Chiesa di Santa Maria del Castello, Alessandria

The church of Santa Maria di Castello can be considered a symbol of Alexandria's urban history; it is referred to, in fact, as the oldest place in the city in the absence of the religious pole par excellence: the ancient 12th-century cathedral of St. Peter, demolished by order of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803. The church is located in the square of the same name, and together they form the heart of Borgo Rovereto, an ancient neighborhood in the historic center of Alexandria. Castrum Roboreti, or more simply Roboretum, such were the ancient Latin names, formerly curtis regia in the 8th century, was one of the eight settlements that contributed to the founding of the city of Alexandria in the second half of the 12th century.