Altar

Access

Altare is easy to reach thanks to its location along the Savona-San Giuseppe di Cairo railway line and the Altare exit on the Turin-Savona motorway, which facilitates access from both the sea and the Piedmont hinterland. The town is about twenty kilometres from Savona and just over seventy from Turin.

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Introduction

Altare is a municipality of the Ligurian hinterland located in the province of Savona, at an altitude of about 398 metres in the Bormida valley, between the mountains that separate Liguria from lower Piedmont. Its territory, crossed by the Bormida di Mallare stream, is characterised by hilly and wooded landscapes, with dense chestnut and beech forests that bear witness to the transition between the Mediterranean and Apennine environments. The town is developed along the ancient axis of connection between Savona and Piedmont, in an area that for centuries represented an important junction for commercial and cultural exchanges.

Description

The history of Altare is closely linked to the glassmaking tradition, one of the oldest and most renowned in Italy. Since the Middle Ages, the town was populated by master glassmakers from Murano, who brought with them refined techniques and craftsmanship that have made Altare a centre of excellence in the production of artistic glass. Over time, the Altare Glass Guild obtained its own statutes and became a true European reference in the sector. Today, this history is recounted and preserved in the Museo dell'Arte Vetraria Altarese (Museum of the Art of Glassmaking in Altarese), housed in Villa Rosa, a late 19th-century Art Nouveau building, where ample historical documentation, blown glass and contemporary works of art related to this ancient tradition are preserved.
The town centre has a compact and characteristic urban fabric, with cobbled alleys and old houses in Ligurian stone, and offers interesting views of the valley and surrounding mountains. Among the main buildings are the parish church of Sant'Eugenio, of medieval origin and remodelled several times, and the 18th-century chapel of San Sebastiano, located in a panoramic position. In the surrounding area there are also traces of historical mule tracks and ruins of fortifications dating back to the Savoy era, evidence of the strategic role that Altare played along the transit routes between the Kingdom of Sardinia and the Ligurian coast.
The local economy, once dominated by glass production and handicrafts, is now flanked by a growing interest in cultural and nature tourism. Paths and trails in the green make it possible to explore the forests of the Upper Bormida Valley and to reach areas of great scenic value, such as Mount Settepani or Mount Carmo in Savona. Excursions to uninhabited hamlets and ancient stone furnaces, which tell of the centuries-old relationship between man and glassy material, are also interesting.
The social fabric still keeps some popular traditions alive. The patronal feast of Saint Eugene, celebrated in November, is accompanied by religious events and cultural initiatives involving the entire community. There is no lack of events related to art glass, such as exhibitions and educational workshops organised by the museum, which renew the ancient link between technique and creativity every year.

Information

Area: 11.69 km²
Altitude: 398 m above sea level
Maximum elevation: Monte Settepani, 1,386 m
Number of inhabitants: approx. 2.000 (2024)
Name in dialect: Artà
Inhabitants' name: Altaresi
Patron Saint: Sant'Eugenio, 15 November
Bordering municipalities: Mallare, Carcare, Cairo Montenotte, Osiglia, Bormida
Official site: www.comune.altare.sv.it