Art

Baroquein Piedmont

Itineraries in Art

Introduction P. 4

Baroque in Piedmont P. 6

Turin P. 10

Itinerary 1: Piazza Castello, Via Poand the surrounding area P. 12

Itinerary 2: Piazza Carignano, Piazza San Carloand the surrounding area P. 22

Itinerary 3: Via and Piazza Palazzo di Città,i Quartieri, la Consolata P. 28

Itinerary 4: The river, the hillsand the surrounding area P. 38

Alessandria and the surrounding area P. 48

Asti and the surrounding area P. 50

Biella and the surrounding area P. 52

Cuneo and the surrounding area P. 54

Novara and the surrounding area P. 58

Verbania and the surrounding area P. 62

Vercelli and the surrounding area P. 64

Local Tourist Boards in Piedmont P. 66

Contents

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GenovSavona

Imperia

Alassio

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O E

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FR

AN

CE

Varallo ❏

Sauze d’Oulx ❏

❏ Parco Nat.della Val Troncea

Val Germanasca ❏

❏ PragelatoClaviere ❏

Gran Paradiso

Rocciamelone

COLLE DI NAVA

COLLE DEL MONGINEVRO

MONCENISIO SS N° 25

COLLE DI TENDA

LO

MB

AR

DI

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GU

RI A

SS N° 30

M. Leone

VALLED’AOSTA

Italian Railways Freephone 1478-88088

Torino Caselle Airport Flight Information Service Tel. +39 011.5676.361/362For real-time updates see:websitehttp://www.turin-airport.com

Cuneo Levaldigi AirportInformationTel. 0172.374374

Malpensa 2000 AirportInformation Freephone 800 337337

Tunnel del MonteBianco

S W I T Z E R L A N D

Monte Rosa

Motorway Turin/Alessandria/Piacenza

Motorway Turin/Ivrea/Aosta

Motorway Turin/Milano

Motorway Turin/Savona

Motorway Turin/Bardonecchia

Motorway Gravellona Toce/Santhià/Voltri/Genova

Sanremo

Map of Piedmont

ny thematic itinerary

focussed exclusively on

the monuments of an epoch, on the

art-istic legacy of a period, style, or

movement, is likely to engender paradoxical

situ-ations. Like inducing us to deliberately igno-

re whatever is not included in our guide, to close our

eyes and wander like sleepwalkers from one monument to

the next, identifying and appreciating only single and isolated

fragments of time, history, and art.

If there is a region where none of this happens, that region is

Piedmont. If there is an artistic and historical period to

which this dispersion does not apply, that period is the

Baroque age. And not simply because entire quarters,

and even towns, are intact in their harmony and

charm and are therefore ideal settings for journeys

through time, art, and custom.

Baroque is Piedmontese because Piedmont is

the quintessence of Baroque.

The Baroque era is the Grand Siècle of a

small gem-like state that echoed Paris and

aspired to rule over Italy. The golden

age of urban royal palaces, hillside

villas and suburban “Delights”; of

Introduction

A castles immersed in fairy-

tale parks; of shrines, basilicas

and churches embodying the gran-

diose faith of the powerful and the simple

devotion of the poor.

Piedmontese Baroque is the ésprit de geometrie of

arcades, squares, and straight urban streets that

enchanted a sentimental rationalist like Jean-Jacques

Rousseau, that plunged Friedrich Nietzche into folly, that in-

spired the metaphysical restlessness of Giorgio De Chirico’s

Piazze d’Italia.

Just outside Turin, we find a mosaic of palaces, villas,

synagogues, castles. And the precious crown of Holy

Mounts, proclaimed UNESCO World Heritage Sites

in 2003.

Piedmont is not just Baroque. But knowing

Baroque means understanding Piedmont,

because Baroque is the spirit of

Piedmont.

Enzo Ghigo

Governor of Piedmont

n Piedmont, Turin in particular,

the Baroque period – from the end

of the sixteenth century to the end of

the eighteenth century – coincided with

the development of the Savoy state,

tracing the rise of a dynasty, represent-

ing and celebrating the power of a

duchy, and later a kingdom, which was

to play a fundamental role in the

history of Italy. The key artists of the

period all came to work in Turin, and

Turin is home to some of the finest

examples of Baroque works– just think

of the San Lorenzo church or the

Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi.

For many the term “Baroque” evokes

images of lavish decorations, scrolls,

stuccoes, gilding and marble. But

Baroque is about more than just pomp

and ornament. It is not merely a style

or aesthetic current: Baroque is the art-

istic expression of an era, the period

between the late sixteenth and mid-

7

Baroque in Piedmont

I

Palazzo Madama

eighteenth centuries, which was char-

acterised by radical changes. The end of

the Renaissance, the colonisation of the

Americas, wars and dynastic battles,

and the scientific discoveries of the day

all began to shed doubt on existing

dogmas and previous certainties, while

this period was also dominated by the

spirit of the Counter Reformation, the

great absolutist monarchies and a

society based on rigid hierarchies.

Baroque, with its rarely straight lines,

its stuccoes, decorative elements and

special effects, reflects the artists’

ongoing attempt to reconcile opposites

- science and faith, reason and emotion,

technique and effect: the very contrasts

which were dividing and at the same

time shaping the world in that period.

Baroque originated in Rome and soon

spread throughout Italy and Europe;

leading figures include Bernini, Borro-

mini, Juvarra, Guarini, Pietro da Cor-

tona and Longhena.

Emanuele Filiberto brought Baroque

to Piedmont: in exchange for funda-

mental support to the emperor Philip

II, he was given back his father’s lost

lands, and in 1578 he transferred the

capital of the Duchy from Chambéry to

Turin. For at least another one hun-

dred and fifty years the Savoy king-

dom was the only state in Italy to have

an established, acknowledged political

and economic structure.

The close links between this art form

and the representation of the glories of

state mean that the finest examples of

Piedmontese Baroque are to be found

in Turin and areas connected to the

capital, like the royal residences.

However there are traces of Baroque

art in all the provinces of Piedmont,

mainly, but not exclusively in the

ecclesiastical context.

In this publication we are pleased to

present the most important sites of the

Baroque era.

8

Baroque in Piedmont

Palazzo Carignano

balanced with the addition of squares,buildings and monuments, accordingto a precise, strict layout.Following the French model, attentionwas dedicated to making the most ofthe city’s main river, the Po, whichbecame a scenic and architectural ele-ment reflecting grandiose construc-tions like the Valentino Castle.Nobles and court dignitaries had eleg-ant city residences built, where theluxury not shown off on the outsidewas transferred to the interior. This isthe origin of the splendid, deservedlyfamous courtyards of Turin, and theirgrandiose marble friezed staircases:these were the areas, service areas inappearance only, that gave visitorstheir first, vital impression of theirhosts’ standing and wealth.In the seventeenth and eighteenth cen-turies the greatest architects and town-planners of the age came to work inTurin, from Guarino Guarini to Filip-po Juvarra, who, while embodying twoprofoundly different concepts ofBaroque were united by the beauty oftheir creations.Guarini, a Theatine monk from Mode-

na, celebrated the solemnity of theSavoy State, and the monarchy as theinstitution and symbol of authority.His majestic but never over-wroughtbuildings with their elegant undulat-ing façades and interwoven arches; theuse of a “poor” material such as brick,enhanced by ever-changing effectsof space and volume created by thelight; and the hues of the marble used,all serve to convey the vitality andstrength of a new, emerging state.Meanwhile Juvarra, who was born inMessina and trained in Rome, was onthe scene a few decades after Guarini,in a period which saw the state as anacknowledged, established power, cel-ebrating itself and its glories. It has been said that while Guarinirepresents the state, Juvarra repres-ents the court. Juvarra’s work is highly scenic, build-ings constructed at “strategic” pointslike the hill of Superga or the plains ofStupinigi. Windows were not just forthose inside to look out, but also sothat the lit halls, elegant celebrations,and rich clothing and furnishings,could be admired from the outside.

Turin surprises the tourist for twomain reasons.Firstly with its sheer charm, which isan even greater surprise for thoseexpecting an area dedicated to indus-try and work, efficient but a little for-bidding. The second surprise is findingthat the architecture, and Baroquearchitecture in particular, of the his-toric city centre boasts the involve-ment of the most illustrious names inseventeenth and eighteenth centuryart, who created imposing works ofgreat beauty here.This rich heritage is thanks to the com-plete transformation of the capitalbrought about by the Savoys from theend of the sixteenth century, which

continued for almost two centuries,with various additions. And while thistransformation all but cancelled thetraces of Medieval Turin, it made thecity into one of the international cap-itals of Baroque.In terms of the radical transformationof the layout of the capital, sumptuousroyal residences were erected, fromPalazzo Reale to the Palazzina diCaccia di Stupinigi, and existing build-ings like Palazzo Madama and theValentino Castle were reworked.A new town plan was created, withwide, straight paved streets suited toheavy carriage traffic, and sometimesaccompanied by arcades for pedes-trians, as in Via Po. These streets were

10 11

Turin

The Valentino Castle

in the Roman period, the remains ofwhich are the towers facing Via Gari-baldi, now incorporated into the Ba-roque façade. In the 13th century thebuilding became a stronghold, and inthe 15th century the towers on the sidefacing Via Po were built.The building takes its name from thefact that during the 17th century itwas the residence of the Royal ladiesMaria Cristina of France and MariaGiovanna Battista of Savoy-Nemours,and was transformed into a royal

townhouse: Ascanio Vitozzi and Carlodi Castellamonte worked on it, adapt-ing the façade and covering the inter-nal courtyard, which was transformedinto a hall. But the most spectaculartransformation came about during the18th century. The Royal Architect Fi-lippo Juvarra designed the façade inwhite stone from Chianocco and thegrandiose internal staircase in such away that every element, from the win-dows to the columns, from the balus-trade to the statues, strongly conveyed

A magic townIt is a well-known fact that,

according to exoteric doc-trines, Turin is one of the

main “magic” cities of the

world. Legend has it that one of thestatues at the top of the staircase of theGran Madre church indicates the spotwhere no less than the Holy Grail isburied, deep into the river bed.

Piazza Castello seems to play a crucialrole in this “magic” context, becausethe Castor and Pollux statues are saidto mark the area in which the forces ofgood are most powerful.

