Asigliano Vercellese
Probably of Roman origin, Asigliano Vercellese is a small, characteristic village in the lower Vercelli area where the ancient and popular Bull Race takes place.
THE TOWN OF ASIGLIANO VERCELLESE
The small town, only a few kilometres from the city of Vercelli, is mainly known for the traditional Bull Race held in May during the Feast of St. Victor.
The most historically and architecturally valuable monuments in the town include: the Parish Church of St. Mary of the Assumption, which was first mentioned around the 13th century and has a Neoclassical façade; the castle, of which only the wall and part of the cylindrical tower remain; and the Church of St. Victor, located near the cemetery and dating back to the 15th century.
THE BULL RACE
This race, borrowed from the one held annually in Caresana, was probably born as a result of a religious vow made to the town’s patron saint during the 15th century, when a wave of pestilence decimated the population throughout the area.
The Feast of St. Victor and the Bull Race have been celebrated on the second Sunday in May since 1436. Initially, the ceremonial required the citizens of Asigliano to untie four pairs of oxen along the “lea dla stassion” as a thanksgiving to St. Victor. The rite was preceded by the singing of the Deus Teorum Militum.
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