Things to do in Mattie Italy – what to see attractions and activities

53 religious buildings: 5 parish churches, numerous frescoed chapels and votive pylons. The churches and chapels constitute and contain an artistic and architectural heritage of great interest. Info www.barrdonecchia.it

The Orsiera Rocciavrè Natural Park covers over 11,000 hectares over a large mountainous area that includes part of the upper Val Sangone and part of the ridge that separates the Susa Valley from Val Chisone, beyond to the special nature reserves of the horrids of Foresto and Chianocco. The landscape is characterized by numerous glacial lakes, slopes and ravines carved by water. In the Park it is possible to observe mammals typical of the Alpine habitat, such as chamois, deer and roe deer. Bird lovers will certainly not be disappointed by a visit: there are more than a hundred species. But the Orsiera Park does not only offer wildlife and beautiful landscapes: there are also numerous archaeological traces of the human presence dating back to the Neolithic period. Unlike many other mountain areas in Piedmont, much of this area has remained off the beaten path of mass tourism and still has an almost unspoiled natural habitat, where activity of man is limited to agriculture, forestry and livestock breeding.

The Castle of Chianocco was built in the 13th century in the historic center of the city. It belonged to the Bertrandi family before being the last home of Adelaide di Susa. The fortress has a multi-storey dungeon and a stone entrance portal. Today, inside its rooms there is the Museum of Ancient Crafts.

The Tower of Chianocco, also known by the name the Casaforte di Chianocco, was built in the twelfth century. It is a Romanesque building in good condition and has maintained the original architectural style. The recently restored tower has a square structure and is 19 meters high. Currently, it is a private property and can only be visited on a few days of the year.

Susa, a city of Celtic origin, became with the Roman conquest a nerve point along the Via delle Gallie. Walking through characteristic alleys and squares you will encounter numerous monuments: the arch of Augustus, built to sanction the alliance pact stipulated between Cozio, local ruler, and Cesare Ottaviano Augustus, first Roman emperor; the Celtic copellated rocks, on which animals were probably sacrificed in the pre-Roman age; the aqueduct of Graziano (4th century AD), of which the two large arches remain; the Castrum ( IV century AD); the Antonina arena (2nd century AD), currently used for re-enactments and shows such as the Historical Tournament of the Villages, which housed the venationes, in which animals were killed before the duels among gladiators; the Savoy Gate (III - IV century AD) on which the Cathedral of San Giusto was leaned, in the twelfth century, the traces of the ancient walls preserved along Via dei Fossali (current Soviet Union Course) . The recent renovation works of the central Piazza Savoia have also brought to light some important structures attributable to the remains of the urban temple, located in the center of the forum.

Also known as the Roman amphitheater, it dates back to the II-III century after Christ. It stands behind the acropolis of Susa, in a natural basin well sheltered from the winds. It has an ellipse shape of 45 by 37 meters, it is the smallest amphitheater of Roman times present in Italy.

The Castle was presumed to be built in the Middle Ages, this also explains the presence of mullioned windows on the walls, a typical element of that era. Over the years he underwent several restorations, especially in the 18th century, which gave him the present appearance. Today, it houses in its interior the Historical Archives, the Civic Museum and the Library.

The cathedral dates back to the 11th century, and has the main center of worship in the area. It is a religious structure, built in Romanesque style, characterized by the white color of the facade. Its interiors preserve numerous architectural elements of a liturgical character, and several works of sacred art: paintings, statues, and reliquaries. Today, despite the age of construction, the cathedral is in a good state of preservation, and is open to the public.

Porta Savoia dates back to the Roman period and is part of the ancient city walls. It is located in an area full of other historical monuments in the city. The structure consists of a round arch, surmounted by two round towers, built for defensive reasons. Today, despite the age of construction, the building is well preserved.

The Arch of Augustus is located in Susa, in the province of Turin. The construction was erected around the first century BC at the behest of the Roman emperor Augustus and King Cozio. It was built with white marble and rests on two bases. On the top, in the frieze, an inscription in Latin was engraved and a scene of the sacrifice of animals is depicted. Today the monument is still in excellent condition and can be visited for tourists.