The point of departure and arrival forany tour, Piazza Castello lies at theheart of Turin. The square was design-ed by Ascanio Vitozzi at the end of the16th century to lend form to a spacewhich until then had been somewhatuneven, and to revitalise the structureat its centre, the eponymous “Castle”,now known as Palazzo Madama.This construction is the result of an ex-traordinary fusion of buildings situatedabove and around the Porta Pretoria,one of the fortified entrances into Turin

Itinerary 1Piazza Castello, Via Po and the surrounding area

Piazza Castello:Piazzetta Reale, Palazzo Madama, the Dioscuri

the opulence and power of a kingdomin full expansion.Overlooking the square are some of themost important Baroque buildings inTurin, starting from Palazzo Reale,constructed on the site of the ancientbishop’s palace, which all the courtarchitects worked on over a period ofaround two centuries.The initial design was created by Asca-nio Vitozzi at the end of the 16th cen-tury, and in the mid-17th century thefaçade designed by Carlo Morello was

completed. Work continued in the nextcentury: Juvarra designed the spectacu-lar Scala delle Forbici; Benedetto Alfierithe summer and winter apartments andthe Beaumont Gallery, named after thepainter Claudio Francesco Beaumont.

Palazzo Reale was a complex structurewhich was used not only as a residencefor the sovereign, but represented thereal nerve centre for state affairs. In thesecond half of the 17th century, with aview to this, Amedeo di Castellamontecreated a large wing comprising a num-ber of different structures which linkedthe palace to the Contrada di Po (thepresent day Via Po). Part of this was theAla delle Segreterie, or Office Wing,which was also worked on by Juvarraand Benedetto Alfieri (this section nowhouses the offices of the Prefecture andthe Provincial Council); the State Ar-chives, also designed by Juvarra; theRegio Theatre, designed by BenedettoAlfieri and completed in 1740, thendestroyed by a fire in 1936 and rebuiltin the 1970’s; the Military Academy,which was damaged during the SecondWorld War and then demolished toallow for the rebuilding of the adjacenttheatre; and lastly the old stables, theRoyal Riding School, also the work ofAlfieri, and now restored to host exhibi-tions and cultural events. The part of Palazzo Reale which is opento visitors includes the Royal Armoury

and the Beaumont Gallery, and the cen-tral section of the palace behindPiazzetta Reale, enclosed by the gate-way designed by Pelagio Palagi, whichis topped by the statues of the Dioscuri(Castor and Pollux). Visitors can ad-mire the Throne Room and a great vari-ety of areas with furniture masterpiecescreated by Piffetti and the greatestcabinet-makers of the day, the precioussoft furnishings and the chinoisériesfashionable in the 18th century, as wellas magnificent collections of porcelain.

Behind the palace, the Royal Gardensare the result of the work of variouslandscape architects, starting from thefamed André Le Nôtre, the architect ofthe Sun King, who designed the initialnucleus, which was later embellishedwith round terraces and fountains cre-ated by illustrious architects and sculp-tors. Also involved were the leading hy-draulic engineers of the day, and thegreat gardener Henri Duparc, who wasappointed to select and create the lay-out for the ornamental trees and plants.

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Itinerary 1Piazza Castello, Via Po and the surrounding area

Palazzo Reale

After crossing Piazzetta Reale andtaking the passage-way that leads toPiazza San Giovanni, on the left wefind Palazzo Chiablese, a construc-tion which was initiated in the fifteenthcentury, but largely reworked in theeighteenth century by Benedetto Alfierifor Carlo Emanuele III. Though seriously damaged in theSecond World War, this building stillfeatures much of the original flooringand decor, while furnishings werebrought in from various royal residen-ces. The palace now hosts the Heritageand Environment Office. Beside the palace is the San GiovanniBattista Cathedral, Turin’s Duomo.The only example of Renaissance art inTurin, the Duomo was built in the lastdecade of the fifteenth century andconsecrated in 1505. In 1722 Juvarracompleted the bell tower, and the jux-taposition of the two styles is visible. Inside the cathedral there is a portalleading to the Cappella della Sindone,the Chapel of the Shroud, designedby Guarini, which housed the blackmarble altar with the silver chest withseven locks, containing the Holy

Shroud, which was brought to Turinfrom Chambéry in 1578. The chapel,which was greatly damaged during afire in April 1997, was part of PalazzoReale, and linked to the palace. Itrepresents one of the finest master-pieces of the Baroque period.Almost opposite the Duomo are theremains of the Palatine Tower, one ofthe entrances to Turin in the Romanperiod.Adjacent to Piazzetta Reale, the littleSan Lorenzo church is one of Gua-rini’s masterpieces, designed around1665. He created a contained struc-ture around a central ground plan,with an interplay of volume and spacethat gives rise to very special effectsof light and colour on the colouredmarble used for the lavish interiordecorations. The entire construction isdominated by a dome in which ribs ofthe arches come together to form aneight-pointed star: the outline of theoctagonal skylight.The church features a vestibule (Ora-torio dell’Addolorata), with a HolyStairway on the right side that pilgrimsmust climb on their knees.

16

Itinerary 1Piazza Castello, Via Po and the surrounding area

The San Lorenzo church

Carlo Alberto asked to be informed ofthe debate there on a daily basis, toobtain useful indications regarding thedevelopments in contemporary politics.On the left side of the street, at number17, is the 18th-century building whichhosted the university and now housesthe Rectorate. The University of Turin,founded at the beginning of the fif-teenth century, numbers among its stu-dents and teachers great scientists andacademics such as Erasmus of Rotter-dam. In the eighteenth century VittorioAmedeo II donated a great library,which was later transferred to the Nat-ional Library. The main entrance of thebuilding was originally on the Via Verdiside (which at the time was known asVia della Zecca), and a number ofarchitects worked on the design,perhaps including Juvarra and Bertola.One feature worthy of note is the splen-did courtyard with its portico.The two churches on this street, SanFrancesco da Paola and SS. Annun-ziata, date back to the end of the seven-teenth century. The first stands slightlyback from the street, interrupting theflow of the arcades: the solemn façade

The main streets of the city centre allstart out from Piazza Castello: ViaAccademia delle Scienze, Via Roma,Via Pietro Micca, Via Garibaldi, ViaPalazzo di Città, Via Verdi and Via Po. Designed by Amedeo di Castellamonte,Via Po (the ancient Contrada di Po)links Piazza Castello and Piazza Vitto-rio Veneto and gives the impression ofextending on the other side of the riverup to the Gran Madre di Dio church.In the eighteenth century this was themain street of the city, with seven hun-dred metres of arcades on each side. Onthe left side of the street the buildingsare linked by terraces, said to be part ofa kind of elevated walkway which en-abled royals and courtiers to go fromthe Palace to the river without minglingwith the commoners.The buildings along the street were notinhabited by the high aristocracy, butthe rich middle classes which were ingreat expansion in the 18th century.A few blocks down from Piazza Castellois the historic Caffè Fiorio, which open-ed in 1780, and came to represent ameeting place for politicians and influ-ential figures. Legend has it that King

18

Itinerary 1Piazza Castello, Via Po and the surrounding area

Via Po: the Rectorate

was designed by Costaguta in 1632 andthe main altar is the work of Amedeo diCastellamonte. The SS. Annunziatachurch, almost on the corner of ViaSant’Ottavio, was designed by CarloMorello in 1650, but redone at thebeginning of the twentieth centuryaccording to the original plans.A short distance from Via Po, in ViaMontebello, is the Mole Antonelliana,which now hosts the National CinemaMuseum. At number 55 Via Po you can visit theAccorsi Foundation Museum of Dec-orative Arts, which opened in 1999 andcontains records of every aspect of theBaroque period, from objects of dailyuse to the priceless furniture of Piffetti.The street opens onto Piazza VittorioVeneto, which was completed around1830. Taking Via Principe Amedeofrom there, a few blocks further on isPalazzo D’Azeglio (at number 34, ViaPrincipe Amedeo), built at the end ofthe 17th century and designed byGarove. Massimo D’Azeglio was bornhere in 1798, and the building current-ly houses the offices of a number of cul-tural foundations.

Taking a left turn into Via San Massimothen continuing on to Via Giolitti, wecome to the San Giovanni BattistaHospital, which was built in 1680,designed by Amedeo di Castellamonte.A number of other architects, includingVittone and Castelli, later worked onthis building. It was one of the firstpublic hospitals, and was extremely ad-vanced for its day: a two-storey build-ing (the first floor for men, the secondfor women), with four wings in a Greekcross layout and a dome over the centre,which also had an altar. Part of thiscomplex now houses the Regional Mu-seum of Natural Science, which hostsmany important exhibitions.Continuing right into Via AccademiaAlbertina we come to Piazza Carlo E-manuele II, better known as PiazzaCarlina, which was designed by Ame-deo di Castellamonte as an octagonalspace surrounded by buildings in asimilar style. Juvarra worked on someof these (Palazzo Guarene and theSanta Croce Church). A little furtheron, at Via Accademia Albertina 6, is theGalleria dell’Accademia Albertina,which boasts a rich collection of Re-

naissance and Baroque works.Continuing along Via Maria Vittoria,where it meets Via Carlo Alberto is Pa-lazzo dal Pozzo della Cisterna, nowthe headquarters of the Turin Provin-cial Administration. Building workbegan in 1675, but its current appear-ance is the result of Juvarra-style chan-ges made during the 18th century.From Via Carlo Alberto we reach thesquare of the same name, overlookedby the National Library and the 19thcentury façade of Palazzo Carignano.Via Cesare Battisti cuts off the square,the outlook of which is closed by Pa-lazzo Graneri (Via Bogino, 9), de-signed in 1683 by Gianfranco Baron-celli. During the siege of 1706, theSupreme Command defending the citymade its quarters here. From the mid-twentieth century the first floor hashosted the Circolo degli Artisti.From Piazza Carlo Alberto we can enterthe Galleria Subalpina, built in 1873and reinterpreting Baroque-style de-signs and motifs. Under its vaults thereare antiquaries, shops and the renown-ed Caffè Baratti & Milano. The arcadeleads back to Piazza Castello.

