Romano Canavese: History Among Morainic Hills and Churches

Romano Canavese Between Roman Land Division and Morainic Hills

Romano Canavese combines traces of Roman land division with medieval towers, historic churches, neoclassical architecture and surroundings shaped by morainic hills. South of the town, traces of Roman centuriation have been preserved in the landscape. The morainic hill landscape around Romano Canavese includes forests and vineyards; gentle elevations shape the scenery and give a stay a clear cultural and scenic focus.

Roman Traces and an Ancient Road Axis

The course of the ancient Cardo and Decumanus can be recognized at the intersection of the roads connecting Romano Canavese with the neighboring settlements. The two Roman terms refer to the historic organization of the road network, which remains discernible here at a specific intersection. Within the municipal area, an old bridge has also been preserved along the former road connecting Aosta and Turin.

The Torre quadrata as a Landmark

The Torre quadrata is particularly striking. The square tower stands alone on a morainic hill and is considered a landmark of Romano Canavese. It dates from the 13th century and is mentioned in the statutes of Romano from 1315. The history of the structure thus reaches back to a time when the town was already characterized by its fortified structures.

The Torre quadrata measures approximately 5.50 × 5.40 meters at its base and is about 27 meters high. The Parco della Torre extends around the municipal tower from the 14th century; its bell tower was added in the 19th century.

Churches, Ricetto and Villa Bocca

The Chiesa di Santa Marta has Romanesque origins, while its present form largely dates from the Baroque period. Parts of the walls of the ancient Ricetto have been incorporated into the church; it is also built onto the southern gate tower. Romano Canavese shows here how religious architecture and older fortification structures can be directly connected.

The Parrocchiale dei Santi Pietro e Solutore has an interior with a centralized plan. Frescoes, paintings and stucco work by important artists such as Ayres, Moja, Spinzi, Ferrari and Augero decorate the space. The new Parrocchiale dei Santi Pietro e Solutore was built in the 19th century in a neoclassical style linked to the Baroque tradition.

Another architectural highlight is Villa Bocca. The grand neoclassical villa has a large garden and was built in the first half of the 19th century by the Viotti family, based on a design by the architect Sada. Together with the churches and the Torre quadrata, it adds a civic and representative dimension of the town to the view of Romano Canavese.

Morainic Landscape, Palude and Festival Culture

The landscape around Romano Canavese includes forests and vineyards on the morainic hills. The Palude di Romano Canavese is a 66-hectare Site of Community Importance. It extends across the territories of Romano Canavese and Scarmagno and lies between the town of the same name and the first elevations on the inner side of the right-hand Ivrea Moraine.

The Festa Patronale di San Prospero is also part of the local character. A rich program featuring culinary and dance evenings is regularly offered in Piazza Bachelet. If you would like to choose a focus for your accommodation in Romano Canavese, historic buildings, landscape and local festival culture can be combined into a varied itinerary.

More places for travel planning: Villafranca Piemonte, Usseglio, Traversella, Cantalupa, Bussoleno, San Maurizio Canavese, Chiomonte, Brusasco

For the main travel overview: Turin.