Torre Pellice
The History of Torre Pellice
Torre Pellice is a commune located in the Val Pellice, in Piedmont. The area has been inhabited since the 12th century by Waldensians, who were fleeing from France. In 1186, an act refers to the tower of "Lucerna" near Airali (present-day Luserna center), possibly also the origin of the name "Luserna". The pre-existing tower, later used as a lighthouse and now non-existent, was presumably located at the confluence of the Pellice and Angrogna (stream) torrents, and indicated the lordship of the nobles who became the Luserna San Giovanni family.
From the 13th century, the western part of Luserna thus became a fiefdom of the Rorenghi for half and of the Manfredi di Luserna for the other. The Luserna family is present in three surviving branches: the Luserna of Campiglione, living since the end of the 19th century in France and Switzerland, the Rorengo of Rorà living in Tuscany, and the Manfredi living in Germany and Lombardy.
The Anti-Waldensian Persecutions
Between the 16th and 19th centuries, the town was heavily affected by anti-Waldensian persecutions. In 1590, the French civil war between Catholics and Huguenots began. Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy tried to expand his territories, but was stopped by the French and Huguenot marshal François de Bonne de Lesdiguières, who in 1592 occupied the valleys of Valle del Chisone and Valle del Pellice. In 1630, the plague killed 900 inhabitants, and in 1635 there were 1200 inhabitants.
The Waldensian Presence and French Influence
The Waldensian presence in the valley has been uninterrupted since the 12th century. In 1536, the Val Pellice, like all Piedmontese possessions of the Savoy, was invaded by Francis I of France and remained under French rule until 1556. It then belonged to Duke Emanuele Filiberto I of Savoy, who in 1565 assigned it to governor Sebastiano Grazioli, known as Castrocaro. In 1582, it returned to the Luserna family.
The Panoramic View from the Borgata Ruà
Torre Pellice is a main center of the Italian Waldensian Church and the capital of the Mountain Union of Pinerolo. From the Borgata Ruà, located on a promontory, there is a panoramic view of the valley. The "Coppieri" hamlet, once the limit of the ghetto where Waldensians were confined, is now a fully rebuilt village.
The Twinning with Guillestre
Torre Pellice is twinned with Guillestre, France.
In summary, Torre Pellice is a town of 4520 inhabitants located in the Val Pellice, in Piedmont. The history of the town is linked to the Waldensian presence dating back to the 12th century. Over the centuries, the town has been heavily affected by anti-Waldensian persecutions and civil wars between Catholics and Huguenots. Torre Pellice is also twinned with Guillestre, France.
