Aree Protette Alpi Cozie

Contacts

3711619930
ufficioiat@turismoavigliana.it
https://www.turismoavigliana.it

Via Norberto Rosa

10051 Avigliana

The Castle of Avigliana is located in the Avigliana Lakes Natural Park and overlooks the interesting and magnificent Borgo Vecchio, a medieval village that stands on the northern slopes of Mount Pezzulano.

The name Avigliana probably derives from the name of a Roman family (the Avilii) present in the flat area of the territory, towards the area called "ad fines" which corresponds to the current Malano village.

From its origins, the Borgo Vecchio has played an important role in trade between Western Europe and Italy as an obligatory transit point on the road to France. It underwent a further increase with the arrival of the counts of Savoy on Italian soil. Tradition has it that the Blessed Umberto III (c. 1127-1189) and the Red Count (Amadeo VII 1360-1391) were particularly linked to Avigliana.

The buildings that characterize the evolution from Romanesque to Gothic in medieval Avigliana can be dated from the 12th to the 15th century:
the churches (S. Pietro, S. Maria, S. Giovanni) the walls, the doors, the porticoes, the noble homes of Piazza Conte Rosso and Piazza S. Maria along the entire historic centre.

With the choice of Turin as the capital of the kingdom, Avigliana lost part of its importance as a border city. The defensive system of the castle gradually evolved from the first nucleus erected to defend against possible invasions from Arduino il Glabro to a stronghold prepared by the Savoys to safeguard the territory, losing part of its military importance, transforming itself into a castle and noble residence.

The bitter vicissitudes of the 17th century determined its ruin: in fact, after having suffered serious damage in 1630 (a particularly unfortunate year for Avigliana which suffered heavily from the raging plague) it was reduced to its current state by the French marshal Catinat in 1691.