San Colombano Belmonte
Welcome to San Colombano Belmonte
Hello friends! Today I'll take you to discover a lovely place: San Colombano Belmonte. It is a municipality of 354 inhabitants located in the metropolitan city of Turin, in Piedmont.
Let's discover the physical geography
San Colombano Belmonte is located on the slopes of the Rocche di San Martino, reachable up to 1451 meters high. The town's valley is crossed by the Gallenca Creek, at an altitude of about 500 meters. The inhabited nucleus of Villa is the seat of the municipality and the parish, located on a hill at 549 meters high. Near the road that leads to Canischio is the hamlet of Cresto, an ancient row of rural houses. At the entrance of the valley lies Buasca, a small hamlet crossed by the eponymous river that flows along the borders of the municipal territory with Cuorgnè; instead, the hamlet of Sale, once an autonomous municipality, lies right on the border with Canischio. The mountainous area of the territory is rich in woods and pastures, ideal for pleasant excursions.
Historical notions
The origins of San Colombano are still uncertain, but it is thought that the name is linked to the monks of Bobbio, since the place was called "Cancolumbanum or Can-Colombano" and "Campo Colombano". San Colombano is an important figure for the area, thanks to the presence of the Abbey of San Colombano, founded in 614 by the homonymous Irish abbot. The specific "Belmonte", added in modern times, refers to the Belmonte sacred mountain. The fiefdom of Campo Colombano was governed by the Count of Savoy, who in 1391 had to quell a revolt and respond to the demands of justice of a popular prosecutor named "Dalmasso de Bianchi". Around 1448 the municipality obtained autonomy from Cuorgnè becoming a distinct entity, while in 1869 it incorporated the ancient municipality of Sale Canischio, maintaining its autonomy until 1928-1948 when it was merged with Cuorgnè.
Let's discover the religious buildings
Within the religious buildings, we can admire the parish church of San Colombano and Grato di Aosta. The church was founded by the monks of Bobbio around the year 1000, but was rebuilt many times, partly due to damage caused during wars. However, it was possible to save some original parts, such as the façade and the bell tower dating back to the 15th century. Inside, we find three naves divided by stone columns, a gilded main altar, and an ancient organ.
San Colombano Belmonte is a magical place that you can visit all year round to enjoy its nature, history, and culture. What are you waiting for to book your trip?