The Giuseppe Augusto Levis Municipal Art Gallery is located in the municipality of Chiomonte. In this museum the four hundred and fifty works by the great artist are exhibited. The museum is located in the rooms of the Levis Palace.

Blockhaus del Falouel was built in 1982, and it was the fortress of the homonymous guard corps. It was made up of a cubic barracks divided into three floors where about seventy riflemen had shelter. There is no trace of the drawbridge at the entrance, but still the construction is in excellent condition.

The Serre Marie Fort was built in the second half of the 19th century and is part of the imposing complex of the buildings of the Fort of Fenestrelle. The structure looks like a real battery with six pieces that originally beat the surrounding area of the valley floor near Usseaux. The dust can was accessed through a tunnel that passed below street level.

La Reducta Santa Barbara is located at an altitude of 1550 m going up the side of the mountain of the Fort of Fenestrelle. The structure has a truncated pyramidal shape with very thick walls and a square base. It is thought that outside it had a drawbridge from which you could reach the Cannon Road.

Forte delle Valli is a fortified complex built in the 18th century in Val Chisone, province of Turin. It is more commonly called 'the Great Piedmontese Wall', thanks to its greatness. Initially, he had the task of protecting the Italian-French border. From 1946 to 1990 it was abandoned, later restorations began, still underway today. In 1999 it became a symbol of the Province of Turin. In 2007 he was included in the list of the 100 most at risk of international historical archaeological sites, by the World Monuments Fund.

In the millennial abbey of Novalesa since 2009, the Archaeological Museum exhibits most of the finds that emerged from the excavation campaigns conducted from 1978 to today, as well as two sections dedicated to monastic history and to restoration of the book. The first room is dedicated to the restoration of the book, art still practiced today in the laboratory attached to the abbey, and illustrates the types of writer supports, the evolution of writing, the techniques of engraving and press, and restoration. The same room also houses the section dedicated to the history of monasticism and monastic life. In the third room there is the largest number of artifacts, grouped according to chronology: fragments of statues, funeral inscriptions, parts of sarcophagi and architectural elements, everyday objects and fragments of fresco pictorial decorations assigned to the intervention of Tolosan Anthoyne de Lhonye.

The Fort of Fenestrelle is a fortified complex built from the 18th to the 19th century in Val Chisone. It is said “The Great Wall of Piedmontese” for its development along the left flank of the valley. The design idea came from Ignazio Bertola who built it with the intent to protect the Italian-French border. The complex was not the site of serious assaults but only the protagonist of minor conflicts and a brief clash during World War II. The structure of the Fort consists of 7 reduced and 3 forts connected together by stairs, ramparts and stands.

Fort San Carlo was built between 1731 and 1789 and represents the best preserved building in the Fort of Fenestrelle complex. Access was through the Royal Gate reserved for nobles, officers and ambassadors. The Officers Pavilion, the Governor's Palace, a church and some warehouses are part of this Fort.

The Three Teeth Fort was built in 1692 at the behest of General Catinat on commission from France. The building is named after three rock spikes originally found at the building site. During the 18th century, the so-called Devil's Garitta was also erected, reachable through ramps of side stairs. The structure of the Fort consisted of an aqueduct that went into the mountain taking water from a natural spring.

The Saint Andre Chapel is assumed to have been built in 1371, since in that year the structure was cited in a written document. The beautiful frescoes that we can see today date back to the mid-fifteenth century. From the Chapel you can enjoy a beautiful view of the whole country.

Carlo Alberto's Ridata was built during the 19th century to replace Fort Mutin. The structure took the name of the then King of Sardinia Carlo Alberto who requested its construction. Originally the Reduction was made up of two squat and adjacent buildings of which today only one remains that has a pyramidal trunk shape developed over five floors. The structures were connected to the Fort of the Fenestrelle through a moat that reached the Western Pincers of Fort San Carlo.

