Prehistory

The Balma del Capretto (Shelter of Baby Goat ) in Croveo is one of several prehistoric painted rock shelters in the Ossola valley. The name of the archaeological site comes from the fact that, when discovered, a baby goat was found inside the shelter. The painting represents a hunting scene and its subjects are two quadruped animals and a series of spirals. The exact age of the site is unknown but is presumed to be in the period between the Middle Neolithic and the Middle Copper Age. The red figures painted in the cave have almost completely disappeared: to preserve their heritage, the area is not open to the public.^[4]

On 28 November 1958, during the excavations for the creation of the sewage system in the village of Croveo, a tomb dating back to the 2nd century BC was discovered. In the tomb were found ceramic vases, a bronze clasp, an iron ax and sandals with nailed soles suitable for walking on mountain paths.^[5] This suggests that the place was already inhabited in that period. One of the reasons why this territory was populated in ancient times was its strategic position in between the two valleys of Devero Antigorio and Formazza. The valleys made the settlement naturally protected.^[6]

Middle Ages

Croveo and other municipal cities were established during the medieval era. The village was officially recognized by the Regnum Italiae in 918 CE.^[7]

In 1215, Emperor Otto IV invested the De Rodia family with the Antigorio Valley. Their possessions were later passed to the House of De Baceno, a family whose origins are narrated in Julius Caesar's De Bello Gallico. The De Baceno's domination lasted until 1381 when the Visconti of Milan took power over the entire Ossola Valley as well as a large part of northern Italy.^[8]

Early Modern Period

Churchyard of the parish church of Croveo, Italy

In 1450 the possession passed to the House of Sforza. In the 15th and 16th centuries the communitity of Croveo was affected by factional conflicts, plague epidemics and witch trials. In 1595, during the Spanish occupation, the feudal manor was assigned to the House of Borromeo. In 1647 the village of Croveo was declared exempt from enfeoffment.^[6]

In 1671 the Parish Church of Croveo was built and dedicated to the patron saint of the city. Its churchyard was later built in honor of Don Amedeo Ruscetta (also known as prete viperaio) and a rock cross was made in memory of the plague epidemic that occurred in 1630.^[9]

In the early 18th century the citizens of Croveo used frequent changes in the bishopric to unsuccessfully request independence from the city of Baceno.^[3]

16th Century Witch Trials

Wrought iron reproduction of a witch on a house in Croveo, Baceno (VCO)

In the 16th century there were a series of witch trials in Croveo. These were revealed in the 20th century by the priest Tullio Bertamini due to the discovery of a copy of one of the trials conducted by the inquisition in Novara in 1591, involving a woman from Montecrestese accused of witchcraft for supposedly bewitching a cow. This trial was later published by Bertamini in the magazine Illustrazione Ossolana.^[11]

Some of the more specific examples of witch trials in Croveo include Margherita Turchelli, widow of Jorio di Premia, who on 27 April 1519 was prosecuted by the inquisitor Friar Alberto Bossi of Novara from the Order of Preachers. She was suspected of heretical depravity and labeled as a witch and malevolent individual, and accused based on various prior information and evidence brought against her. She never confessed to the accusations and did not accept the sacrament of the Eucharist; rather, she spat upon it in scorn against God, choosing to worship the Devil instead. Alberto Bossi decreed that Margherita should be taken to the place of execution, bound with a rope, and subjected to torture in order for her to confess her sins. Turchelli ended up admitting her involvement in these activities related to black magic only after she was further tortured by being held up mid-air with a rope for an hour.^[3]

Late Modern Period

During the 19th century the population and the economy of the village grew, facilitated by the settlement of pastoral communities throughout the valley. They introduced the production of dairy. The economy developed from agriculture to include manufacturing and mining. In 1860 the extraction of gold and asbestos began. In 1875 the first latteria turnaria (a factory that produced diary produce) was built.^[12]

In 1864 the first musical band of the village was founded. The band started with a dozen instruments and until it reached over 40. Their repertoire includes traditional music, especially related to religion, and modern songs of that time. The band used to perform during popular and religious festivals and village fairs.^[13]

Contemporary History

During World War II, anti-fascist partisans retreated through Croveo and Baceno in an attempt to escape to Switzerland. On 17 October 1944, a group of partisans was massacred by the Nazis after a mechanical failure of a cable car halted their retreat. The few survivors were either captured and taken to concentration camps or managed to escape into the woods.^[14][15] The event is remembered every year by the citizens and a museum was built, in the village of Goglio, in honor of the deceased.^[16]

Temperatures

Precipitations

Wind

Population

The official estimated population of Croveo in 2011 was 231, according to ISTAT, the official Italian statistical agency,^[24] consisting of 119 males and 112 females, with 87 married and 1 divorced.