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Itinerary 1Piazza Castello, Via Po and the surrounding area

Via Po: the SS. Annunziata church

Along Via Accademia delle Scienzefrom Piazza Castello, we reach PiazzaCarignano, a Baroque treasure charac-terised by the undulating lines of thefaçade of Palazzo Carignano, one ofGuarini’s masterpieces, which was builtbetween 1679 and 1685. This building played a fundamentalrole in the history of Italy, as the birth-place of the sovereigns (Carlo Albertoand Vittorio Emanuele II) who broughtabout the process of national unificat-

ion. In 1848 it became the seat of theParlamento Subalpino, and in 1861, ofthe first parliament of the newly-unitedItaly. To this end it was extended, withthe addition of the rear façade whichlooks over Piazza Carlo Alberto.Palazzo Carignano stands out from theother palaces of Turin for its grandi-

ose façade, which uses a “poor” mater-ial like brick to highlight the interplayof light and shadow. This façade hasanother curious feature: the windowsof the first floor are decorated with afrieze depicting the feathered head-dress of the American Indians. Thefrieze was created to celebrate the1667 victory against the Iroquois of aregiment sent to aid the French by theHouse of Carignano. The palace cur-rently houses the National Risorgi-mento Museum, which explores thehistory of Italy from 1706 to 1945.This square is also overlooked by otherhistoric buildings. One of these is the18th-century Carignano Theatre,designed in 1752 by Benedetto Alfieri,Juvarra’s successor. Beside the theatre isthe prestigious Ristorante del Cam-bio, founded in 1757, which was ori-ginally a stagecoach stop and was afavourite with illustrious figures fromCasanova to Cavour.Adjacent to the square, down Via Ac-cademia delle Scienze between ViaPrincipe Amedeo and Via Maria Vitto-ria, is the ancient Palazzo dell’Acca-demia dei Nobili, now the Accademia

delle Scienze, designed by Guarini inthe second half of the seventeenth cen-tury by appointment of the Jesuits. Thisbuilding features forbidding, solemnlines in line with its original purpose,and since 1824 it has hosted Turin’sEgyptian Museum, the oldest one of itskind, and the second most important inthe world after its counterpart in Cairo.The second floor of the building ishome to the Savoy Gallery.Opposite the palace, but facing Via Ma-

ria Vittoria, is the San Filippo Nerichurch. Guarini was commissioned todesign this by Maria Giovanna of Sa-voy-Nemours in 1679, but the architectdied when work had just got underway.The project was then entrusted toJuvarra, but he left Turin before it wascompleted. San Filippo, the biggestchurch in Turin, also features thechapel dedicated to Sebastiano Valfré,converted from the room belonging tothe saint and hero of the siege of Turin.

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Itinerary 2: Piazza Carignano, Piazza San Carlo and the surrounding area

Palazzo Carpano

Facing the church is Palazzo Carpano(formerly Palazzo San Marzano),which was built in the 1680’s, designedby Garove, and then extended in theeighteenth century by Benedetto Alfieri.The spiralling columns in the atrium,staircase and courtyard are particularlyspectacular. The building belongs toCarpano, the name associated with theinvention of Vermouth at the end of theeighteenth century.Turning right into Via Maria Vittoria,we come to Piazza San Carlo, the for-mer Piazza Reale, where wheat and ricemarkets were held. Designed in the17th century by Carlo di Castellamon-te, Juvarra and Alfieri also worked onvarious aspects of the project.

This is one of the most beautiful, andfamous, squares in Italy, perfect in itslayout and harmonious proportions. On the Via Alfieri side, at either side ofVia Roma, it is enclosed by the “twin”churches of San Carlo and Santa Cri-stina, while in the centre of the squareis the famed Caval ‘d Brons (BronzeHorse), a 19th-century equestrian sta-tue depicting Emanuele Filiberto put-ting his sword back into its scabbardafter the victory of San Quintino. In thearcades are two almost legendary cafés:Caffè San Carlo, founded in 1822, andknown as a meeting place for the polit-ical ‘subversives’ of the nineteenth cen-tury, as well as artists, writers and intel-lectuals, and its historic rival, Caffè

Torino, which opened in 1903, andwhich used to close to the public toensure that Umberto of Savoy couldenjoy a moment’s peace and quiet.The two churches are also masterpiecesof Piedmontese Baroque. The San Car-lo church, on the right side lookingfrom Piazza Castello, was built in 1619,and is attributed to various architects,including Castellamonte. It containssome notable works of art, includingthe main altar by Castellamonte, and anoteworthy Caravaggio-style painting.The façade was built in the 19th cen-tury in line with the style of the twinchurch, Santa Cristina, which wasbuilt in 1639, in correspondence withthe convent of the Barefooted Carmel-

ites. This church was also designed byCastellamonte, but the splendid façadewas designed by Juvarra in 1715.Alongside the churches are modern-style arcades which date back to therestyling of Via Roma in the 1930’s.A short way along Via Roma towardsPorta Nuova, we reach Via Arcivesco-vado. A right turn on the corner of ViaXX Settembre takes us to the Visita-zione church, a 17th-century work byLanfranchi. Continuing along Via Arci-vescovado, on the corner with Via Arse-nale is the majestic entrance to Palazzodell’Arsenale, which was one of themost powerful arsenals in Europe in the17th and 18th centuries and is current-ly the seat of the Scuola di Applicazio-

24 25

Itinerary 2: Piazza Carignano, Piazza San Carlo and the surrounding area

Piazza San Carlo

26

1730 and designed by Juvarra, andfacing that, the Santa Teresa church.This was built in the mid-17th century,designed by Andrea Costaguta, andcontains a splendid altar by Juvarra.If we turn left into Via XX Settembreand head along towards Via Pietro Mic-ca we can also take in the San Tomma-so church, which lies at the junctionbetween Via Pietro Micca and Via SanTommaso. After Via Pietro Micca,which links Piazza Castello to PiazzaSolferino and cuts diagonally across thecriss-cross layout of the streets, wascreated in the 19th century, the en-trance of the church was moved.The most curious fact about this churchis that since 1722 it has been the seat ofthe “Pious Association of Private andFamily Cooks of both Sexes, under thePatronage of San Pasquale Baylon”.Baylon was a 16th-century friar famedfor his exceptional culinary talents,whose confessional was often fre-quented by church-goers who asked fora few recipes along with their absolu-tion. The most famous of these recipesbears his name: “San Baylon”, whichbecame Sambajùn, namely Zabaglione.

ne d’Arma. Taking a right turn into ViaArsenale we discover another little Ba-roque treasure, the Immacolata Con-cezione church, attributed to Guarini.Continuing in the same direction wereach Via Alfieri, and turning left, atnumber 15, we find Palazzo Lascaris,which is currently the headquarters ofthe Piedmont Regional Council. De-signed by Amedeo di Castellamonte in1665, it was largely reworked in the fol-lowing century, but without comprom-ising its overall harmony. The entranceis marked by two twisting columnswhich lead onto an atrium and court-yard with an arcade of great elegance.From Via Alfieri we can carry on alongto Piazza Solferino, an elegant 19th-century square, and a block further on,on the right, we can take Via SantaTeresa, which offers various points ofinterest: the San Giuseppe church,between Via San Francesco d’Assisi andVia dei Mercanti, designed by Lanfran-chi and built between 1683 and 90; andat number 20 the splendid PalazzoProvana di Collegno, designed byGuarini in 1698. Further on is PalazzoCompans di Brichanteau, built in

Itinerary 2: Piazza Carignano, Piazza San Carlo and the surrounding area

Piazza San Carlo: the Santa Cristina church

shrine by Vittone was then added.Inside the church, a little area enclosedby an attractive railing indicates the siteof the miracle. Some of Turin’s mostillustrious saints worked in this church,including Giuseppe Cottolengo; atnumber 19 Via Palazzo di Città, there isa plaque commemorating the site whereCottolengo, “with four beds”, began hisapostolate, which ended with thefounding of hospitals for the poor.The street leads into Piazza Palazzodi Città, formerly Piazza delle Erbe,where the market of agricultural pro-duce was held. It was built in the mid-18th century, designed by BenedettoAlfieri, who blended it into the street,creating a perfect balance with the ar-cades. In the middle of the square wefind the statue by Pelagio Palagi whichdepicts Amedeo VI of Savoy (known as“il Conte Verde”) hero of the Crusades. Completing the square is the 17th cen-tury building which now hosts theTurin City administration. Opened in1663, Palazzo di Città was designedby Lanfranchi, and over the followingcentury various architects, includingAlfieri and Castelli, worked to extend it.

Inside it has a grand courtyard, and amajestic staircase leading up to the SalaMarmi on the first floor. Other import-ant areas include the Sala delle Con-gregazioni, with many important pain-tings, and the Sala Rossa, which iswhere the Turin City Council sits. Acorridor alongside the staircase leads tothe Cortile del Burro, the name ofwhich is a trace of the time when thearea was a market place.Going along Via Milano, on the cornerof Via San Domenico is the church ofthe same name, the only Medievalchuch which survived the restylings ofthe Baroque period. Beside the churchwas the Court of the Inquisition.Continuing along this street, near Piaz-za della Repubblica, we can see the Ba-silica Mauriziana, built towards theend of the 17th century and then do-nated by Vittorio Amedeo II to the Orderof St. Maurice. In the sacristy there is aprocessional float made of papier machéwhich was designed by Francesco La-datte. In 1729, Juvarra designed thesquare in front of the church.Turning left into Via Santa Chiara, atnumber 8 is Palazzo Novarina di San

This tour takes us into the charmingnarrow streets of the ancient Romanquadrilateral, where Baroque churchesand palaces were built on top of mucholder sites.From Piazza Castello we will set offalong Via Palazzo di Città, once Con-trada dei Panierai. A few blocks furtheralong this street opens out onto asquare where the wheat market used tobe held, but which between the 15thand 16th century was renamed PiazzaCorpus Domini, after a miraculousevent which happened there on the dateof that festivity, in 1453. According tothe legend, on 6 June that year a thiefwho had looted the church of Exilles ar-rived in Turin, but when he reached

that square, the mule carrying his loaddug its heels in, the load tumbled out,and a wafer fell out of the stolen mon-strance. This wafer hovered in mid-air,and only the Bishop of Turin, afternumerous pleas and prayers, managedto coax it down into a chalice. The site of the miracle became a placeof worship: in 1510 a chapel was builtthere, and in 1609 this was incorpor-ated into the new church built to fulfil avow made during the plague of 1598. Designed by Ascanio Vitozzi, the Cor-pus Domini church has a single navewith three side chapels; in the 18th cen-tury it was adapted and extended byBenedetto Alfieri, and Juvarra designedthe magnificent main altar, to which a

28 29

Itinerary 3 Via and Piazza Palazzo di Città, i Quartieri, la Consolata

Palazzo di Città

Sebastiano, worked on by Vittone andothers. The palace, now a private con-dominium, was the setting for the lovestory between Vittorio Amedeo II andTeresa Canalis. Both bereaved, the twomarried and Canalis became Marchesadi Spigno, but the story does not have ahappy ending: after abdicating and thentrying but failing to take the throneonce more in 1731, the couple werearrested and after the death of the for-mer king the Marquise was imprisonedin Ceva in the prostitutes’ jail, then inthe Monastero della Visitazione in Pine-rolo, where she died in 1769. Turning right into Via Bellezia we cometo Piazza Emanuele Filiberto, behindthe huge Porta Palazzo market. Thissquare is overlooked by restaurants andshops selling local produce. Taking ViaSant’Agostino we come to the Sant’A-gostino church on the corner of Via S.Chiara. The current look of the churchis the result of work on a buildingwhich dates back to the 11th century,and is known by the sinister nicknameof the “hangman’s church”: the cityexecutioner was entitled to a pew here,and was buried under the bell tower.

