Montebello della Battaglia

The territory of Montebello della Battaglia, divided between plains and green hills, has been the setting for many historically significant events. The fertile land at the mouth of the Valle Coppa is dotted with charming rural settlements and historic farmsteads that make its landscape truly unique.

On May 20, 1859, the Piedmontese cavalry and French infantry clashed between Montebello and Genestrello with the Austrian 5th Army Corps, bravely repelling their repeated attacks. The battle was so important that it soon led to the creation of the regiment of the “Lancers of Montebello.” On May 20, 1882, a small Ossuary was inaugurated on the battlefield to hold the remains of the fallen soldiers from the three armies. The battle also inspired the famous story La piccola vedetta lombarda (“The Little Lookout of Lombardy”), included in Cuore, the celebrated novel by Edmondo De Amicis.

The moving tale was inspired by the true story of a young boy from the countryside near Voghera, who climbed a tree to watch the advance of the Austrian troops. Exposed to enemy fire, he stood his ground bravely and died in the arms of an Italian officer — the first victim of the battle.

The Beccaria Castle of Montebello della Battaglia, a noble residence of the Oltrepò Pavese area, was built toward the end of the 15th century in Montebello, a fief of the Beccaria family — a distinguished and renowned Italian lineage — by order of Galeazzo Maria Sforza Visconti, Duke of Milan. In the following centuries, the property passed to several noble families: the Bellocchio family, who lived there for about three centuries; the De Ghislanzoni family, for over a hundred years; and finally, the Premoli family.