Piedmont Tour

 

This tour of the region of Piedmont, Italy, combines an in-depth look at historical changes in spirituality with the enjoyment of the region's traditional lifestyle and famous landscapes: its majestic Alps, its pleasant wine hills, and its fascinating lakes. From the earliest times of the Celtic culture to the state-sponsored Baroque theatricality of the 18^th century, Piedmont has known a flourishing of stunning religious architecture and popular religious art which has been largely preserved, yet is mostly unknown to international tourists even today. We will be staying mostly at monasteries and sanctuaries. Your guide will be a native of Piedmont who is trained in theology and the history of spirituality, is excited to share hidden treasures, and knows and values the culinary traditions of his home region.

 Dates: May 23 (leaving from Los Angeles) - June 4 (arrival in Los Angeles)

 

 

Vezzolano Abbey

DAY 1 and DAY 2: Romanesque churches in the hills of Monferrato

The sub-region of Monferrato knew a remarkable architectural flourishing in the 11th and 12th centuries and keeps to this day dozens of churches in the Romanesque style, varying from very small chapels to structures quite complex and refined. We will visit five among the most remarkable of such churches, set in the enchanting setting of hills covered with vines. Perhaps the relative seclusion of this sub-region in modern times has helped to preserve not only the structures, but the stunning decorations on capitals and lintels, including mermaids and other mythological animals. Sexual carvings and more common animals are present as well. We will delve into hypotheses about the meaning of such astoundingly rich symbolism. One major site, the Vezzolano Abbey, presents a higher complexity in structure and a shift toward more biblical imagery. In this place, once inhabited by Augustinian monks, we will explore specifically the relation between biblical meditation, liturgy, communal life, and architectural space. 

Mermaid, Church of St.Secondo 12th c.

Screen-reader users, click here to turn off Google Instant.

 DAY 3: Synagogues, Cathedrals, and Sacred Mounts.

 In the Middle Ages, all major Christian cities were proud of their cathedrals, symbols of the power of the city and its bishop as well as of the splendor and magnificence of God. We will visit two examples of such buildings in the cities of Casale (12th c. Romanesque style) and Vercelli (13th c. Gothic style). Such show of power by Christians did not prevent, at that time, the flourishing of Jewish communities. Although few synagogues have been preserved, we will be able to visit the one in Casale (16th c.). We will also be able to look at some of the sacred artifacts that were employed during the solemn liturgies of both communities from the 10th c. onward, including processional crosses, reliquaries, scrolls, hanukah lamps, etc., made with the most exquisite materials and high-level craft. 

St.Andrew's, Vercelli

The afternoon of Day 3 will be spent at the Orta lake, with the possibility of visiting the monastery built on an island in the middle of the lake, or the Sacred Mount with chapels illustrating the life of saint Francis of Assisi as alter Christus. The day will end at the “sacred mount” of Varallo, an imposing exercise of Renaissance and Baroque theatre representing the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus.

View of the monastery from Orta

DAY 4: Sanctuary of the Black Madonna

 The Black Madonna was revered in Oropa well before 

the visit of the first Christian bishop of the area of Vercelli, 

Eusebius, according to his own witness. Eusebius made

his pilgrimage in the 3rd century, and since then the sanctuary

has been Christianized, at least externally. 

We will be able to detect the historical layers

of the devotion to the Black Madonna, to see historical

documentation of the pilgrimages spanning several centuries,

and to witness the presence of contemporary pilgrims.
This day will be entirely spent on site.

Upper Courtyard, Sanctuary of the Black Madonna, Oropa

The site of Oropa includes a Sacred Mount dedicated

to the life of Mary. The sacred mounts of Piedmont

have been granted UNESCO protection since 2003

Drawing of the Mosaic of the Twelve Month, Aosta Cathedral

DAY 5: The Aosta Valley from Roman times to courtly love

The city of Aosta gives the name 
to a very wide Alpine valley
which enjoys a special autonomy granted

in the Italian Constitution.

Here both French and Italian 

are recognized as official
languages and an old-German
speaking minority is present as well.

The city presents imposing Roman monuments

as well as the medieval quarters
which St.Anselm of Canterbury

went round as a boy.

Cathedral towers, Aosta

We will be able to trace the evolution of Medieval civilization 

through some of the many prominent religious and civic buildings of this valley, traversed by the major routes to cross the Alps into Switzerland and France.

High points of the visit will be: the 8th c. baptistery of Settimo Vittone, the 11th c. Cathedral of Aosta and its stunning mosaic pavement of the twelve months, the 12th c. cloister of St.Ours with one of the most amazing sequence of capitels, and the 13th c. castle of Fenis.

Fenis Castle

In Fenis, religious symbolism gives way to

an esoteric way of conceiving 
the architecturally enclosed space
as the heart of a lover to be stormed.



DAY 6 and DAY 7: the Susa Valley from Neolithic Times to Monastic Culture

In the Susa valley, dominated by the city  with the same name,
we will be able to look back beyond the Roman conquest
into the religion of the Celts, of which consistent remains 
are present not just in buildings, but in popular tradition as well
and to look even further back into Neolithic times by visiting
a mount/sanctuary which has been only superficially Christianized.

Procession, Giaglione

 
  We will be in the village of Giaglione on one of the four days of the year
when the traditional procession and sword dance are performed.

St.Eldradus receives the monastic habit, Novalesa

We will explore the coexistence of monks living
under different rules of life 
in one single monastic site - the Abbey of Novalesa,
endowed by Charlemagne in the early 9th c.

Torture in hell, Church of St.Stephen in Giaglione

We will also investigate the role of frescoes in teaching morality
to the population in the 15th century and beyond.


The overarching theme of these two intense days
could be summarized as investigating the meaning of “sanctity”
and “to be a saint”in different eras of religious civilization.

 

One of the most magnificent monastic buildings of the world

and an UNESCO site, the Abbey of St.Michael,

will constitute a major highlight of the tour.

Abbey of St.Michael