La Torre e il Fiume

La Torre e il Fiume (The Tower and the River) is a historical museum set up in Masio's medieval tower dating back to the 13th century. The contents, curated by the Centro Studi di Architettura Militare del Piemonte (Centre for the Study of Military Architecture in Piedmont) based in Turin, describe the history of the tower and, more generally, of Piedmont's towers: it starts with a description of the Masio area at the time of its construction and then extends the analysis to the towers in the territory of central-southern Piedmont; the museum layout then continues with a description of construction, defence and siege techniques. The last floors are dedicated to the 20th century, a period in which the tower lost its significance as a symbol of municipal power in medieval times, to become an element in the landscape, which, in Masio, is dominated by the Tanaro. The exit at the top is exciting, allowing a view of the entire Monferrato and Alessandria plain. The museum tells a thousand-year history with images, reproductions, some of which have never been seen before, of ancient documents, models and reconstructions of medieval weapons and war machines, up to original tools from the early 20th century that tell the story of life on the river. During 2019, an archaeology section was added, containing finds dating back to the Iron Age and the late imperial Roman period, testifying to the constant human presence in the area over the millennia. The Tower, on the other hand, is the starting point of a diffuse space that combines history, art and the environment. From the tower, in fact, starts a nature trail that runs along the Tanaro river to the hills of woods and vineyards, returning to Masio where the 14th-century parish church can be admired. The trail is registered in the regional register of trails under number 870. Inside the complex, which is included in the Castelli Aperti (Open Castles) circuit, cultural events are held periodically and the patron saint's festival is held on the last Sunday in July.