Holiday apartment in Balangero: Churches, Castle and Anello Ceronda

Churches, Castle and Historic Town Centre

The Baroque parish church of San Giacomo Maggiore was begun in 1771 based on a design by Mario Ludovico Quarini. Inside, it features frescoes by Fea and Rocco Manedi, valuable stucco work, a carved pulpit and an 18th-century wooden statue of Saint Joseph. From the forecourt, there are views across Balangero, towards the Alpine peaks and over the plain as far as the hills of Turin.

Behind the parish church, the ruins of Balangero’s old castle stand on the summit of the Truc. Under the Conte Verde, the castle reached its greatest extent and became an important fortress. After its restoration, it was intended to be surrounded by four tall towers: the Bianca, the Nera, the Visconte or Donna Ambrosia Tower, and the Turris Portae. The Church of San Rocco, built around 1646 on behalf of the San Rocco e Santa Croce Brotherhood, also stands at the centre of the Baroque town centre.

Further religious buildings add to the character of the town. The Chapel of San Vittore is a square building from the 11th century that was restored in the 15th century. The Santuario Madonna dei Martiri was built at the beginning of the 18th century on the remains of an old oratory. The historic centre also contains large, complex courtyards known locally as “Sim”.

Traditions and a Special Local Dessert

The annual cycle is also reflected in local festivals. The traditional San Vittore Leva festival is celebrated by the Coscritti of Balangero on the first or second Saturday in May. A culinary speciality is La Sieta, a medieval local dessert prepared for the patronal feast of Saint James. Together with the churches and courtyards, these features create a townscape where history and living tradition stand closely side by side.

Routes and Landscapes around Balangero

For active days, the Anello Ceronda provides a clear framework: the route is 69.05 kilometres long and comprises five hiking stages and five mountain-bike stages. The first stage begins in Balangero town centre or at the railway station and follows the cycle path of Route 402 along the left bank of the Stura di Lanzo to the entrance of Parco del Ponte del Diavolo. The different stage lengths and means of transport provide practical guidance if you want your holiday apartment to be a base for sightseeing, hiking or mountain-bike tours.

Another distinctive landscape feature is the lake in the basin of the former Amiantifera di Balangero. It is around 50 metres deep and contains approximately 2 million cubic metres of water. The considerable depth and large volume of water give this former mining basin a distinctive landscape dimension alongside the town’s historic buildings.

For additional travel ideas, you can find Champlas Seguin, Alpette, Vistrorio, Dubbione Di Pinasca, Bussoleno, Foglizzo, Roletto and Azeglio here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Turin.