Age distribution

The age distribution of Croveo's citizens can be divided as follows in the table:

Foreign population

Croveo is home to 9 people from foreign countries, divided as follows:

With an age distribution divided as follows:

Education

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

Parish Church of Croveo, Italy

Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the twelve Apostles on the principal wooden door of the Parish Church of Croveo, Italy

The Parish Church of Croveo was built in 1671 and is dedicated to the Nativity of the Virgin Mary.

A characteristic of this church is that its bell tower is built on a rock fallen in a landslide from the hillside above.^[29]

The church is structured on three naves, two side chapels and five altars.

The art pieces are:

• The Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the Twelve Apostles carved in wooden doors at the front entrance of the church.
• A cross made of stone commemorating the 1629–1631 Italian plague.^[9]

Croveo’s Torchio

Croveo's Torchio (winepress) stands on a stone building leaning against a large rock that forms one of its walls. The structure is formed by a large beam eight meters long, with a grinding stone. It was used for pressing fruits such as grapes, apples and pears.^[30]

The Croveo Barrier

Reconstruction of the barrage of Croveo, Italy

Barrage of Croveo, Italy, facing west

The Croveo Barrier was constructed in the 16th century in the Antigorio Valley as a defensive system for communication with nearby villages. Smoke and fire were used to raise the alarm and prepare for defense. The barrier system had three key points: the Baceno Tower, the bell tower of Croveo and the barricade at the Passo. The barricade at the Passo was built on three floors with a double arched door. It was also used as a checkpoint for collecting goods and payments from caravans of merchants passing Croveo on the way to Switzerland.^[31]

The House of the Chaplain and the Amedeo Ruscetta Museum

The House of the Chaplain ("Chià dul Caplan") is a stone structure dated 1607, situated next to the Parish Church. The building has been restored by the Parish of Croveo in collaboration with the Municipal Administrations of Baceno. Financial and operational support came from the 'Costume Group' of Baceno and the 'CoEUR 'In the Heart of the European Trails' project, an international initiative aimed at connecting major European trails, such as the Via Francigena and the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, with tourist-devotional and diverse spiritual routes within the Italian and Swiss regions.

The building is now used as a museum dedicated to sacred art and rural civilization. On its inauguration on 19 July 2015 it was officially named after Don Amedeo Ruscetta, the priest known for his expertise in handling serpents.

Room inside the House of the Chaplain and the Amedeo Ruscetta Museum in Croveo, Baceno (VCO)

The museum has three floors:

• The first floor contains aspects of rural culture, featuring tools and implements used in local crafts.
• The second floor is dedicated to sacred art. It contains a collection of ancient garments worn by Croveo's women and costumes worn during the village festival processions. It has a collection of sacred vestments, some of which date back to the 17th century and were donated by the Croveo confraternities who had relocated to Rome. It has an exhibition of a Corpus Christi procession, complete with liturgical paraphernalia.
• The third floor is dedicated to Don Amedeo Ruscetta, featuring a reconstructed room resembling the quarters of the former parish priest with his original bed, a gift from Father Carlo. An exhibit showcases preserved specimens of vipers and other animals, which reflect the priest's passion for herpetology.^[32]

War Memorial

The memorial was dedicated on April 11, 1920, in memory of the Croveo inhabitants who lost their lives in World War I. It has four sides, each with a panel indicating the names of the 21 fallen soldiers. The sculture is made of a granite stone obelisk with a pyramidal base and it is surmounted by two sculptures.^[33]

Village Festivals

There are a range of annual events in Croveo:

• The Festival of the Witches of Croveo (La Festa Delle Streghe Di Croveo).
• The Mele Miele festival, an autumn tourist event where visitors can taste apples and honey picked by local farmers and beekeepers.^[34]
• The patronal festival of Croveo, which is held on the second Sunday of September to celebrates the Nativity of Mary.^[35]
• The Goat in Croveo ("Craf in Crof" in Italian dialect) fair takes place in November where Piedmont's traditional goat and sheep breeds are exhibited alongside the products derived from their breeding.^[36]

Agritourism

Croveo has an agritourism center called "Alpe Crampiolo", which is open to the public to see local dairy production, including cheese making and milk production. There is a resort called "Beola di Croveo".

