Skip to content
Enjoy Piedmont
  • eBook
    • Do it yourself TURIN eBook – The guide for independent travelers
    • Checkout
    • Purchase History
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Why Piedmont?
  • Videos
  • Blog
  • English
    • English
    • Italiano
The Sacra di San Michele - the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin 1
The Sacra di San Michele – the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin

The Sacra di San Michele – the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin

Elisabetta

When the torrid summer heat afflicts the city, everyone, even the most avid sea lovers like my husband and I, feels the “passion” for the mountains… and when this passion manifests itself as a decision to escape from the city at the last minute (sometimes we just can’t manage to organize everything in advance), our “trusted destination” is the Sacra di San Michele (aka Saint Michael’s Abbey), because it can be reached in less than an hour by car from Turin even without taking the freeway. Today I would like to propose to you a typical day escaping the summer heat at the Sacra di San Michele.

The beauty and charm of this monument, which in 1994 was chosen as the symbol of the Piedmont Region, are the result of, above all, its position. On the Cottian Alps, within the Rocciavré mountain range, the Sacra is located right at the top of Mount Pirchiriano (an elegant form of the word “Porcarianus” which means mountain of pigs), from where it dominates the Susa Valley and the via Francigena, the only passage that in ancient times allowed one to cross the Alps and pass from Piedmont to France and vice versa.

Sacra di San Michele
View of via Francigena from the Sacra di San Michele

Mount Pirchiriano, considered strategic and thus exploited for this reason by the Romans, was later chosen as a hermit seat by a religious disciple of San Romualdo (Saint Romuald), Giovanni Vincenzo. Shortly thereafter, in 983, the construction of the current abbey began at the site of the hermitage at the behest of the French nobleman Hugh of Montboissier, Lord of Auvergne. Count Hugh had undertaken a pilgrimage to Rome to redeem himself for his questionable past and once there, he obtained an audience with the Pope to request an indulgence. The Pope allowed him to choose his own penance: a 7-year exile or the construction of an abbey.

In 987 the monastery was finished and became a place frequented by nobles on pilgrimage and in spiritual retreat. It was a place to withdraw to meditate, study or meet other people of a high cultural level. For this reason, even today, the Sacra di San Michele still retains all the charm and fascination of a place with such a unique history and experience. And it was for this reason that the Sacra di San Michele was one of the places (along with the Bobbio Abbey of Saint Columbanus and the Abbey of Saint Gall in Switzerland) from which Umberto Eco was inspired by for the setting of his very successful novel “The Name of the Rose”.

The Sacra di San Michele - the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin 3
Glimpse of the Sacra di San Michele

Curiously, however, this place, which under the management of the Benedictine monks for around three hundred years was an example of immeasurable hospitality, was unable to host the film crew that made the film adaptation of Eco’s famous novel and not even the employees of the more recent television series (of which the scenes were mostly shot in Cinecittà Studios and other historical but more accessible locations).

See also  Piazza Castello Turin - A Captivating Guided Tour

For those who love trekking, there are several routes to reach the Sacra di San Michele on foot while for those arriving by car like us, there is a convenient parking lot (for a fee) in Piazzale Croce Nera (Black Cross Square). From here begins a beautiful path through the middle of the greenery, paved but intended to be walked by foot, and after 10 minutes of ascent, you begin to see the imposing profile of the religious complex.

Arriving at the large space in front of the Sacra di San Michele you will notice the remains of an ancient temple: it is the Sepolcro di Monaci (The Monk’s Sepulchre). So-called because it was always thought that it was a cemetery chapel, but in reality, it is more likely that it was simply a reproduction (dating back to the 12th century) of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. From here the Sacra will appear to you in all its grandeur! And you will have the feeling of not knowing what to focus your attention on: the mighty and fascinating medieval structure or the spectacular panorama all around?

The Sacra di San Michele - the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin 4
Sepolcro dei Monaci (The Monk’s Sepulchre)

At the foot of the Sacra di San Michele, you will find the ticket office/gift shop from where the Padri Rosminiani (Rosminian Fathers) start their free guided tours. The congregation of the followers of Antonio Rosmini, founder of the Institute of Charity, has been managing the Abbey since 1836 when King Carlo Alberto of Savoy decided to restore this monument and give it back its ancient splendour, which had been lost over the years of abandonment. Thus he moved the entombed bodies of twenty-four members of the House of Savoy there from the Turin Cathedral in order to give it more importance.