Doubling back and taking a left turninto Via Bonelli, we find a picturesquelittle street, with traditional workshopsand multi-ethnic shops. Crossing Viadelle Orfane, the tiny Via Maria Adelai-de leads to Piazza della Consolata,overlooked by the Basilica di SantaMaria Consolatrice, better known asLa Consolata, Turin’s most importantshrine. Its origins date back to SanMassimo, the first bishop of Turin in thefourth century A.D. On this site theBenedictines of Novalesa built a church,where they took refuge when theirabbey was invaded by the Saracens inthe tenth century. The religious nucleusof the site was an ancient icon of theVirgin, reputed to be miraculous. Thechurch was completely rebuilt betweenthe 17th and 18th centuries, and workcontinued until the end of the 19th cen-tury, with the involvement of Vitozzi,Guarini and Juvarra, among others.The result is a unique structure set outin a series of communicating areas, andwith extraordinary coloured marbledecorations that the recent restorationhas brought back to their originalsplendour. The ancient origins of the

30

Itinerary 3 Via and Piazza Palazzo di Città, i Quartieri, la Consolata

La Consolata: the altar and the icon of the Virgin

GHOSTS IN THE PALACE

The charm of this palace is heightened by the legend

of the ghost of Matilde Provana di Druent.

In 1695 her father promised her hand in marria-

ge to Gerolamo Falletti, member of the Pied-

montese high aristocracy. The marriage pro-

duced three children, but the father of

Matilde, burdened by gaming debts, was

unable to pay the dowry and called

his daughter back.

Matilde was forced to leave her

husband and children and suf-

fered the blow so heavily

that she committed sui-

cide by throwing herself

out of one of the win-

dows of the palace.

church are borne out by the Roman-esque bell tower in the little square infront of the entrance to the church.Right opposite the church, beside one ofthe city’s oldest herbalists’ shops, isanother historic venue: Bicerìn, a choc-olate shop founded in 1763, whichtakes its name from the renowned,wonderful drink made from chocolate,coffee and cream.Coming back to Via delle Orfane, atnumber 15 we find the Santa Chiarachurch, designed by Vittone in 1742.The church, and adjoining monastery,were built on the site of the convent ofthe Clarisse nuns. Particularly worthyof note are the effects of light that Vit-tone managed to create, knowingly po-sitioning the various architectural ele-ments to draw emphasis to the symbol-ic meaning of light and purity evokedby the name of the order itself.Continuing along Via delle Orfane, tothe right on the corner of Via San Do-menico is the little SS. Annunziatachurch, known as “delle Orfane”, builtin 1579 for the female orphanagewhich was established in 1550. Thechurch underwent a number of exten-

sions, and in the second half of the 17thcentury there was the addition of acrypt for the burial of residents. Since 2000 the church has been used bythe Greek Orthodox community, andhas been given the name of the ParishChurch of San Giovanni Battista. Beside the church is one of the mostbeautiful buildings in Turin, PalazzoBarolo. At the beginning of the 17thcentury this belonged to the counts Pro-vana di Druent, the last descendant ofwhom married Gerolamo Falletti di Ba-rolo. Important extension and restora-tion works were carried out between the17th and 18th centuries by Baroncelli,who created the atrium and splendidstaircase of honour, and Benedetto Al-fieri. The palace is especially linked tothe figures of Tancredi and Giulia diBarolo, who established numerous phil-anthropic and charity institutions in the19th century. Silvio Pellico also livedand worked in the building for alengthy period, and died here in 1854.We have reached the junction with ViaCorte d’Appello: immediately on the leftis the building that until a few years agohoused the Turin Court. Designed by

32

Itinerary 3 Via and Piazza Palazzo di Città, i Quartieri, la Consolata

Palazzo Barolo

Juvarra in 1720 and completed byBenedetto Alfieri, the palace was builton the site of the ancient Carceri Sena-torie, and also hosted the Senate andCamera Regia. To the right, the street

ends in Piazza Savoia, formerly PiazzaSusina, characterised by the small obe-lisk put there in the 19th century.At number 1 Via della Consolata, im-mediately to the left of the square, isPalazzo Saluzzo Paesana, designedby Plantery and built from 1715. Thisis a grand, lavish building around ahuge courtyard with arcades. In recentyears it has been restored, and current-ly houses offices, company headquar-ters and private apartments.From Piazza Savoia, where Via del Car-mine meets Via Bligny (formerly Viadelle Scuole), is the Madonna del Car-mine church, which was built behindthe ancient Monastery of the Shod Car-melites (later renamed Convitto Um-

berto I, built from 1718 from a designby Plantery). The Carmine churchwas Juvarra’s last work in Turin beforehe moved to the Spanish court. His skil-ful design of the side chapels createsextraordinary effects of light, and thechurch also contains a precious altar-piece by Beaumont.With the church behind us, we can headalong via Bligny and then turn left intoVia Santa Chiara, where on the left isthe “Spedale de’ Pazzarelli”, a men-tal hospital built between 1728 and1734 by the SS. Sudario Brotherhood,which had been appointed by the kingto take in the “lunatics” in a discreetlocation. Beside the Spedale, a few yearslater the SS. Sudario church was

built, with an entrance from Via Piave. Continuing along this street and thengoing back into Via del Carmine, wherethis meets Corso Valdocco we find theQuartieri Militari, designed by Juvar-ra in 1718 for Vittorio Amedeo II, toprovide quarters for the soldiers of theSavoy army, and as a gateway to thecity. The imposing style of the twobuildings, placed symmetrically oneither side of Via del Carmine, is liven-ed up by the red brickwork and mould-ing. In the second half of the eighteenthcentury Ignazio Birago di Borgaro cre-ated the upper floor of the complex.A block further on from Corso Valdoc-co, we come to Via Garibaldi (formerlyVia Dora Grossa), a pedestrian street

35

Itinerary 3 Via and Piazza Palazzo di Città, i Quartieri, la Consolata

Above: La Consolata, the Quartieri, the SS. Sudario church.Left: theCarmine church

which links Piazza Castello and PiazzaStatuto and offers a splendid view ofJuvarra’s façade of Palazzo Madama.A little further on, just past Via dellaConsolata, we come to Via della Miseri-cordia, with the San Giovanni Decolla-to, or della Misericordia church, fromthe name of the Brotherhood it belong-ed to, which assisted prisoners and thecondemned. Also known as the“church of the hanged men”, who wereburi-ed here, it was adapted by FilippoNicolis di Robilant in the mid-eigh-teenth century, while the façade wasbuilt in the nineteenth century. We will now head up Via Barbaroux,one of the oldest streets in Turin. In thesquare which opens up at the junctionwith Via Stampatori we find the Archi-vio Storico della Città di Torino,which conserves seven centuries’ worthof records of city life and an example ofTheatrum Sabaudiae, the work com-missioned by Vittorio Amedeo II in1682 to illustrate the cities, castles andlands of the Savoy kingdom.A little further on, to the right, thestreet widens out, and there is a “Toret-to” (the traditional drinking fountain ofTurin): this is Piazzetta dell’Università

dei Maestri Minusieri. This leads toVicolo Santa Maria, where at number 7there is a plaque commemorating thefoundation of the aforementioned uni-versity in 1636 (in actual fact this wasnot an academic institution but a cor-poration). This little road, which veersslightly to the left, leads to the SantaMaria di Piazza church, of whichthere are records as far back as the 11thcentury, and which was completelyrebuilt by Vittone in the 18th century.Leaving the church behind us, a leftturn first into Via Santa Maria (whichafter Via Botero takes the name of ViaMonte di Pietà), and then again into ViaSan Francesco d’Assisi, takes us to thechurch of the same name, which datesback to the visit of the Saint in 1214.The San Francesco d’Assisi churchwas rebuilt by Vittone in 1761. Its cha-pels are dedicated to the patron saintsof various corporations:Sant’Omobono (tailors), Sant’Anna(bricklayers and architects), and SanPietro (Master Blacksmiths). A littlefurther on is the church of SanRocco, designed by Lanfranchi andbuilt in 1667 for the Brotherhoodwhich handled the burial of corpses

found on the streets. Inside, as well asa splendid wooden choir, there is analtar dedicated to Sant’Avventino, thesaint that migraine-sufferers turn to. Once back in Via Garibaldi, we cancontinue on a little way to find two ad-jacent religious buildings: the first isthe Cappella dei Banchieri e Mercanti– the Chapel of Bankers and Mer-chants - now part of a building whichbelonged to the Jesuits, with pews laidout lengthwise in two groups, so thatthe members of the two corporationscould resume their negotiations at theend of the service. Beside the chapel isthe SS. Martiri church, commissionedby Emanuele Filiberto at the end of the16th century. The main altar was de-signed by Juvarra and there are somesplendid wooden sculptures datingfrom the seventeenth century. The vaultwas completed by Vittone. The churchalso contains the ashes of the MartyrSaints Solutore, Avventore and Ottavio.Continuing towards Piazza Castello, onthe corner of Via XX Settembre is theSS. Trinità church. It was designed byAscanio Vitozzi, who is buried there,and the marble decorative elementswere designed by Juvarra.

