The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Valperga, Italy

On a red granite spur overlooking the plains of Turin and the snow-capped Alps of Canavese, thirteen chapels wind through ancient chestnut and oak forest, tracing the Passion of Christ from his condemnation to his burial. This is Sacro Monte di Belmonte, one of nine UNESCO World Heritage Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, where a thousand years of Marian devotion meets the Baroque vision of suffering and redemption. The hilltop had drawn the faithful long before the chapels rose. Tradition holds that King Arduin of Ivrea—the first Italian-born King of Italy, crowned in 1002—founded a sanctuary here in thanksgiving to the Virgin Mary after his miraculous healing. What began as a Benedictine monastery dependent on the great Abbey of Fruttuaria grew through centuries of prayer and pilgrimage. In 1326, Bishop Guido II Valperga, paralyzed by gout and unable to walk, dreamed that the Virgin appeared with St. Secundus of Asti, requesting the sanctuary's renovation. He celebrated the feast day Mass and rose from the altar healed. The 18th-century transformation into a Sacro Monte came through the vision of Franciscan friar Michelangelo da Montiglio, who returned from pilgrimage to the Holy Land determined to bring Jerusalem to Piedmont. Between 1712 and 1825, the thirteen chapels took form, filled with life-sized terracotta figures and vivid frescoes depicting Christ's final hours. Today pilgrims climb the ancient footpath from Valperga—an hour's ascent through the Piloni del Rosario (rosary stations)—or drive the narrow road that winds to the sanctuary gates. The circular chapel route unfolds through dappled forest light, each station offering silence for meditation on Christ's suffering. At the summit stands the Marian sanctuary itself, housing the crowned Madonna di Belmonte, whose canonical coronation on August 17, 1788, followed Vatican investigation of the miracles attributed to her intercession.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The origins of Belmonte sanctuary reach into the mists of medieval legend. According to tradition, King Arduin of Ivrea—Margrave of the Italian March and briefly King of Italy from 1002 to 1014—founded a church here in thanksgiving to the Virgin Mary. Whether prompted by a miraculous healing during his troubled reign or by a vision of Our Lady, Arduin established a Benedictine monastery on this commanding height, placing it under the governance of Fruttuaria Abbey, which he had also founded. The earliest reliable documentation dates to 1197, when records mention the ecclesia Sanctae Virginis Mariae de Bello Monte—the church of Holy Virgin Mary of Belmonte. The sanctuary grew in reputation through the centuries. In 1326, Bishop Guido II Valperga of Asti, suffering from gout so severe he could not stand, received a vision in which the Virgin Mary appeared alongside St. Secundus, asking him to restore the sanctuary that had fallen into disrepair. Despite his paralysis, the bishop traveled to Belmonte, celebrated Mass on the feast day, and found himself suddenly able to walk. He repopulated the sanctuary with Benedictine nuns from Asti, ensuring its continuation. The Council of Trent brought changes that would reshape Belmonte's character. In 1601, the decree requiring enclosed religious women to reside within city walls meant the Benedictine nuns had to relocate to Cuorgnè. Local tradition preserves a poignant detail from their departure: when the sisters attempted to carry the ancient Madonna statue with them, the church suddenly darkened and the Virgin's face grew pale. They understood the sign and left the image where it belonged. The Franciscan Friars Minor arrived the following year, 1602, and undertook a complete reconstruction of the sanctuary by 1620. The great transformation into a Sacro Monte began in 1712 under the direction of Father Michelangelo da Montiglio, a Franciscan who had made pilgrimage to the Holy Land and wished to recreate the Via Dolorosa in the Piedmontese hills. Eight chapels depicting the Passion rose by 1722, with local artists—the painter known only as "Grosso di Ivrea" among them—filling the interiors with life-sized terracotta statues and dramatic frescoes. Four more chapels followed between 1759 and 1781, with the final thirteenth chapel completed in 1825. The Madonna di Belmonte received canonical coronation on August 17, 1788, following Vatican investigation into the numerous healings attributed to her intercession. The ancient wooden statue, carved in the Romanesque Sedes Sapientiae style of the late 1100s, depicts Mary enthroned with the Christ Child seated frontally on her lap. During the Napoleonic period, French soldiers attempted to burn the image; tradition holds that a sudden storm extinguished their fires, and a woman named Ottavia Delibera Ottini rescued and preserved the statue until peace returned. Subsequent coronations in 1888 and 2006 (after the theft of the gold crowns that year) renewed the community's devotion to their Madonna.

