Pietre Gemelle

IN LATIN PETRAE GEMELLAE, IN TITTSCHU PRESSMILCH, IN ITALIAN PIETRE GEMELLE OR ALSO PRESMELL

It is said that a boulder, rolling down from the side of the mountain, split into two equal parts upon hitting the valley floor, as if they were looking at each other. These are the 'twin' stones seen between the state road and the Sesia river, a little less than halfway between Riva Valdobbia and Alagna. They gave their name to the community that, until 1475, included the entire territory of Riva Valdobbia and Alagna.

In Latin, Petrae Gemellae, in Tittschu, Pressmilch, in Italian, Pietre Gemelle or also Presmell. The oldest record of its existence is a document from the Civic Archive of Vercelli (Biscioni Code) which contains the oath of allegiance to Vercelli by the Valsesians, dating back to the year 1217. In it, a certain 'Guidetus filius Johannis de Petris Zumellis' appears as the sole representative of Pietre Gemelle.

Until 1325, the Community was subordinate to the Parish of Scopa: the arrival of the Walser people, the consequent increase in population, and the growing difficulty in reaching such a distant location led to autonomy.

Thus, the autonomous Parish of St. Michael was established, which remained in charge of these two villages until 1475, the year of the definitive division between Alagna and Riva Valdobbia.

Over the centuries, most of the houses were built on a small rise, which is now the historic center of Riva Valdobbia, and the locality of Pietre Gemelle remained known for the two powerful boulders that, even today, despite the passage of centuries, stand gazing at each other like identical brothers.