37

Itinerary 3 Via and Piazza Palazzo di Città, i Quartieri, la Consolata

Via Barbaroux

38

There are other extraordinary Baroquepieces in less central areas, such as onthe hills which frame the city, and in thesurrounding area.Overlooking the Po, where its reflectionis of great effect, the Valentino Castlehas late Medieval origins, but the mostillustrious chapter in its history beginsin the second half of the 16th century,when it became the property of the Sa-voys. Around 1630 Carlo and Amedeodi Castellamonte worked there, appoint-ed by Madama Reale Cristina of France.They transformed the huge villa into a

castle and skilfully blended French andItalian styles. Inside it is richly decorat-ed, each room with a different themewhich features both in the stuccoes andthe ceiling frescoes. The castle currentlyhouses the Faculty of Architecture.

On the other side of the Po, the roadfrom the Gran Madre church leads toVilla della Regina, commissioned byCardinal Maurizio of Savoy at the be-ginning of the 17th century. It takes itsname from the fact that at the end ofthe 17th century the villa passed to An-ne of Orléans, wife of Vittorio AmedeoII. It was likely to have been Vitozzi whocreated the general outline of the pro-ject, but the grand complex, which fol-lows the line of the hills, with an alter-nation of stairways, pavilions, gardensand water features was worked on byvarious architects, including Amedeo diCastellamonte and Juvarra. After a longperiod of abandon and decay, an impor-tant restoration project was initiated,and most of the building and gardenshave already been restored.Following the directions along the hillroad we come to the Santa Maria alMonte church, better known as Montedei Cappuccini. Since ancient timesthe hill it lies on was used as a strategicdefensive point, and the presence of achurch there is documented from thethirteenth century. In the second half ofthe sixteenth century the Savoys,

into whose possession it had passed inthe meantime, gave it to the Capuchinfriars, and also commissioned the con-struction of a church with adjoiningmonastery. Various architects, includingAscanio Vitozzi and Carlo di Castella-monte, were involved in the work, andin the 18th century the church was em-bellished with a number of preciouspaintings. After monastic orders wereoutlawed in the Napoleonic period, themonastery was abandoned for some

time and then reworked and extended:the dome, for example was incorporat-ed into the octagonal drum which is thekey feature of the complex today.Devastated by bombing in the SecondWorld War, the complex has recentlybeen restored. It is once again a mona-stery, and one wing of the building hoststhe National Museum of the Mountains.Following the course of the river, inCorso Casale after Piazza Borromini isthe Madonna del Pilone church. This

Itinerary 4The river, the hills and the surrounding area

Above: the Valentino castleRight: Villa della Regina as represented in the “Theatrum Sabaudiae”

takes its name from the shrine dedic-ated to the ‘Vergine Annunziata’ whichwas situated here in ancient times, andwhich was replaced by the church afterthe miracle which occurred here on 29April 1644: a little girl fell in the riverand only the intervention of the Virginprevented her from being squashed bythe blades of the watermills on thisstretch of river. The shrine was notdemolished, but incorporated into thechurch, which became a place of wors-hip of some importance, and an entiredistrict of the city developed around it.Further along we reach Borgata Sassi,where it is possible to take the train upthe characteristic cog railway throughthe greenery up 670 metres to see the

Basilica di Superga, which in chrono-logical terms was Filippo Juvarra’s firstmasterpiece in Turin.It was built to fulfil a vow made by Vit-torio Amedeo II during the siege of Tu-rin in 1706. He had climbed up the hillwith his cousin, Prince Eugenio of Sa-voy, to study battle plans, and in frontof a shrine there made a vow to build agreat place of worship in the event ofvictory. In 1710 he appointed AntonioBertola (the great military architect whodesigned the Fort of Fenestrelle) towork on the project, and chose thecheapest of the designs which were pre-sented, in view of the fact that his de-sire to keep his promise had to fall inline with the conditions of a state which

had just suffered many years of war.However that was the time when Filip-po Juvarra came to Turin, and thoughthe designs he presented to the kingwere more costly, they were undoub-tedly much better able to represent theglories of the young Savoy state.The essential components of the Basi-lica, which lies on a hill top and can beseen from a great distance, were built ina relatively short time, and it was con-secrated in 1731. It features a centralplan along Roman lines with a majesticpronaos with eight columns that isaccessed from three grandiose stair-cases. The church has a 65 metre highdome, and two bell towers standingalongside the main section. In the part

behind it Juvarra created a buildingdestined for the Congregation of theCanon Regulars which was responsiblefor training the bishops of the Savoykingdom.Inside, the church is ornately decoratedand the SS. Sacramento Chapel con-tains the wooden statue of the Virginbefore which Vittorio Amedeo is said tohave taken his vow. The lower sectionof the church houses the tombs of theSavoy kings and princes from VittorioAmedeo II to Carlo Alberto.In the avenue which runs behind theBasilica there is a plaque commem-orating the place where the plane carr-ying the Torino football team crashedon 4 May 1949.

40 41

Itinerary 4The river, the hills and the surrounding area

Above: Monte dei Cappuccini, Basilica di Superga, Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigi

In the seventeenth and eighteenth cen-turies the Savoys commissioned theconstruction or embellishment of manybuildings around the capital whichbecame residences to be used accordingto the season, needs and preferences ofthe sovereigns (for hunting, entertain-ing, affairs of state and so on), in addi-tion to their town residences.In the province of Turin the best knownare the Palazzina di Caccia di Stupinigiand the castles of Moncalieri, Rivoli,Venaria and Agliè.

The Palazzina di Caccia di StupinigiThe Palazzina is the last of the greatSavoy residences, in chronologicalterms, and was built from scratch (thatis, not adapted from an older building),designed by Filippo Juvarra as a mar-vellous white complex which appearsunexpectedly on the horizon, at the endof a straight, wide, poplar-lined avenue.In 1729, Vittorio Amedeo II commis-sioned the royal architect to construct avenue for socialising and entertainingbefore and after the great hunting tripsthat the king and court engaged in,accompanied by scores of servants.

At Stupinigi, just like in all his works,Juvarra was in complete charge: he per-sonally selected all the painters, cabi-net-makers and decorators and strictlysupervised their work, supplying in-structions, sketches and designs.While the central hub was constructedin the space of two-three years, thebuilding of Stupinigi went on through-out the 18th century, and even afterJuvarra had left Turin for Madrid(where he died in 1736) his work wascontinued by skilled architects such asPrunotto, Benedetto Alfieri and Ludo-vico Bo, who completed the projectwithout compromising the overall style.Opened on 5 November 1731, thePalazzina hosted balls, concerts, ban-quets and visits of state and was oftenfrequented by the royal family up to thebeginning of the twentieth century.The layout of the building, comprisinga central section with four arms exten-ding out and forming a double court-yard, creates a marvellous interplaybetween internal and external areas.The heart of the Palazzina is the greatHall with its majestic windows andcopper-covered dome, topped by the

42

Itinerary 4The river, the hills and the surrounding area

Stupinigi: the great hall

bronze deer by Ladatte (the French-sounding version of his real name,Ladetti). In recent years this has beenreplaced by a copy and the original ison display in the ticket office.The Palazzina is set in vast grounds,which were part of the king’s huntingestate. Juvarra supervised all the decor-ative work on the Palazzina, startingfrom the great hall, with rather unas-suming frescoes by the brothers Giu-seppe and Domenico Valeriani. Thereare works of a higher standard by otherartists, such as Giovan Battista Crosato,who created the most beautiful fresco inthe entire complex, The Sacrifice ofIphigenia, which decorates the ceilingof the Queen’s Antechamber; the qua-drature painter (i.e. a painter of archi-tectural designs, scrolls and frames) Gi-rolamo Mengozzi Colonna; and aboveall Scipione and Vittorio Amedeo Ci-gnaroli. The latter created the fourfamous canvases in the Sala degli Scu-dieri dedicated to the deer hunt. Thesculptors, apart from Ladatte, includedGiuseppe Marocco, who created thethirty-six appliqués in the great centralhall, designed by Juvarra himself. But

in Stupinigi the furniture was evenmore spectacular than the artwork,some of it original and some from otherSavoy residences, created by the great-est master cabinet-makers of the day.Beside the Palazzina is the splendid Stu-pinigi Parish Church, or Church of theVisitation, designed by Juvarra as partof the complex which also included thefarmhouses and was completed by hissuccessors. The church is very simple interms of both structure and decoration,and this is due to the fact that it wasmainly destined for the farm workersfrom the farmhouses, as the court andsovereigns used the lavish Sant’UbertoChapel inside the Palazzina.The church has a single nave, with bar-rel vaults, and conserves the remains ofSant’Uberto. At the end of the eigh-teenth century it was extended, accord-ing to a design by Ludovico Bo, and anexternal cemetery was added.How to get to the Palazzina:The Palazzina lies at the end of a longavenue which is a continuation of CorsoUnione Sovietica. Distance from the centre of Turin:around 15 km.

Castello di MoncalieriPiazza Baden Baden, MoncalieriThis ancient construction dates back tobefore the thirteenth century. Originally a fortress, in the mid-15th century it was restyled and turn-ed into a castle. At the beginning of the seventeenthcentury Carlo Emanuele I and Cristinaof France appointed Carlo and Ame-deo di Castellamonte to convert thecastle and the result was a structurecomposed of four pavilions united bygalleries and corner towers whichrecall the original construction.It was a particular favourite of VittorioAmedeo II, who made it his main resid-ence, and in the second half of theeighteenth century work got underwayon the gardens.At present part of the castle is theheadquarters of the “Piemonte” FirstBattalion of Carabinieri.How to get to the Castle:Cross one of the bridges over the Po,turn right and follow Corso Moncalierialong the riverside. Distance from the centre of Turin:around 10 km.

