Vico Canavese: Piazza, Churches and Landscape

Vico Canavese between Moraine Landscape and Local History

Vico Canavese combines a clearly recognizable landscape with a townscape in which stone, open squares and church architecture come together. The settlement lies on moraine remnants and at the foot of the Torretta delle Cime, which is 1556 m high. The area features extensive meadows. If you are looking for a place shaped by geology, open landscapes and distinctive buildings, you will find several different points of interest here.

The character of the centre is particularly evident in the narrow streets. Most of them are paved with cubes of diopside, a stone sourced from the quarry above the settlement. The local natural environment is therefore not only a backdrop of the landscape but is also directly present in the streetscape.

Piazza Garibaldi and the Churches of Vico Canavese

At the entrance to Vico Canavese lies the spacious Piazza Garibaldi. The Casa dei Carbonari, which still stands today, is located on this piazza. The square and the building thus create a concrete link between spatial orientation in the town and its political history.

The parish church of San Giovanni was completely rebuilt in the 17th century. Its interior has three naves, three altars and a wooden pulpit. Next to the apse stands a Romanesque stone bell tower with three rows of large bifora windows. The combination of the later church building and the Romanesque tower makes San Giovanni particularly interesting for visitors who wish to appreciate architectural details rather than merely notice them in passing.

The history of the Carbonari is also connected with Vico Canavese. The town was particularly involved in preparations for the uprisings of 1821 and was home to a “vendita” of the Carbonari. The Casa dei Carbonari on Piazza Garibaldi thereby gains an additional historical connection, without requiring any further buildings or events.

Drusacco, Valchiusella and Paths through the Landscape

Drusacco is part of the municipality. It is home to the particularly valuable Baroque parish church of Santa Maria Assunta, which dates from the 17th century. It broadens the cultural perspective on Vico Canavese to include a hamlet and another facet of church history.

In Valchiusella, on the orographically left side of the valley, there are rock carvings considered evidence of the presence of prehistoric people. The historical horizon of the surrounding area thus extends far beyond the churches and the events of 1821.

Hiking is also associated with Vico Canavese: The hiking loop Percorsi selvaggi runs through the municipal area. Together with the meadows at the foot of the Torretta delle Cime, this creates a destination that connects cultural observations in the town with experiences of the surrounding landscape. Depending on your focus, you can therefore organize your stay around squares and church architecture, history or paths through the municipal area.

More Places for Planning Your Trip

If you would like to combine Vico Canavese with other destinations, here is a compact selection: Almese, Candiolo, Castagneto Po, Roletto, Noasca, San Mauro Torinese, San Giuseppe and Airali.

To the main travel overview: Turin.