetto Buon Riposo, Tetto Coniglio, Tetto Cordonotto, Tetto Corvo, Tetto Delle Figlie, Tetto Farina, Tetto Menone, Tetto Patta, Tetto Plonasso, Tetto Ratti, Tetto Rubatti Soprano, Tetto Rubatti Sottano, Tetto San Giacomo, Torre Acceglio Inferiore, Torre Bianca, Torre Di Bava, Torre Di Brizio, Trucchi |
| Mayor Party: | PD |
| Mayor: | Patrizia Manassero |
| Area Total Km2: | 119.67 |
| Population Total: | 55990 |
| Population As Of: | 18 July 2024 |
| Population Demonym: | Italian: cuneese (pl. Italian: -i) |
| Elevation M: | 534 |
| Elevation Max M: | 615 |
| Elevation Min M: | 431 |
| Istat: | 004078 |
| Saint: | Saint Michael |
| Day: | 29 September |
| Postal Code: | 12100 |
| Area Code: | 0171 |
Cuneo (pronounced as /it/; Coni pronounced as /ˈkʊni/; Occitan (post 1500);: Coni in Occitan (post 1500); pronounced as /ˈkuni/; French: Coni in French pronounced as /kɔni/) is a city and Italian: [[comune]] in Piedmont, Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the fourth largest of Italy’s provinces by area.
It is located at 550 metres (1,804 ft) in the south-west of Piedmont, at the confluence of the rivers Stura and Gesso.
Cuneo is bounded by the municipalities of Beinette, Borgo San Dalmazzo, Boves, Busca, Caraglio, Castelletto Stura, Centallo, Cervasca, Morozzo, Peveragno, Tarantasca and Vignolo.[1]
It is located near six mountain passes:
Cuneo was founded in 1198 by the local population, who declared it an independent commune, freeing themselves from the authority of the bishops of Asti and the marquisses of Montferrat and Saluzzo. In 1210, the latter occupied it, and in 1231 the Cuneesi rebelled. In 1238, they were recognized as a free commune by Emperor Frederick II.
In 1259, the independence of Cuneo ceased forever, as it gave itself, also to take protection against its more powerful neighbours, to Charles I of Anjou, who was then the Count of Provence. Together with Alba, it was the main Angevine possession in Northern Italy; Angevine rule interrupted by periods under the control of Saluzzo, Savoy, and the Visconti of Milan was ended in 1382 when Cuneo was acquired by the Duchy of Savoy.
Cuneo became an important stronghold of the expanding Savoy state. The city was thus besieged several times by France: first in 1515 by Swiss troops of Francis I of France, then again in 1542, 1557, 1639, 1641, 1691 and, during the War of the Austrian Succession, in 1741. Cuneo resisted each siege successfully. The city was taken by France only during the Napoleonic Wars and was made the capital of the Stura department. After the restoration of the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the unification of Italy, Cuneo became the capital of its namesake province in 1859. In 1862, Cuneo was the location of a Polish Military School moved from Genoa, which trained Polish officers in exile, the overwhelming majority of whom then fought in the Polish January Uprising in the Russian Partition of Poland in 1863–1864 (see also Italy–Poland relations).[2]
During World War II, from 1943 to 1945, it was one of the main centres of partisan resistance against the German occupation of Italy.In 1943, Cuneo's Jewish citizens were briefly arrested and imprisoned at the nearby Borgo San Dalmazzo concentration camp by the order of Minister of the Interior Guido Buffarini Guidi. They were freed before the Minister's orders came into effect and most community members fled Cuneo into hiding.
However, on 9 December 1944, the Cuneo Police Department reopened the camp and imprisoned the remaining Jewish residents of Cuneo most of whom were then deported to Auschwitz. Few survived according to reports. Italian partisans liberated Cuneo from the German and Italian fascist occupation on 25 April 1945. The retreating fascist forces murdered the remaining six Jewish prisoners being held at Cuneo's local prison.[3] [4] [5] [6]
See also: List of mayors of Cuneo.
Most important and populated: Centro storico, Cuneo centro, Cuneo nuova, San Paolo, Donatello, Gramsci, San Rocco, Cerialdo, Confreria and Borgo San Giuseppe.[10]
Cuneo has a temperate sub-continental climate, with cold winters and hot, dry summers. However, it is situated more than 500m (1,600feet) above sea level, which helps to make summers more bearable: the hottest month, July, has an average temperature of 21.6°C. The coldest, January, averages 1.7°C. Annual precipitation is about 962mm, distributed over 81 days. The rainfall pattern is similar to that of Turin, with two maxima—one primary and one secondary (spring and autumn) and two minima (summer and winter). The driest month is July, 44mm. Snowfalls are frequent owing to high elevation and wind patterns.
Cuneo's specialty is Cuneesi al rhum, small meringues with dark chocolate coating and a rum-based chocolate filling. They are a creation of Andrea Arione (1923), who also registered the name, and sold them in the bar still located in the central square, Piazza Galimberti; another claim makes them a creation of pastry chef Pietro Galletti from Dronero. Another specialty is "raviolini al plin", a small ravioli pasta made with meat and vegetables. The most famous brand there is Pastificio Boetti, also located close to the central square.
There is an important volleyball club, Piemonte Volley who won 1 Italian Volleyball League, 3 CEV Cup, 2 CEV SuperCup, 4 Italian Volleyball Cup and 3 Italian Volleyball SuperCup.
Associazione Calcio Cuneo 1905 (A.C. Cuneo 1905) who plays in the 3rd level of Italian football.
Cuneo has also a Rugby Team called "Cuneo Pedona Rugby", currently playing in the National "Serie C" League. The team is playing in the Municipal Field of Madonna dell'Olmo.
Many times stage of Giro d'Italia. In 2016, for the first time in the Giro history, the race arrived in Sant'Anna di Vinadio sanctuary, the highest sanctuary in Europe, 2035 m, and the day after, on 29 May, the race started from Cuneo.
Since 1987 Cuneo has been the start and arrival point of the amateur international race "La Fausto Coppi".
Cuneo is twinned with:[12]
Santa Fe, Argentina
Nice, France
Richard Toll, Senegal