Cuneo
CUNEO (Fr. Coni), a town and episcopal see of Piedmont, taly, the capital of the province of Cuneo, 55 m. by rail S.'of "urin, 1722 ft. above sea-level. Cuneo lies on the railway from "urin to Ventimiglia, which farther on passes under the Col di Tenda (tunnel 5 m. long). It is also a junction for Mondovi nd Saluzzo, and has steam tramways to Borgo S. Dalmazzo, Joves, Saluzzo and Dronero, Pop. (1901) 15,412 (town), 26,879 commune). Its name (" wedge ") is due to its position on a hill etween two streams, the Stura and the Gesso, with fine views f the mountains. The Franciscan church, now converted into military storehouse, belongs to the 1 2th century, but there are o other buildings of special interest. The fortifications have been converted into promenades. Cuneo was founded about 1 1 20 by refugees from local baronial tyranny, who, after the destruction of Milan by Barbarossa, were joined by Lombards. In 1382 it swore fealty to Amedeus VI., duke of Savoy. It was an important fortress, and was ceded by the treaty of Cherasco (1796), with Ceva and Tortona, to the French. In 1799 it was taken after ten days' bombardment by the Austrian and Russian armies, and, in 1800, after the victory of Marengo, the French demolished the fortifications.
Note - this article incorporates content from Encyclopaedia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, (1910-1911)
