History and culture: Archaeology, Villas, palaces and gardens

Doria – Della Cella Palace

The Medieval Origins of Cabanne

In the heart of the Aveto Valley, the village of Cabanne is believed to have been founded in the 14th century by the Della Cella family, who inherited the settlement from the De Meleto lineage, laying the foundations for a community destined to play a role far greater than its mountain setting might suggest.

The Della Cella Family and Control of Trade

In the 16th century, the Della Cella became co-holders of feudal rights over part of the Aveto Valley together with the Fieschi and later the Doria families, strengthening Cabanne’s strategic position along the Bozale route, a key commercial artery linking the Ligurian coast to the Po Valley hinterland, where goods and caravans were subject to tolls and duties that reinforced the village’s economic and political power.

Stone Gateways and a Mercantile Legacy

Traces of this prosperous past can still be seen in the large stone gateways designed to allow the passage of carts and in the many stone houses that reflect the village’s former economic importance, tangible signs of a time when Cabanne stood as a vital crossing point through the Apennines.

The Noble Palace and Its Customs Function

The emblem of this strategic role is the noble palace, still featuring two corner guardhouses and likely once used as a customs post: not merely a distinguished residence, but a true fiscal and military outpost overseeing one of the main junctions between the Ligurian Riviera and the plains, where trade, power, and territorial control converged.

Trekking and cycling routes that may interest you

Itineraries of different durations and suitable for every taste and level of preparation, to discover the most beautiful and evocative places and panoramas of the Ligurian Tigullio.