Castello di RivoliPiazza Mafalda di Savoia, Rivoli Rivoli Castle is also of Medieval origin,and for a long time remained a fort-ress, which Emanuele Filiberto extend-ed and built up. In the seventeenth century it becameone of the “delights” of Carlo Ema-nuele I, who entrusted the project toCarlo di Castellamonte. However its strategic position at thestart of the road to France meant thatthe building suffered serious damagein various conflicts.In 1718, Vittorio Amedeo II commis-sioned Juvarra to transform the com-plex, but the grandiose plans to makeit into a splendid official residencewere left off in 1730 and after that thecastle’s fortune varied. In recent times it was restored andsince 1984 it has hosted the Museumof Contemporary Art, one of the maininstitutions of its kind in Europe.How to get to the Castle:Travel the length of Corso Francia up toRivoli, then follow signs to the castle.Distance from the centre of Turin:around 15 km.

44 45

Itinerary 4The river, the hills and the surrounding area

hunts, and the internal decorationsrepeatedly echo this theme.During the 18th century the complexgradually lost this role, in favour of Stu-pinigi, and in the 19th century it beca-me a barracks. It was then abandonedfor a long period of time, until the re-cent restoration work which has ena-bled it to be opened to the public andcreated a venue for cultural and musi-cal events. Linked to Venaria is theenormous Parco della Mandria, cre-ated as a hunting estate for the king,and within which the Juvarra-designedPalazzina della Mandria was built.This is where the horses used during thehunt were bred and stabled. The castleand park were keenly frequented byVittorio Emanuele II, and in the nine-teenth century more constructions wereadded onto it, such as that known as LaBizzarria, where the king used to meethis favourite, “La Bela Rosin”.How to get to the Reggia:Corso Grosseto, north ring road,Venaria/Druento exit, then follow signsfor the Reggia.Distance from the centre of Turin:around 15 km.

Reggia di Venaria RealeEasily accessible from the north Turinring road, “La Venaria” was intendedto be the Versailles of the House ofSavoy: not only a magnificent venue,but also the representation of the mon-archy and its glories. This is why it wasconceived on such a large scale, a singleproject which encompassed the castle,grounds and village.Work began under Carlo Emanuele II inthe second half of the 17th century andcontinued for over one hundred and

fifty years. Various architects workedon it, including Carlo di Castellamonte,but the palace became particularlyfamous for the contribution made byJuvarra, with the spectacular Galleriadi Diana. As its name suggests the pal-ace was mainly built for the royal

Castello Ducale di AglièThis castle, in the south of the Cana-vese area, has Medieval origins and inthe 17th century its owner entrusted itsconversion to Carlo di Castellamonte,whose work can still be seen in the partwhich overlooks the gardens, the mainhall and the chapel. In the 18th cen-tury the complex was bought by theSavoys and became the residence ofthe Duke of Chiablese (the son of CarloEmanuele III), and the architectIgnazio Birago di Borgaro was appoint-ed to make a number of changes.

Abandoned after the invasion ofNapoleon, the castle flour-ished oncemore in the 19th century, as KingCarlo Felice chose it as his favouriteresidence, along with the castle ofGovone. The castle still features avariety of Baroque furnishings, and isfamed for its gardens and greenhouses.How to get to Agliè:Turin-Aosta motorway, San GiorgioCanavese exit, S.P. 53, once in Aglièfollow signs to the castle. Distance from the centre of Turin:around 39 km.

46

Itinerary 4The river, the hills and the surrounding area

Castello Ducale di Agliè

The remains of the Baroque period inAlessandria include the Conservatorio,which dates back to the 18th century,and the Prefettura, created by Bene-detto Alfieri in 1731. This was his firstimportant work, and made him knownto the Savoy court.In the province of Alessandria, there isan illustrious example of Baroque art inCasale Monferrato, namely its splendidsynagogue, a tribute to the importanceof the Jewish community in Casale,which is recorded as far back as the15th century. While the exterior of thesynagogue does not present any out-standing characteristics, the interiorshows the ornate decorations which res-ulted from the 18th century reworkingin Baroque-Rococo style, which has notbeen compromised by later work. In thewomen’s gallery there is a permanentexhibition featuring religious fur-nis-hings and artefacts dating from the17th and 18th centuries.Outside the city is an important sitefrom the age which goes from Manner-ism to Baroque: the Sacro Monte ofCrea. The ‘Sacri Monti’, or HolyMounts, recently proclaimed UNESCO

World Heritage Sites, are monumentalcomplexes located on hillside sites. Theyfeature a natural upward progression,offering believers a path towards wis-dom and expiation marked by prayer ina series of chapels, and represent one ofthe main expressions of popular reli-gious spirit between the 15th and 18thcenturies. Piedmont has a total of thir-teen of these sites. Not far from Casale, the Sacro Monte ofCrea is the only one in southern Pied-mont and lies on a hill which was con-sidered holy land from pre-Christiantimes, and which first featured a smallchapel dedicated to the Virgin, and thenthe Sacro Monte itself, built in the six-teenth century to copy the one in Va-rallo. Baroque sites in Crea, as well asthe Basilica, which was built in theseventeenth century but later reworked,include the so-called Cappella delParadiso, created in the seventeenthcentury by two Flemish brothers Jeanand Nicolas De Wespin, known as “ITabacchetti”. The vast composition fea-tures over three hundred figures set outin three circles and decreasing in size tocreate an effect of perspective.

48

Alessandria and the surrounding area

Sacro Monte di Crea: the Cappella del Paradiso

The most important Baroque sites inAsti and the surrounding area are lin-ked to the name of Benedetto Alfieri(1699-1749), of the well-known Astifamily, whose most illustrious repre-sentative was the man of lettersVittorio. Benedetto Alfieri became an architectafter a brief legal career, and workedwith Ignazio Bertola and Filippo Ju-varra, who he succeeded as First En-gineer of the Savoy Court in 1739. Inhis home town Alfieri worked on theproject to extend and convert PalazzoAlfieri, the family residence (at 175Corso Alfieri), which now hosts theCivic Library and the Alfieri Museum.On the same street, at number 350, wefind another of Alfieri’s works, Palaz-zo Ottolenghi, with its great, lavishlydecorated and frescoed hall featuring aspectacular gilded lamp.Alfieri also worked on the Municipio,in Piazza San Secondo, creating thefaçade, extending the town council halland grand stairway of honour.Alfieri was also responsible for theSeminario Vescovile, in the square ofthe same name. It is a solemn-looking

building befitting the status of the bis-hop who commissioned it, an ad-voca-te of a sober lifestyle.Alfieri also worked on the building ofthe Archivio di Stato, at 24 Via Tan-credi, a complex which was created inthe thirteenth century as a monastery,then later reworked.In the Baroque period new dormitories,a choir and bell tower, later demolish-ed, were added, based on designs byAlfieri and later Francesco Dell’Ala.The most outstanding building in Astiis the Santa Maria Assunta Cathedral(8 Piazza San Giovanni), a construc-tion which represents many centuriesof art. The structure of the cathedral isGothic, but in the seventeenth andeighteenth centuries chapels andaltars were added, such as that of SS.Trinità and the Chapel of the Epiphany,embellished with a large silver statueof the Virgin, built to fulfil a vow afterthe defeat of the French in 1706. In thesecond half of the eighteenth centuryVittone worked on this building, ad-apting the apse and choir.Outside the city, another important siteis San Martino Alfieri Castle, around

fifteen kilometres from the city afterIsola and Costigliole. This building,designed by Antonio Bertola, was con-structed between the end of the seven-teenth century and beginning of theeighteenth century, therefore over arather long period, because at the timeBertola, a great military architect, wasinvolved in numerous projects whichbecame urgent due to the warsPiedmont was waging at the time.Another important site is MaglianoAlfieri Castle, the result of a mid-17th-century conversion of a buildingdating back to the Middle Ages. Thecastle, which Vittorio Alfieri lived in onseveral occasions, lies on the top of ahill and now hosts a Museum ofPopular Art and Traditions. In particu-lar there are examples of the ancientplaster ceilings which were widespreadin the area, also in many farmhousesand rural dwellings. The presence ofmany gypsum quarries in the areamade this material widely availableand enabled people to reproduce andreinterpret the decorative motifs ofcourtly Baroque, at prices that even thelower classes could afford.

51

Asti and the surrounding area

Asti: Palazzo Alfieri

In the province of Biella, in a naturalsetting of extraordinary beauty, is theSacro Monte di Oropa, which dev-eloped around the Shrine dedicated tothe Black Madonna, still a popularobject of worship.The complex extends up the ridge ofMonte Mucrone and features 17 cha-pels, some of great architectural value,built between 1620 and 1720. Building work thus got underway whilethe Counter Reformation was in fullswing, and in the context of the greatrevival of popular religious spirit whichensued, the Shrine and Holy Mountimmediately attracted great numbers ofpilgrims and believers. At the same timethe construction and adornment of thestructures was greatly aided by legaciesand donations from the local aristocraticfamilies and the Savoys. In the 18thcentury great architects such as Fran-cesco Gallo and Pietro Giuseppe Beltra-mo worked on it. In the second half ofthe 18th century the latter created thesplendid grey stone staircase that leadsto the “sacred square”, or Prato dellaMadonna, the original design of whichwas probably the work of Juvarra.

Unlike the other Holy Mounts in Pied-mont, which developed in woodedareas, Oropa mostly lies in a huge slop-ing meadow, in such a way that the cha-pels are all visible, and only at the sum-mit does the field give way to woodedland. In common with the other HolyMounts, however, this complex was con-structed using local materials andlabour: clay from Biella for the sculp-tures, and local craftsmen who put theexperience gained in Varallo and Creainto practice.There are splendid chapels created bythe brothers Giovanni and Melchiorred’Errico: the one dedicated to theCoronation of the Virgin, or ParadiseChapel, features a total of 156 life-sizedfigures, many of which have hair andbeards made of plant fibre. It is interesting to note that the chapeldedicated to the Nozze di Cana was fun-ded by the town of Lessona, renownedfor its wine, which wished to link thisproduct with the religious setting.How to get to OropaTurin-Milan motorway, Santhià exit,SS 143 towards Biella, then SS 144.Distance from Turin: around 89 km.

THE BLACK MADONNA, AN ANCIENT WORSHIP

According to ecclesiastical history, the worship of the

“Black Madonna” was introduced into this area by

Sant’Eusebio, who brought two sculptures and a

painting of the Virgin by St. Luke Evangelist

back from the Holy Land in the third cen-

tury. He is said to have left one of the sta-

tues in Oropa and the other in Crea.