Rock Climbing

Croveo has a sports-climbing cliff with a selection of approximately 25 bolted routes in the grades of F5b - F7b. The rock is gneiss. The cliff is south-facing and situated 926 metres (3,038 ft) above sea level.^[37] The cliff can be accessed by a 5-minute walk from Croveo village. The climbs are suited to families^[38] and also include harder climbs, such as Bianco at the grade of F8a.^[39]

The Via Ferrata Walserfall ascends the rocky wall near the Agàro Waterfall, reaching Piodacalva, a cluster of cabins and barns above the rocky bastion. The access trail (code H00 up to Osso) is marked by specific trail markers.^[40] The first half of the Via Ferrata has a modest slope, and with a cable acts as a handrail. Later on the trail, there is a long vertical slab called the Muro della Cascata (Waterfall Wall), where footholds make the ascent easier. After completing this slab, there is the Cengia della Cascata (Ledge of the Waterfall), followed by the beginning of the second section of the Via Ferrata, which starts at the Muro dei Tetti (Roof Wall), where the path becomes steep. Following this section, there are two more vertical portions known as the Muro dello Specchio (Mirror Wall) and the Muro del Nano (Dwarf's Wall), both equipped with metal footholds to facilitate climbing.^[41]

Cycling

The mountain bike route Via di Squettar starts at Baceno and continues though Croveo, passing by the hamlet's giant's kettle and its historic centre. This trail is 18 kilometres (11 mi) long and takes 3 to 6 hours to complete.^[42]

Hiking

Le Caldaie del Diavolo (The Devil's Cauldrons) in Croveo, Italy

The ancient track Croveo Tour (Giro di Croveo) is 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) long and has an altitude difference of 213 metres (699 ft). The trail ultimately leads to the Arbola Pass and it has fostered trade between the Devero Valley and the Binn Valley throughout the centuries. Carved into the rock, a mule track was established to facilitate the passage of pack animals.^[43]

The Witch Trail (Percorso delle Streghe) route, which starts in Baceno, leads to The Devil's Cauldrons (Le Caldaie del Diavolo) and is also accessible in winter with the help of snowshoes. The length of the track is 4.7 kilometres (2.9 mi) and the elevation gain is 250 metres (820 ft). This track is considered suitable for walkers of all abilities.^[29]

In the North of Croveo there is a walking route to Agaro Lake, historically known for Agaro village which was submerged by 20 million liters of water. In 1936 Enel, built a dam to created an artificial lake to supply the nearby villages.^[44] The track has an elevation gain of 782 metres (2,566 ft), a length of 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) and a duration of 4 hours and 45 minutes.^[45]

Don Amedeo Ruscetta

Don Amedeo Ruscetta, Priest of Croveo

Don Amedeo Ruscetta was born shortly after the Unification of Italy, in Artò. In his youth he accidentally discovered vipers while searching for blackbird nests. This encounter sparked his passion for the study and capture of snakes (herpetology).

During the first half of the 20th century, the priest lived and worked in Croveo. After each mass he would gather children round the church and hold lessons on hunting vipers.^[46]

His closest collaborator, Diovuole Proletti, recalled in an article in La Stampa, that by the late 1950s they were able to earn up to 500 lire for each specimen of viper venom.^[47]

Traditionally, vipers were sent by mail to the Pasteur Institute in Paris. When French customs regulations made it impossible to send live reptiles by post, Ruscetta and Proletti devised a method that involved opening the viper's mouths and having them bite a sponge so that the crystallized venom, once collected, could be sent in accordance with French regulations. This method was also used to supply the Serotherapy Institute of Milan.^[48]

On his tombstone, Don Amedeo Ruscetta insisted on having inscribed a specific sentence:

Sacerdote Amedeo Ruscetta – viperaio, parroco di Croveo – operoso leale faceto ospitale: maestro piacevole di fede e scienza attraverso la natura a Dio portò popoli e fedeli. – L’anima preclara – mover si volse tornando al suo regno.^[47]

The Children's Train

The Children's Train, Croveo, Italy

The "Children's Train" is a tourist village located in the woods of Croveo and it is managed by the Capuchin Friars of Domodossola. The Children's Train village was created in 1966 when the friar Michelangelo Falcioni was looking for a place to spend the summer with the children hosted by the church. The Minister of Transportation Luigi Scalfaro donated the train carriages.

This village is composed of old train carriages that have been transformed into different rooms and now hosts groups, scouts and families from all over Italy. It is managed by volunteers.^[49]