Scarnafigi: Culture, Sacred Buildings and Local Specialties

Scarnafigi is a destination for travelers who want to explore Italian culture away from the major cities. The Castello di Scarnafigi, sacred sites and sculptures by Mario Guasti are key cultural attractions. Fields, orchards, connecting routes and local cheeses add landscape and regional specialties to the picture. If you are looking for accommodation for an independently planned stay, these themes provide clear guidance.

The Castello and Sacred Art

The Castello di Scarnafigi was probably built around the year 1000 as a fortified Gothic palace. Its oldest section dates back to around the year 1000; it contains the Sala degli Stemmi with a coffered ceiling and old paintings. The Castello park is a green space of more than 10,000 square meters in the town center. Under the agreement, it is to remain available to the public until 2029.

The Parrocchiale Maria Vergine Assunta has a late-18th-century façade and three broad naves. The Cappella della Santissima Trinità is the oldest sacred monument in the Scarnafigi area and has existed since the early 13th century. The Santuario del Cristo preserves a fresco of the crucified Christ believed to date from the late 15th century. The Chiesa dell’Ospedale was built in 1757 and is dedicated to the Vergine Santissima della Concezione; it also preserves a well-preserved cycle of paintings depicting the life of the Madonna. Between the 11th and 13th centuries, the Santuario del Cristo was referred to as the Chiesa del Cristo.

The Confraternita Santa Croce was built in 1700–1701 on the ruins of an earlier church. The interior furnishings of the Cappella del Santo Sudario were commissioned from Jean Claret and the Rusca stuccoworkers between 1638 and 1644. The same Cappella contains Giovanni Claret’s 1644 painting of the Sindone. The Confraternita Santa Croce houses the multimedia Octavia Point. Visits to the Chiesa Maria Vergine Assunta are available on request; the same applies to the Santuario del Cristo, for which the contact telephone number 0175 74125 is provided.

Fields, Orchards and Connecting Routes

The Cappella della Santissima Trinità stands in the middle of the fields and is connected to the road to Cervignasco by a country lane. Via Praetta is also known as Strada dei Campioni and connects Lagnasco and Scarnafigi through fields and orchards. The Via delle Risorgive cycle path connects Moretta and Airasca along a former railway line. The landscape and routes thus emerge as distinct themes alongside the sacred buildings and the townscape.

Cheese and Local Character

The townscape of Scarnafigi is enhanced by several sculptures designed and created by the architect and artist Mario Guasti. The traditional Fiera di Primavera in Scarnafigi presents a selection of high-quality local specialties at the end of May. Scarnafigi and nearby Ruffia form a cheese-producing district where Grana Padano, Piemontino, Bra, Raschera and Toma are among the cheeses produced.

More Destinations

If you would like to extend your trip beyond Scarnafigi, here are more destinations: San Chiaffredo, Dogliani, Benevello, Casteldelfino, Chianale, Castellinaldo, Villafalletto, Castiglione Falletto.

To the broader travel overview: Cuneo.