The worship of the Black Madonna is

widespread in many areas of Eu-

rope and is believed to originate

from the custom of the early

Christian communities of

using ebony or painted

statues of Egyptian di-

vinities in their wor-

ship, “recycled” as

images of the

Madonna.

52

Biella and the surrounding area

Sacro Monte di Oropa: the great staircase

The Baroque sites in the Cuneo areainclude some important Savoy resid-ences, and one of the main Marianshrines.

Racconigi CastleThis castle, around thirty kilometresoutside Turin, owes its current aspectto work carried out between the seven-teenth and nineteenth centuries toadapt a Medieval structure whichbelonged to the Marquises of Saluzzo,and Acaia, and lastly to the Savoys.Around 1620 Guarino Guarini workedon the conversion of the complex anddesigned the façade which overlooksthe beautiful gardens, which werecreated in the same period by André Le

Nôtre (the famous landscape architectof Louis XIV) in the French style, withfountains, statues and water features.The Neoclassical style south façade,which faces the town of Racconigi, wascreated at the end of the eighteenthcentury by Giovan Battista Borra, astudent of Vittone’s, but does not com-promise the stylistic unity of the struc-ture. This castle stands out for havingbeen inhabited continuously throu-ghout its history. It hosted officialfunctions, visits of state, and in 1904Umberto II was born there.How to get to the Castle: South ring road, Carmagnola exit, SS 20 to Racconigi.Distance from Turin: around 39 km.

Govone Castle The original nucleus of this structure,in a strategic hill-top position, datesback to just after the year 1000. At the end of the 17th century theowner of the manor appointed GuarinoGuarini to extend and embellish thebuilding, but the work was never finish-ed due to the wars which Piedmont wasinvolved in between the end of the 17thcentury and the Battle of Assietta in1747. Work restarted in 1778 undervarious architects, perhaps includingAlfieri. In 1792 the castle was purchas-ed by the Savoys and after changingfortunes in the Napoleonic period,Govone, along with Agliè, became thefavourite residence of King CarloFelice. Since the end of the 19th cen-tury the castle has been the property ofthe town of Govone. Inside it boastsornate decorations, many from thepalace of Venaria, chinoiséries and fur-nishings in particular.How to get to the Castle: Turin-Piacenza motorway, Asti Ovestexit, SS 231 towards Isola d’Asti,Costigliole, Govone. Distance from Turin: around 75 km.

The Certosa of ValcasottoThis complex, which lies in the Valca-sotto hamlet of Pamparato, started lifein ancient times as a Carthusian monas-tery. During its long history it has beensubject to fire and looting, and in the17th and 18th centuries it was largelyreworked by Francesco Gallo and Ber-nardo Vittone, who designed the faça-de. The complex is composed of a cen-tral section with two front wings.At the end of the 18th century themonastery was occupied by Napoleon’stroops, and after the order to abolish allmonastic orders it was sold off to priva-te individuals, before being recoveredby Carlo Alberto, who turned it into aroyal residence, restoring a number ofsections. His successor Vittorio Ema-nuele II also came here often, using it asa hunting estate. It was later sold oncemore by Umberto I. In 2000 the monas-tery passed to the Piedmont Region andis now open to the public.How to get to the Certosa:Turin-Savona motorway, Niella Tanaroexit, Strada Provinciale 60 towardsSan Michele Mondovì, Pamparato.Distance from Turin: around 110 km.

54 55

Cuneo and the surrounding area

Cuneo: Racconigi Castle

As well as the Savoy residences in theprovince of Cuneo there is also one ofthe region’s top religious destinations,the Santuario di Vicoforte, or to giveit its proper name, the SantuarioBasilica del Monte Regale. This is a place with a fascinatinghistory. In Medieval times there was amodest shrine with a fresco depicting aMadonna and Child. At the end of the15th century, during a hunting trip, ahunter mistakenly hit the image of theVirgin herself. Stunned, he hung hisharquebus on the shrine (the gun isstill kept in the Shrine) and set aboutrepairing the damage and makingamends for his sin, with prayers andfund-raising.In a short space of time, the image andthe chapel acquired fame as a miracu-lous setting, attracting increasingnumbers of pilgrims, including DukeCarlo Emanuele I of Savoy, who com-missioned Ascanio Vitozzi to constructa large shrine there in 1596. Work wasinterrupted after the deaths of thearchitect and the duke, and resumedagain in the eighteenth century underFrancesco Gallo, who created a gran-

diose project with the feature that stillmakes its unique today: a huge ellipt-ical dome, 74 metres high and withdiameters of 25 and 36 metres –making it the largest in Europe.The decorative work on such a largesurface - over six thousand squaremetres - was a colossal job, completedin the mid-eighteenth century byMattia Bortoloni and Felice Biella.Alongside the Shrine was a Cistercianmonastery and other constructions toaccommodate pilgrims and provideassistance to the sick.Inside, the frescoed dome and the skil-ful positioning of the huge oval win-dows creates some extraordinaryeffects of light.In the centre of the building there is alavishly decorated little shrine housinga silver case with the fifteenth-centuryimage of the Madonna. The site alsohosts the tomb of Carlo Emanuele I,who so desired it to be built.How to get to the Santuario:Turin-Savona motorway, Niella Tanaroexit, Strada Provinciale 60 towards S.Michele Mondovì-Vicoforte.Distance from Turin: around 93 km.

56

Cuneo and the surrounding area

Cuneo: the Santuario di Vicoforte

The historic town centre of Novara,with its Medieval layout, does not pre-sent many Baroque sites. However theBasilica di San Gaudenzio, whichdates back to the 16th century, con-tains 59 Baroque and Mannerist-stylestatues created between the 17th and19th centuries, and Casa Bossi is abeautiful example of an 18th-centuryhouse, although it was largely modifiedby An-tonelli in the following century.Also of interest is Palazzo Caccia-piatti Fossati, built in the second halfof the 17th century and featuring win-dows adorned with white stuccoes.Meanwhile there are more importantsites in one of the most picturesque andfamous areas of Piedmont, that of La-go Maggiore, which is now part of theprovinces of Novara and Verbania.In its strategic position between the Poplains and Switzerland, Lago Maggiorehas always been a crossroads for com-munications and cultural and commer-cial exchanges. With a central role inimportant historic events since the Me-dieval period, for over four centuries thearea was dominated first by the Viscontifamily then by the Borromeo dynasty.

Between the end of the 16th centuryand the beginning of the 17th century,in particular, the work of two figuressuch as San Carlo Borromeo andCardinal Federico had a determininginfluence on local art and culture.Along with his philanthropic and pas-toral work Carlo was also keenly com-mitted to imposing the dictates of theCouncil of Trent. It was with a view tothis that he commissioned the restora-tion and radical transformation of theoldest, mostly Romanesque, churchesin the area. These were reworked inBaroque style. To honour the memoryof his beatified ancestor, CardinalFederico commissioned the construc-tion of the Sacro Monte at Arona,and the famous "Sancarlone", acolossal statue over 23 metres high,which was built in 1697.At the same time the first villas withgardens were being constructed: bet-ween 1620 and 1670 the Borromeopalaces on Isola Bella and Isola Madrewere built, with magnificent Italian-style gardens which according to thecanons of the era were to representman’s dominion over nature.

58

Novara and the surrounding area

Lago d’Orta

tablished before the year 1000, but inthe Baroque period the ancient Roman-esque nucleus was covered over andpartially replaced. In particular, at theend of the 17th century a three-navecrypt divided with marble columns wasbuilt to house the remains of a numberof saints, including Giulio himself,whose body was placed in a sumptuoussilver and crystal urn made in 1749.On the mainland, right in front of theisland, is another Sacro Monte, that ofOrta San Giulio, dedicated to Saint.Francis of Assisi. This extends up

There are some interesting sites in Bor-gomanero. The San Bartolomeo parishchurch, which has a main altar in thestyle of Antonio Pini, is a triumph ofspiralling columns, statues and gilding.Other sites include Villa Marazza, theOratorio della Trinità and the Oratoriodi San Giuseppe. In Grignasco, theAssunta Parish Church, by Vittone,reworks and accentuates some classicGuarini motifs.In the stunning area around Lago d’Or-ta is the Basilica di San Giulio, on theisland of the same name. This was es-

Monte San Nicolao (now known asMonte Francesco), a promontorywhich juts out into the lake, formingthe inlet of the town of Orta.The construction of the Sacro Monte ofOrta began in the late 16th century andcontinued for over a century, giving riseto a site featuring around 20 chapels,with 376 life-sized statues in paintedterracotta and great series of frescoesdepicting episodes from the life of thesaint which correspond closely to thelife of Christ: the scene of the Birth ofFrancis, for example, is represented asalmost identical to the Nativity, and soon. Great artists came to work in Orta,like the sculptors Cristoforo Prestinariand Dionigi Bussola, of the Milan

school, the “Fratelli Righi”, almost cer-tainly a pseudonym of Giovanni andMelchiorre D’Errico, and many othertalented sculptors and painters. The episodes depicted feature a com-bination of grandiose scenes of greatdramatic effect and intimate sketches ofdaily and family life, with children pla-ying, eliciting identification and a senseof familiarity, a highly effective way offulfilling the didactic and ex-planatoryaims of the complex.How to get to Orta San Giulio:Turin-Milan motorway, at Biandratetake the Autostrada dei Trafori, Borgo-manero exit, then Strada statale 229towards Gozzano-Orta.Distance from Turin: around 123 km.

61

Novara and the surrounding area

Novara: the island of Orta San Giulio

worked in France for a long time.Also in the province of Verbania is oneof the most popular tourist destinationsin Piedmont: Isola Bella, in Lago Mag-giore, opposite Stresa. On the island isthe grandiose Baroque complex whichincludes Palazzo Borromeo, a com-pact building with four storeys in thecentral section and three at the sides. Italso has a beautiful gallery with paint-ings by Antonio Tempesta and GiovanBattista Tiepolo. The gardens are laidout on ten descending terraces with atotal drop of 37 metres, and presentsome spectacular fountains, statuesand water features. Inside, the palacefeatures lavish decorations, tapestries,furniture and paintings.

