Sassello
Sassello (; locally ) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Savona in the Italian region Liguria, located about west of Genoa and about north of Savona in the northern side of the Ligurian Apennines. It is the birthplace of Blessed Chiara Badano. Part of Sassello's territory lies within the boundaries of the Parco naturale regionale del Beigua. History Little is known of pre-historic and even medieval events before 1000 AD, although the area has certainly been visited - if not inhabited - by stone age humans, as evidenced by tools and weapons found locally. Livy reports the presence of the Statielli, a Ligurian tribe, not far from Sassello in present-day Acqui Terme. Sassello is first mentioned in 967 AD in an Imperial bull which attached it to the Marquesate of Aleram. Later on, it belonged to Bonifacio del Vasto, the Del Carretto, Ponzone and Genoese Doria families. Due to its strategical position, it was long contended between the Republic of Genoa and the Marquisate of Montferrat. Genoa acquired it from the Doria family in 1612, whereas in 1672 and 1747 it was occupied - and burnt down - by the Duchy of Savoy. It reintegrated the Republic of