Villamiroglio in Foto

On the slopes of Bricco castello or Bricco Miroglio survives some wall remains often improperly attributed to the ancient castle of the Miroglios. The remains, belonging in reality to a defensive fort, are divided into two distinct parts, the first, fairly easily accessible from the path marked by signs, presents the corner of two walls of brick, with small square windows, probably used for defensive systems. The walls, next to a cliff, holds a small space where you can enjoy some panoramic views of Case Alemanno and on the back of the Church of Villamiroglio. A little further upstream, also reachable by a double narrow path which starts later, following the main dirt road to Varengo, near a pool or a few steps further, using a stairway recently made by volunteers Alpini, you meet the other ruins iof masonry stone buildings. Just a few excerpts of the walls survive, along with some piles of old stones.
The path which follows the wall is very narrow and bumpy in some places, extreme caution is suggested. The best time to enjoy maximum visibility of the ruins is in the autumn-winter when the vegetation is less luxuriant. (a detailed map of the trails of Bricco Castello can be found in the Maps.)

Along the hillside of Mount Bric. The November 11, 1944 about 60 partisans of the Garibaldi Brigade, along with the men of the Monferrato and of the Patria, led by Captain Orlandi (nom de guerre of Rinaldo Ronco) ambushed a nazifascist column between San Giorgio and Ozzano, leading to Casale the cattle from farms Valcerrina delivered into storage. A dozen soldiers died in the ambush, while fifty Republicans and a few, maybe 5, German soldiers, including an officer, were captured. The number of prisoners was too big to hide them in Cascina Bertola by the Garibaldi Brigate, so they were handed over to Gabriele (Carlo Cotta) of the Brigade Monferrato, which led them to Vallegioliti, where they were held captive in the most isolated Cascina Montagnino. The attack sparked the rage of the Germans, who decreed a round-up in whole Valcerrina. The next day Colonel Becher warned the then Bishop of Casale, Mgr. Angrisani, in order to invite the partisans to do not resist, to prevent the destruction promised by the Germans. The Bishop, borrowed a car from Palli brothers, went in search of Valcerrina partisan leaders, but the Germans did not wait for his intervention and the 13 November sparked an angry retaliation, led by about 1,000 men. At Cantavenna, Moncestino and Gabiano were looted and burned dozens of homes. In Ozzano rakers captured 150 family heads and threatened to blow up the whole town. That same day the Bishop Angrisani met Captain Orlandi, who promised that his men will move and not give rise to reprisals. On November 14, the Bishop was able to meet the leaders of the Partisan Brigades Patria and Monferrato, to negotiate the release of German soldiers in the house of the pastor of Vallegioliti, Don Acuto, now old and nearly blind. The partisans agreed to release the prisoners in exchange for some of their captured comrades, and drew up an agreement. This agreement was given by the Bishop to the German command, but was flatly refused and the Bishop returned to Vallegioliti, where, after difficult and painful negotiations at the end the partisans were convinced to drop the German soldiers captured two days earlier, because "with that people you cannot deal with". Reported the news to the German command, the next day the Bishop in person, with proper precautions, was conducted in Cascina Montagnino where German soldiers were delivered into his hands and returned to Casale, and nazifascists save the Valcerrina. The fifty republican prisoners, however, had to be exchanged for some partisans captured, but in the meantime to defined the issue, the Bishop returned by it's own initiative in Vallegioliti on November 17, where, however, he could not meet the leaders of the Monferrato because these were already escaped the previous morning, as the area was subject to an intense round-up. It is not known what was the fate of the Republicans soldiers still prisoners, there are not known evidence of a massacre, which would surely have found place in the chronicles of the time, the assumption may be that were released before or during the flight of the Monferrato, or left in Cascina Montagnino, from which they get free by themselves.

On the night of January 31, 1945 in a farmhouse in Via Bertola had take refuge some partisans. Among them there was the partisan Lino Cover, born in Pordenone. Surprised by a round-up of German soldiers, Lino alone engaged in combat the soldiers to the last bullet, allowing the other partisans hiding with him, or in other houses in Villamiroglio, to escape. His death is commemorated by a plaque on a pillar on a building in Via bertola and another on the Chapel of St. Vitus in the nearby square. The chapel itself was protagonist in the Resistance period, was in fact used as santabarbara by the partisans and as temporary prison during a round-up for an old men of the town, soon released.

To the southeast of Villamiroglio in the township Rairolo, reachable by Varengo. Since 1944, was the headquarter of the command of the Autonomous Partisan Brigade Patria. Although home of feeled celebrations in honor of the saint, as still remembered by the elders of the town, was long time ago abandoned. The property of the church and the adjacent accommodation facility were purchased by a private individual, who has started renovation. The work currently are stopepd and the site is again in a state of neglect.
Front side high and narrow with arched pediment; it states the date '1715'. Slim bell tower.
Other sites associated with partisan events are: the Chapel of St. Vitus (see on Devotional Signs) and the top of Monte Croce.

Along the dirt road between Monte Croce and Cascina Impariasca. It is said that the French in the second half of the '800 built in that place a field hospital, which they used to call it "Saint Jean", or St. John's, due to a small chapel located on the side of the road near there dedicated to that saint. The chapel was destroyed long ago by the careless operation of a tractor, which caused its collapse. This place may took his name form the Gens Oppia, wich could suggest an ancient Roman presence.

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