Comune Quattordio

via Civalieri - 15028 Quattordio (AL)
Tel. +39 (0131) 773.581
Fax: +39 (0131) 773.861
E-mail: sindaco@comune.quattordio.al.it
http://www.comune.quattordio.al.it/

The name of the village of Quattordio derives from its distance from Asti ,14 (in Italian “quattordici”) miles. It was mentioned for the first time in 1159, in a document in which Barbarossa undertakes to keep the municipality of Asti and forty-six villages surrounding it, including Quattordio, under his special power. In modern times it passed under the influence of Alessandria, suffering lootings and from its strategic position, for which it became an almost forced place of passage for
armies.
The most significant place of the past of the village is found in Rocca Civalieri, today a facility for private events, which was originally a fortification called "Rocca
Sparvera".
Quattordio has recently become famous as “village of the murals”: it was the first in Italy in 1984 to host a graffiti writing event with the best American artists of the time, enhancing the historical centre in an original way, and highlighting the relationship which the village has had and still has with the local paints industries and with colour. Four artists (Delta 2, Ero, Phase 2 and Rammellzee) were invited by IVI Spa - Industrie Vernici Italiane (bought and became PPG in 1986) as sponsor of the event, on a visit to the production plant of Quattordio. The writers spent two months in the company and in contact with the population, integrating with the Piedmontese customs. They produced many works, sketches and graffiti using any kind of paint or resin, applying them on the most diverse objects: metal panels, canvases, cars (Fiat 500, Ritmo, X1/9), a Vespa, even a bus, but they put most of the artistic expression on the wall of the central square of the town (today Piazzetta Pettazzi) using spray cans. Some of the murals of the time are still visible and, almost every year, Quattordio is enriched with new works that create a real pathway to discover these artistic techniques. See attached map to visit them