To visit the Sacra di San Michele you will need strong, comfortable shoes. Since the building rests on a portion of the rock of Mount Pirchiriano, its structure is a continuous addition of staircases, one after another, to reach the heart of the monastery: the church. Thus, as a metaphor of the Christian life, the visit will seem like an arduous ascent, ramp after ramp, towards the light.

You start by climbing a flight of steps to get to the main facade of the complex and its official entrance. From here, the wonderful view over the whole valley will be the reason for your first stop to catch your breath (unless you are super fit!) and warm up your camera (or smartphone) with the first photos to put on your desktop background.

The Sacra di San Michele - the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin 5
The Statue of Archangel St Michael

Turn towards the facade and you will see the statue of Archangel St. Michael (by sculptor Paul dë Doss-Moroder) placed here in 2005 and which gives a contemporary touch to the overall view. The remarkably high facade forewarns us with its solemnity, its geometric shapes, and the alternation of colours, that we are entering a sacred place of great importance and built with significant economic and artistic commitment.

See also  The Wine, the Stone and the Sabaudity - part I

From the gate, we approach the Scalone dei Morti (Stairway of the Dead), a staircase that consists of a double flight with steep steps and is therefore quite physically demanding. The name, contrary to what the visitors who accompanied me commented, is not due to the fact that you die of fatigue while climbing the steps (ahahahahah there are always those who have the right joke and keep the mood of the group high! ) but to the fact that skeletons were found in a niche on the wall.

Nothing mysterious or horror, simply, as was customary in ancient times, the burials of illustrious men always took place under the churches and here too abbots and worthy individuals were buried. There are still five tombs present (but there must have been many more) some with marble decorations and others painted.

The Sacra di San Michele - the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin 6
The Sacra di San Michele

The effort of scaling the Scalone dei Morti is well rewarded by the view at the top, of the Portale dello Zodiaco (Portal of the Zodiac), the most precious work of art in the whole complex. The Portale dello Zodiaco, which from the Scalone dei Morti leads outside, was sculpted in the years around 1124 and thus it represents the ancient Romanesque cycle of the Zodiac and constellations.

In fact, on the right pillar within circles of intertwined branches are inserted the twelve signs of the zodiac while on the left, sixteen constellations are represented. Meanwhile, on the right side of the frame is the signature of the master who carved this portion of the portal: Nicholaus. However, the Portale dello Zodiaco is not a homogeneous work, and so several interventions have been recognized over the years, among which are the works of the Master of Rivalta and Pietro da Lione.

The Sacra di San Michele - the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin 7
The Ruins of the New Monastery

After passing through the portal, your gaze will be drawn to the important nineteenth-century work of the buttresses positioned here to ensure the equilibrium of the abbey structure during the restoration commissioned by King Charles Albert of Savoy. And finally, we reach the entrance portal of the abbey church: a Romanesque portal splayed on the sides with successive Gothic columns that form the portico that protects the portal. The doors of the portal are from the 19th century: carved in walnut wood, they reproduce the weapons of St. Michael the Archangel as well as the devil with a human face and snake’s body.

The abbey church preserves the tombs of twenty-four members of the Savoy family and on its walls can be found a triptych by Defendente Ferrari and various frescoes, among which the fresco representing the legend of the foundation of the Sacra di San Michele is interesting for its contents. Opposite the entrance portal, there is on the left, the door that gives access to the terrace from where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the valley below. Below the terrace, you can see the remains of the great Monastero Nuovo (New Monastery), built between the 12th and 15th centuries, a period of greatest prosperity for the monastic complex, and as such was a grandiose five-storey building.

The Sacra di San Michele - the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin 8
The Tower of Beautiful Alda

Going down and passing through these ruins you enter the remains of the Torre della Bell’Alda (Tower of Beautiful Alda), which overlooks the precipice of the mountain and which preserves its own mystery. According to the popular fantasy, the young and beautiful Alda went to the Sacra di San Michele to pray and was surprised by soldiers. In order to escape their attentions, and having no other way out, she invokes the help of St. Michael and the Virgin. Desperately, she throws herself from the top of this tower and is saved by her prayers and remains unharmed. Later she decides to challenge her fate again out of vanity, but this time she is not saved and dies.

