Monastero di Lanzo
Discover the Monastery of Lanzo
If you are looking for a peaceful place to spend your vacation, the Monastery of Lanzo is the right place for you. This municipality located in the metropolitan city of Turin, in Piedmont, has only 328 inhabitants and is located in the Lanzo Valleys. The Monastery is a perfect holiday destination for those seeking the peace and tranquility of the mountains.
An ancient history
The history of the Monastery of Lanzo dates back to ancient times, as evidenced by toponymy and rock engravings. The area was already used in Roman and Lombard times, but it was around the year 1000 that the village began to develop thanks to the foundation of a small Benedictine nunnery. The monastery, dedicated to Saint Anastasia and dependent on the abbey of San Mauro di Pulcherada, gave its name to the place. The Benedictine monks contributed to the development of the local community with the construction of dry stone walls to terrace the slopes and the creation of a network of paths that connected the inhabited centers with high-altitude pastures. The Romanesque bell tower of the Church of Saints Anastasia and John the Evangelist is a testimony to the Benedictine presence.
The Monastery's Community
In the Middle Ages, the Monastery always followed the fate of the Castellania of Lanzo Torinese, to which it belonged. The community clashed several times with neighboring countries for the possession of the high-altitude alpine pastures. In around the thirteenth century, the "Community of Monastero" is mentioned in religious and civil documents.
The Feud and the Parish
In 1724, Monastery became a fiefdom with the title of County in favor of the Giriodi, Lords of Costigliole Saluzzo. In 1769, at the request of the Barons Chionio, Lords of the place, the Parish of San Giovanni Evangelista a Chiaves was erected, whose toponym seems to derive from the role recognized to the area as the "key to Canavese". In 1862, Monastery took on the attribute "di Lanzo" to avoid confusion with other homonymous municipalities.
Demographic evolution
In the last 100 years, the resident population of Monastery of Lanzo has decreased by 75%. Nevertheless, the municipality has been able to find a new resource in the tourist influx of recent years.
The coat of arms and banner of Monastery of Lanzo
The coat of arms and banner of the municipality of Monastery of Lanzo were granted by decree of the President of the Republic on April 1, 1977. The banner is a cloth divided into red and blue.
Administration
Monastery of Lanzo is part of the Union of mountain municipalities of the Lanzo, Ceronda and Casternone Valleys, former mountain Community Lanzo, Ceronda and Casternone.
Conclusions
The Monastery of Lanzo is a place of great charm and history, where the mountain assumes a central role in the lives of residents and visitors. The municipality is perfect for those seeking tranquility and love hiking and skiing. Come and discover the Monastery of Lanzo and its historical-cultural heritage.
