Val Varatella Ethnographic Museum

Let us now discover the five rooms of the Piano Nobile, the main floor once reserved for the owners of the palace. The first room we come across is the Gentle Chapel where Mass was celebrated from 1759 onwards, following its recognition by Pope Clement XIII. Next is a 16th-century room known as the Picture Gallery. You can recognise it by its slate capitals and, above all, by the oil paintings on...

We now go up to the main floor of the 'Domo de Ast', the residence of the Counts D'Aste since the Middle Ages. This noble family, originally from Asti, settled in Albenga during the Middle Ages, when the local bishops entrusted them with the lands of Toirano. The palace remained in the family for many generations, until around 1800, when it passed to the Marquises del Carretto, from the Balestrino...

According to tradition, the first nativity scene was performed on Christmas night in the year 1223 in Greccio, a small village in the province of Rieti, at the behest of St Francis of Assisi. Since then, the Nativity became an enduring and deeply rooted Italian tradition. Today, it remains at the heart of the work of many associations and permanent exhibitions across the country—like the one you a...

Remember the ancient age of Emperor Charlemagne? Well, part of Toirano’s history takes us right back to those early centuries.  According to tradition, in fact, the first Benedictine monastery in Toirano was founded at the time of Charlemagne, around the 9th century AD, on the summit of Monte S. Pietro. The monastery prospered for centuries, supported by generous donations from the bishops of Albe...

The history of a village is shaped by its customs and traditions. But also, inevitably, by its illustrious personalities who have left their mark. The section of the Museum we are about to visit pays tribute to three distinguished figures from Toirano: Giuseppe Polla, Onesto Garassini and Baccio Emanuele Maineri. Who were they and are they still remembered in the village today? Captain Giuseppe Po...

In the Toirano valley, people cultivated olive trees, vines, and wheat, while trades such as blacksmithing and shoemaking were also widespread. But how did these people dress? To find out, we move to the first floor of the palace, where a room is dedicated to period clothing and costume.  The display cases feature garments, christening covers made of organza and cotton thread, women’s work clothes...

Step into the next room and take a good look, right next to the entrance, at the reconstruction of this late 19th century craft workshop. Whose could it be? Here’s a hint: according to an old Italian proverb, his child walks around wearing tattered shoes. Of course: it belongs to a shoemaker or, in Toiranese dialect, 'scarparin'.  At the end of the 19th century, shoes were made of leather. The sho...

Artificial intelligence, digitisation, new jobs. The world, over the centuries, has become more virtual. But there are some trades that have changed little: the agricultural trades, which are linked to the course of the seasons and Nature, and crafts, which require care and manual skill. We are still in the 16th-century Stables of the Palace. The tools on display in this room were used for the mos...

In the previous room, we saw the image of a humble donkey, patiently walking in circles to turn the heavy stone of the traditional mill, until it bled. But it was not the only possible solution for this type of work. Indeed, in this room there is a curious object: an exceptional wooden gear from a 19th century “gumbu” mill, powered by hydraulic traction, with elements dating back to the 18th centu...

Here we contemplate the oil mill, known as 'a sangue' or ‘bloody’- in Ligurian, 'u gumbettu'. We promised you an explanation. The name is linked to the fact that the grinding wheel was moved by a blindfolded donkey, which walked in circles without stopping to turn the stone. "Bloody” indicates the fatigue that poor beast must have felt! Here, you can also see a few jars and the 'tröggiu', a tub of...

Have you noticed that the hilly landscape of Liguria is characterised by terracing, which makes it possible to grow olive trees on steep slopes and, consequently, produce oil? Well, the original collection of this museum was dedicated to olive growing, which has long been one of the most important activities for the Ligurian economy. Step into the first room: this was once the stables of the Palac...

Have you ever wondered what people's daily lives were like in centuries past and how habits have changed? The Val Varatella Ethnographic Museum tells us just that: the story of how professions, customs, and everyday life have evolved over time. The building we are standing in now is 600 years old, in itself a silent witness to the history of the village of Toirano: the Palace of the Counts D'Aste,...