The Conte Verde Castle has a military structure. Its construction dates back to the 13th century. In the past, the castle was the seat of one of the abbey castles of San Giusto di Susa and also the seat of court and prison. Currently, only the ruins are left of the castle.

Located in the heart of the historic center of Vaie, the Museum Laboratory of Prehistory offers the visitor the collection of experimental reconstructions and casts of the finds of Vayes. The thematic path, completed by a series of illustrative panels, presents aspects of everyday life in Prehistory, with particular attention to materials, technologies and uses. To learn about prehistoric materials, tools and procedures, numerous workshops are active designed for children and adults, also for people with special needs. In addition, demonstration days and internships for adults take place during the year.

The small town of Moncenisio hosts at the ancient “common house” the Ecomuseum Terre at the Border, which illustrates the daily life and the environment of border territories such as those of the Val Cenischia and the Cenischia crossing Moncenisio. The ecomuseal route includes, in addition to the exhibition room, also an external itinerary that touches the common oven, the sink, the mill, the sundials painted on the facades of the huts. In addition, in the area of the Great Lake, some panels illustrate the history of the Fell Railway, which at the end of the nineteenth century connected Susa to St. Michel de Maurienne through the Moncenisio pass.

Historical references have been made of the Fort of Exilles since 1155, when the accounts of Albon were exercising control of the territory. In the middle of the 16th century, the structure was contested by some Catholic factions who wanted to seek control of the Dauphinate. In 1796, the fort was totally destroyed by French troops. Between 1818 and 1829 the structure was renovated, thus bringing it back to its former glory.

On a hill at the entrance of the Valle di Susa, between Mount Pirchiriano and Caprasio, are the remains of a castle. The oldest news not of the building but of a local defensive system would seem to be linked to the clash between the Franks and the Lombards, which took place at the Locks: probably also the relief of the castellazzo was provided of defensive structures that were part of it. Starting from the 13th century, the Castrum Capriarum was the center of one of the abbey Castellanies of San Giusto di Susa and was also the seat of court and prison. For this reason, it normally housed a small number of soldiers.

The Museum was established in 1889, during the celebrations of the bicentenary of the Glorious Repatriation. After a long period of closure, in 1989, restoration work began. Inside, objects and illustrative panels related to repatriation are exhibited, when in 1690, the thousand Waldensians returned after three years of exile.

Extended on the southern slope of the Susa Valley at an altitude ranging from 1,000 to 2,600 meters, the Park includes the areas of Chiomonte, Exilles, Oulx, Salbertrand and Sauze d'Oulx. Its purpose is to protect 700 hectares of mixed wood of white fir and spruce, unique in Piedmont. In the past, these forests have been exploited to obtain large beams used in civil and military engineering works, such as the Arsenal of Turin, the Basilica of Superga and the Venaria Reale. In addition, the wide variety of environments provides an ideal habitat for many animals: from birds of prey to mammals such as wild boar, deer and suede. Wolves have also returned in the park, frequent sightings since 1997.

The Colombano Romean Ecomuseum in Salbertrand, in the Gran Bosco Natural Park, collects the memories of land and water of the community. The route includes: the hydraulic mill, which tells 800 years of exploitation of water, from feudal milling rights to the production of electricity; the school of the past and a set-up ethnographic; the common oven of the Oulme hamlet; the ancient charcoal maker and the lime furnace; the nineteenth-century ice box with the adjoining supply pond; the smoke-sauna built thanks to a project European conducted by the Politecnico di Torino; the site dedicated to the Glorious Return of the Waldenses. The tour also includes the splendid parish church of St. John the Baptist and the chapel of the Annunziata di Oulme. Ancient buildings and artifacts present themselves to the visitor as examples of a past today to be discovered. For school groups and organized groups there are thematic accompaniments carried out by specialized guides and educational courses have been devised. In addition, since 2006, the cultural association Ar.Te.Mu.Da animates guided tours to the ecomuseum with theatricalized accompaniments.