The name derives from the name of Bishop Norman Olcese, that in the V century took shelter in Liguria from Gaul to escape from the barbarian invasions. The town has also dedicated a church to him and his relics are buried here. Town in the province of Genoa, located in Val Polcevera, it is formed by a group of districts with the one of Piccarello at the center, where the Town Hall has been built. The other ones located all around are: Arvigo, Busalletta, Campi, Comago, Manesseno, San Lorenzo Casanova, Sant'Olcese, Torrazza, Trensasco and Vicomorasso. The town, devoted mainly to crafts, industry and commerce, offers renowned delicatessens and wines and the chance to discover the botanical path Ciaè, a trail in the nature which from Ronco, located near Sant'Olcese, descends into the valley of Rio Pernecco and reaches the now abandoned village of Ciaè, where a fully equipped shelter was set up near an ancient bridge. Along the way it is possible to admire various types of trees, whose characteristics are illustrated by descriptive signs. On the eastern flank of the valley of Sardorella on the summit of the mountain that bears the same name, it is possible to visit the Forte Diamante, recently restored.
The center is cited for the first time in historical documents of the XII century, in the XIV century the inhabitants took part in the clashes between the factions struggling for power in the Republic of Genoa, and in these circumstances the men of the Fieschi burned the church, rebuilt later and some time after the castle of Vicomorasso was destroyed. In the second half of the XVII century Sant'Olcese was affected by an epidemic of plague and during the next century the entire Polcevera valley was invaded and damaged by the Austrian troops.
Not to miss:
Sant'Olcese's church, built probably in the VII century by the monks of San Colombano and was cited for the first time in a document of the XII century. Burned in 1367 during the clashes between political factions and rebuilt twenty years later, it was enlarged during the XVII century and sacked shortly later by the Austrians. On that occasion two valuable paintings, attributed to Giuseppe Palmieri, went lost. The Bell tower, demolished in the first half of the XX century, was rebuilt away from the church.
The Church of Santa Maria Assunta in Comago which features an inscription on a gravestone and was erected in 407 by St. Clare; cited in an official document of the XII century, it was enlarged in the XVII and remodeled in the XVIII and XIX centuries.
The Church of San Martino a Manesseno, which was cited for the first time in an official document of the XII century: It consists of one major nave and two aisles and features five marble altars, a wooden statue of Anton Maria Maragliano, frescoes by Achille De Lorenzi and Luigi Gainotti.
The Church of St. Rocco and St. Sebastian in Trensasco. The first official news of the ancient chapel dedicated to Saints go back to the XVI century. The present church was erected in 1870 near the ancient chapel.
The Church of Santa Margherita of the XI century and is located in Casanova.
Villa Serra-Pinelli located near Comago. Built in the XVIII century and flanked by a mansion built in the mid XIX century and surrounded by nine acres of parkland, that date back to the same period, enriched by lakes, streams and exotic trees.
Forte Diamante whose construction began in the second half of the XVIII century and ended in the early XIX century. Abandoned in the early XX century, the castle has been recently restored.