Veillane (Avigliana)

Veillane (Avigliana in Italian) is a small medieval town in the lower Susa Valley, whose castle is one of the oldest in Piedmont, although little of it remains. It commands a fine position over the town, the two charming lakes and above all the valley.

Description and visit

The town was crossed by the Via Francigena, entering from the northwest through the Porta Santa Maria, following the present-day Via XX Settembre, lined with old palazzi where merchants busied themselves for centuries.

At the foot of this street and near the outer walls of the town stands the beautiful Maison forte d’Umbert III de Savoie (Casaforte Beato Umberto III di Savoia) from the late Middle Ages, reached by a bridge over the parallel street. Humbert III of Savoy is said to have been born in this building, which probably also had a defensive role. It has a pretty courtyard with a loggia.

Piazzetta Santa Maria

Further up, after the Porta Santa Maria, one reaches the Piazzetta Santa Maria, one of the most charming spots in Avigliana. The market was held here, and several fine medieval buildings can be seen.
From this square a street leads to Santa Maria Maggiore, a very old church rebuilt several times.

The Via Porta Ferrata, which continues to climb, passes near an old circular medieval tower and in front of the Casa di Porta Ferrata from the 14th century. Near here, the Maison Catamerlo in via Norberto Rosa is a neo-medieval building with its park and fine halls.
Near the fountain on the same street, a path leads to the remains of the castle on Mount Pezzulano. It was built in 924 on 6th-century fortifications of the Lombard king Cleph, and razed in 1691 by the French marshal Catinat. The interest of the site is above all the panorama over the town, the lakes and the Susa Valley.

On the pretty central square of the village, the Piazza Conte Rosso, can be seen the old 14th-century well, buildings with cross vaults supported by pillars with fine capitals, as well as the Palazzo del Municipio, whose facades date from different periods, and the Torre Civica.

Piazza Conte Rosso

In the Via Umberto I, the Church of San Giovanni, dating back to the 13th century, preserves works by the Piedmontese painter Defendente Ferrari. Opposite, the descent passes under the passage of the Porta San Giovanni.
Not far away, the Clock Tower is an octagonal brick tower that is said to recall an old tower with a clock from 1330. It is decorated with medieval architectural elements, as is the adjoining building.

One of the remarkable gates of Veillane is the Porta Ferronia from the 13th century, with its Ghibelline merlons, which was much larger originally.

The Church of Saint Peter (Chiesa di San Pietro), located outside the walls, is of very ancient origin, rebuilt towards the end of the 11th century and later enlarged, with a Romanesque structure and Gothic embellishments of various styles: from the Susa Valley, Lombard and French. It preserves frescoes ranging from the 11th to the 15th centuries, as well as a 16th-century painting of the Castle of Avigliana.

In the surroundings are two pretty little lakes, on the road to the Sacra San Michele. They are very popular in summer. The sanctuary of the lakes possesses among its paintings a San Maurizio by Guido Reni.

Information

• Wikipedia article: en.wikipedia.org
• Official tourist office website: turismoavigliana.it

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