The Baroque sites in Verbania, whichwas created in 1939 from the union ofthe towns of Intra and Pallanza, includethe interesting historic centre of Intra,with its narrow streets overlooked bypalaces and villas of the 17th and 18thcenturies, as well as the San Fabianochurch, built in 1630, and the 18th-century Basilica di San Vittore, with itsfamous copper dome. In the surround-ing area, the town of Craveggia in ValVigezzo features the Santi Giacomo eCristoforo Parish Church, and thesmall, picturesque Piazza dei Miracoli,which is overlooked by various build-ings, dominated by the Oratorio diSanta Marta by Antonio Ferino, an ar-chitect who was born in the town but

Also on Lago Maggiore, in Ghiffa, bet-ween Verbania and Oggebbio, is the Sa-cro Monte della Santissima Trinità,a small but atmospheric complex with ashrine, three chapels and a long arcadein a vast protected natural area on Mon-te Cargiago. The construction of thiscomplex began at the end of the 16thcentury, adapting an older shrine whichwas already known as a miraculous site,and continued, with a number of inter-ruptions, up to the mid-18th century. The shrine features some excellent fres-coes from the Lombardy school and anornate main altar. The chapels are ded-icated to episodes and figures from theScriptures. The oldest, dedicated to theCoronation, was created in 1630; thiswas followed in 1659 by the Chapel ofSt. John the Baptist, which shows theBaptism of Christ, and lastly that ded-icated to Abraham (1703).In Domodossola there is a more com-plex structure, the Sacro Monte Calva-rio, which comprises a shrine, 14 cha-pels and an oratory. Building began inthe mid-17th century and by the end ofthe century the shrine and most of thechapels had already been completed.

As its name suggests, the devotional andliturgical themes of the Sacro MonteCalvario regard episodes from the Wayof the Cross and the Passion of Christ,but despite this the construction anddecoration of the chapels does notappear to follow a single design, fea-turing a variety of concepts and styles.The sculptors who worked in Domo-dossola include Dionigi Bussola, whoamong other things created the chapeldedicated to the Deposition of Christfrom the Cross, with ten statues incoloured terracotta which make up acomposition of great dramatic effect.How to reach the area: Turin-Milanmotorway, at Biandrate take theAutostrada dei TraforiIsola Bella: Carpugnino exit, thenStrada statale towards Brovello-Carpugnino-Stresa.Distance from Turin: around 137 km.Ghiffa: Baveno-Stresa exit, then headtowards Verbania-Ghiffa.Distance from Turin: around 157 km.Sacro Monte Calvario: Baveno-Stresaexit, then E62 to the Domodossola exit,then Strada Provinciale 166. Distance from Turin: around 177 km.

62 63

Verbania and the surrounding area

Lago Maggiore: Isola Bella

While Vercelli, the historic part of whichhas conserved its Medieval character,has few traces of the Baroque period,the surrounding area presents someinteresting examples.In Campertogno is the San GiacomoParish Church, designed by Filippo Ju-varra. The political significance of thisbuilding overtook its artistic import-ance, and it became the symbol of a neworder, namely the passage of the areafrom Lombard to Savoy influence in themid-eighteenth century.Also in the province of Vercelli is theSacro Monte Nuova Gerusalemme inVarallo Sesia, the success of which ledto the construction of its counterparts inthe area, and heralded the advent of a

new popular religious tradition. With adifferent approach, and more complexthan the traditional shrines, the HolyMounts represented a more accessibleand infinitely safer alternative to peril-ous pilgrimages to the Holy Land. Theydepicted the main episodes from theScriptures and had a clear didactic pur-pose. Moreover, in the context of theCounter Reformation they enabled theChurch to direct and control flows ofpilgrims, and came to represent out-posts of Catholicism, standing up to thespread of the Protestant religion.The Varallo site is the oldest HolyMount of all: it came into being at theend of the 15th century thanks to thework of a Franciscan monk from Milan

called Bernardino Caìmi. After a stay inJerusalem he decided to try and repro-duce a “miniature Holy Land” andidentified an ideal site for it on the hillsabove the town of Varallo Sesia. Work began in 1486, and much wascarried out during the 17th century. Inall the complex features 44 chapels cul-minating in the Basilica dell’Assunta,which Benedetto Alfieri worked on, andwhich features a total of 142 statues ofangels, patriarchs and prophets, andaround 600 painted cherubs above thealtar. The chapels make up a path-way/pilgrimage dedicated to the Storiesof the Mystery of Salvation, which areillustrated with frescoes and life-sizedsculptures. There is a total of around

700 statues and 4,000 painted figuresrepresenting the most sacred episodesand sites of Christianity.Building work on the chapels ended in1737 with the construction of the San-t’Anna chapel in the Piazza dei Tri-bunali, and the completion of a numberof frescoes. In the same period the oldchurch was replaced, chapels and acrypt were added to the main church,and the gallery of the main altar andGolden Gate were constructed.How to get to Varallo Sesia:Turin-Milan motorway, at Biandratetake the Autostrada dei Trafori, Roma-gnano Sesia exit, then Strada Statale229 towards Borgosesia-Quarona.Distance from Turin: around 127 km.

64 65

Vercelli and the surrounding area

The Holy Mount of Varallo Sesia

For any informationand to receive materialson tourism-related activities in Piedmont, please contact the following addresses.

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE DI ALESSANDRIA "ALEXALA" Piazza Santa Maria di Castello, 14 15100 ALESSANDRIATel. 0131.288095/227454 - Fax 0131.220546 Internet: www.alexala.it E-mail: info@alexala.it

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE DI ASTI Corso Dante, 8 - 14100 ASTITel. 0141.353034 - Fax 0141.356140Internet: www.terredasti.it E-mail: atl@axt.it - astiturismo@terredasti.it

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE DI BIELLAPiazza Vittorio Veneto, 3 - 13900 BIELLATel. 015.351128 - Fax 015.34612Internet: www.atl.biella.it E-mail: info@atl.biella.it

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE DI CUNEOVia Vittorio Amedeo II, 13 - 12100 CUNEOTel. 0171.690217 - Fax 0171.602773Internet: www.cuneoholiday.com E-mail: info@cuneoholiday.com

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE DELLE LANGHE E DEL ROEROPiazza Risorgimento, 2 - 12051 ALBA (CN)Tel. 0173.35833 - Fax 0173.363878Internet: www.langheroero.it www.langheroero.comE-mail: info@langheroero.it

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE "DISTRETTO TURISTICO DEI LAGHI" Scrl. Sede: Corso Italia, 18 - 28838 STRESA (VB)Tel. 0323.30416 - Fax 0323.934335Internet: www.distrettolaghi.it E-mail: infoturismo@distrettolaghi.it

Sede operativa:Via Panoramica - 28016 Orta San Giulio (NO)Tel. 0322.905163 - Fax 0322.905273Sede operativa:Via Giovanni XXIII, 1 - 28845 Domodossola (VB)Tel. 0324.482541 - Fax 0324227277E-mail: infossola@distrettolaghi.it

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE DELLA PROVINCIA DI NOVARA Baluardo Q. Sella, 40 - 28100 NOVARATel. 0321.394059 - Fax 0321.631063Internet: www.turismonovara.it E-mail: novaratl@tin.it

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE DELL'AREA METROPOLITANA DI TORINO "TURISMO TORINO"Via Bogino, 8 - 10123 TORINOTel. 011.8185011 - Fax 011.883426Atrium Torino - Piazza Solferino - 10123 TORINOTel. 011.535181/535901 - Fax 011.530070 Internet: www.turismotorino.org E-mail: info@turismotorino.org

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE DEL CANAVESEE DELLE VALLI DI LANZOCorso Vercelli, 1 - 10015 IVREA (TO)Tel. 0125.618131 - Fax 0125.618140Internet: www.canavese-vallilanzo.it E-mail: info@canavese-vallilanzo.it

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE DELLA VALLE DI SUSA E DEL PINEROLESE “MONTAGNE DOC” Viale Giolitti 7/9 - 10064 PINEROLO (To)Tel. 0121.764003 - Fax 0121.794932Internet: www.montagnedoc.it E-mail: info@montagnedoc.it pinerolo@montagnedoc.it

AGENZIA DI ACCOGLIENZA E PROMOZIONE TURISTICA LOCALE "TURISMO VALSESIA E VERCELLI "Sede legale:Corso Roma, 38 - 13019 VARALLO (VC)Tel. 0163.564404 - Fax 0163.53091 Internet: www.turismovalsesiavercelli.itE-mail: atlvarallo@libero.it Sede operativa: Corso Garibaldi, 90 - 13100 VercelliTel. 0161.58002 - Fax 0161.257899

66

Local Tourist Boards in Piedmont

DIREZIONE TURISMO, SPORT E PARCHIDirettoreDott. Gaudenzio De Paoli

SETTORE COORDINAMENTODELLA PROMOZIONE TURISTICAVia A. Avogadro, 30 - 10121 TorinoTel. 011.4321504 - Fax 011.4323925e-mail: promozione.turistica@regione.piemonte.it

Dirigente ResponsabileDott.ssa Anna Maria Costa

AGENZIA REGIONALE PER LA PROMOZIONE TURISTICA DEL PIEMONTEVia A. Avogadro, 30 - 10121 TorinoTe. 011.4321354 - Fax 011.4326218e-mail: atrinfo@atr.piemonte.it

OSSERVATORIO TURISTICO REGIONALEVia A. Avogadro, 30 - 10121 TorinoTel. 011.4322479 - Fax 011.4325718e-mail: osservatorio.turismo@regione.piemonte.it

www.regione.piemonte.it/turismowww.piemonte-emozioni.it

FREEPHONE NUMBERS

Italy 800 329 329

France 0 800 907 674

Germany 0 800 181 94 57

Great Britain 0 800 967 951

Spain 900 993 943

Switzerland 0 800 551 129

Argentina 00 39 800 303 47 34

Other countries 00 39 011 522 10 35(international call fees apply)

Publishing coordinationAnna Maria Costa, Giorgino Giordano, Antonia Ferrero

Editorial coordinationa and layout adaptationMichelangelo Carta Editore - Torino, M.P. - Collegno (TO)

PrintingEdicta - Torino

PhotosLucilla Cremonipage 45, 52, 57, 58-59, 60: Archivio Fotografico Assessorato al Turismo Regione Piemonte

Translation: Anna Carruthers

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