Cuneo

Cuneo (Coni in Piedmontese) is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo.

Cuneo became an important stronghold of the expanding Savoy state, and was thus besieged by France several times: first in 1515 by Swiss troops of Francis I of France, then again in 1542, 1557, 1639, 1641, 1691 and, during the War of Austrian Succession, in 1741. In all the sieges Cuneo resisted successfully. Cuneo was conquered by France only during the Napoleonic Wars, when it was made the capital of the Stura department. After the restoration of the Kingdom of Sardinia, and the unification of Italy, Cuneo became the capital of its namesake province in 1859.

Main sights

• Villa Oldofredi Tadini, built in the 14th and 15th centuries as a watchtower. It is now a museum housing collections of the owners, the Mocchia and Oldofredi Tadini families.
• Villa Tornaforte, surrounded by an English-style park.
• Civic Museum
• Railway Museum
• Churches of Santa Croce, San Giovanni Decollato and Santissima Annunziata, housing paintings by Giovan Francesco Gaggini.
• Panoramic funicolar that connects plateau to Gesso river.
• Monument of Stura and Gesso in Torino Square
• The median way of the plateau (Rome Avenue, Galimberti Square and Nice Avenue): the commercial heart of Cuneo.
• Nuvolari Libera Tribù: the longest summer's musical festival, near river Gesso
• Monument at Peano's curve
• Palazzo Uffici Finanziari (PUF), highest edifice in the city at about 50 metres (160 ft)