See also  Piedmont ranks #1 in Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Regions to Visit for 2019

After the visit, we indulge ourselves in a relaxed picnic (there is a table with benches just below the monastery) and enjoy the fresh mountain air and the unique view from here. After a coffee at the Bar & Ristoro, with its “rough” managers, we are ready to go down and visit the Lakes of Avigliana … but this we will talk about in the next post.


Useful Info

Sacra di San Michele

Address: Via alla Sacra, 14 – 10057 S. Ambrogio (TO), Italy

Hours: https://www.sacradisanmichele.com/en/visiting-the-sacra/visiting-hours/

Contacts: Tel. +39.011.93.91.30
                 Fax. +39.011.93.97.06
                  E-mail: info@sacradisanmichele.com


Follow us everywhere!

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for our video tours. You can also find us on Facebook and Instagram.


Do it yourself Turin ebook – the only travel guidebook written by a real tour guide

Do it yourself Turin travel guidebook

A complete tour to explore freely, with maps and suggestions for experiencing the city like a local, where to eat and what not to miss.

Do it yourself TURIN is your expert Turinese friend, just for you, on your smartphone!

Download your eBook here

Our most popular posts:

Aperitivo a Torino Best Aperitif Turin

Where to have the best aperitif in Turin – for a truly unique Turinese experience

By Elisabetta / April 12, 2024 / 1 Comment
Torino Piemonte Card and Abbonamento Musei Piemonte Museum Cards

Torino Piemonte Card & Abbonamento Musei Piemonte – Are they worthwhile buying?

By Adam / March 16, 2024 / 0 Comments
Ravioli ai profumi di mare - Cannavacciuolo Bistrot Torino

The Best Restaurants in Piedmont – Michelin Star Restaurants of 2020

By Adam / November 21, 2019 / 3 Comments
Via Monferrato with umbrellas from above

Via Monferrato – The Trendiest Street in Turin

By Elisabetta / July 6, 2019 / 2 Comments
Lake Viverone

Why Lake Viverone? Because it has everything!

By Elisabetta / August 10, 2019 / 0 Comments
Porta Palazzo mercato

Mercato Centrale Torino – Another Must-See Reason to visit Turin’s “Melting Pot”

By Elisabetta / April 24, 2019 / 1 Comment
The Sacra di San Michele - the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin 2

The Sacra di San Michele – the most beautiful panorama just 1 hour outside of Turin

By Elisabetta / September 17, 2020 / 0 Comments
Egyptian Museum - Turin

The Captivating Egyptian Museum of Turin, or why does “The road to Memphis and Thebes passes through Turin?”

By Elisabetta / April 5, 2019 / 1 Comment
Avigliana Lakes

Lakes of Avigliana: a captivating afternoon between history and nature

By Elisabetta / March 20, 2021 / 0 Comments


Art, General, History and Culture
Sacra di San Michele

Post navigation

PREVIOUS
Europa Park Turin: Escape from the sultry city
NEXT
Lakes of Avigliana: a captivating afternoon between history and nature

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search

Follow us everywhere!

Turin travel guidebook

Do-it-yourself TURIN – your ultimate guide to Turin, ItalyDo it yourself Turin travel guidebook

Mailing List

Sign up for our newsletter

* indicates required
Language Preference
Website

Check out our Video Tours on YouTube!

Latest Reviews

star rating  Just spent a wonderful afternoon exploring Turin with the delightful Elisabetta. She was an excellent guide - engaging, interesting and so enthusiastic about her fantastic city. She was... read more very informative and had lots of stories to tell. Our two boys also enjoyed the walking tour....More

tripadvisor logo
GabrielleM750
October 28, 2019

Recent Posts

  • Where to have the best aperitif in Turin – for a truly unique Turinese experience
  • Torino Piemonte Card & Abbonamento Musei Piemonte – Are they worthwhile buying?
  • Val Grande: nature and trekking in the largest wilderness area of the Alps
  • The Wines of Langa – between Tradition and Innovation
  • Lakes of Avigliana: a captivating afternoon between history and nature

Categories

  • Art (14)
  • Food and Drink (16)
  • General (4)
  • History and Culture (22)
  • Nature (11)

Archives

  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • March 2021
  • September 2020
  • July 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

© 2025   All Texts, Images & Video on this site are Copyright by Enjoy Piedmont/Elisabetta Testore/Adam R. Reardon. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorised Usage Prohibited.