☩ Sacro Monte di Belmonte

The sanctuary complex occupies a natural reserve rich in history—archaeological excavations have uncovered Bronze Age settlements, Roman artifacts, and traces of a 7th-century Lombard fortified village. The circular pilgrimage route through oak and chestnut forest leads pilgrims through the thirteen Passion chapels before arriving at the ancient Marian sanctuary at the summit.

Santuario della Madonna di Belmonte

Local Name: Santuario di Nostra Signora di Belmonte Address: Frazione Trucchi 22, 10087 Valperga (TO), Italy GPS Coordinates: 45.3667000, 7.6583000 Google Maps: View on Google Maps Dedication: Madonna di Belmonte (Our Lady of Belmonte) Historical Note: The sanctuary church, rebuilt by Franciscans in 1620, houses the crowned Madonna di Belmonte in her chapel above the high altar. The Romanesque wooden statue dates to the late 12th century, carved in the Sedes Sapientiae tradition with Mary as throne of the Divine Wisdom. An ex-voto room displays centuries of thanksgiving offerings left by pilgrims whose prayers found answer through the Madonna's intercession. Spiritual Importance: Pilgrims come to venerate the crowned image, attend Mass in the sanctuary church, and walk the Via Crucis through the forest chapels. The combination of Marian devotion and Passion meditation creates a complete pilgrimage experience—from contemplation of Christ's suffering to encounter with his Mother. The annual feast on August 17 draws the faithful from throughout Piedmont.

The Thirteen Chapels of the Passion

Winding through the forest reserve, the chapels form a circular devotional route approximately one kilometer in length. Each contains life-sized terracotta figures and frescoes depicting a station of Christ's Passion—from his condemnation by Pilate to his burial in the tomb. The anonymous artists who created these tableaux between 1712 and 1825 drew on the Baroque tradition of the Piedmontese Sacri Monti, emphasizing emotional immediacy and dramatic staging. Some chapels show signs of age, with damaged statues and faded frescoes, but ongoing restoration work continues to preserve these devotional treasures.

The Ancient Footpath

The traditional approach from Valperga follows an ancient pedestrian path through the Piloni del Rosario—stone pillars marking the decades of the rosary. The hour-long ascent through forest and open hillside recalls centuries of pilgrim footsteps and prepares the soul for encounter with the sanctuary above. This path offers the authentic pilgrim experience, arriving on foot as generations before have done.

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

August 17 – Feast of the Madonna di Belmonte Santuario della Madonna di Belmonte. The principal feast commemorates the canonical coronation of 1788. Pilgrims gather for solemn Mass and procession, many having walked the ancient path from Valperga. The crowned Madonna receives special veneration on this day, with the faithful bringing intentions for healing and thanksgiving.

🛏️ Where to Stay

Budget Accommodation

La Bonauda 📍 Address: Valperga (TO), Italy 🔗 Booking.com: la-bonauda Highly rated guesthouse in Valperga, hosted by Claudia and Roberto. Garden setting with private parking, buffet and Italian breakfast options. Guests praise the warm hospitality and excellent local knowledge. Ideal base for exploring Sacro Monte di Belmonte.

🚗 Getting There

By Car: From Turin, take the A5 Torino-Aosta motorway and exit at San Giorgio, then follow signs toward Valperga. The road to Sacro Monte di Belmonte is narrow, steep, and winding; parking is available at the sanctuary. Allow approximately 50 minutes from Turin. By Train: The nearest railway station is at Rivarolo Canavese on the Turin-Aosta line, approximately 10 kilometers from Valperga. From there, local bus or taxi to Valperga, then either drive or walk the ancient path to the sanctuary. On Foot: The traditional pilgrimage approach begins in Valperga town center. The ancient pedestrian path, marked by the Piloni del Rosario, ascends through forest to the sanctuary in approximately one hour. This is the recommended approach for pilgrims seeking the authentic experience. Accessibility Note: The sanctuary and chapel route present significant challenges for those with mobility limitations—steep gradients, cobbled paths, gravel surfaces, and architectural barriers throughout.

🔗 Useful Links

• Sacri Monti Official Site – UNESCO World Heritage management body for all nine Sacri Monti, with visitor information and cultural context.
• Ente di gestione Sacri Monti – Contact for the Belmonte reserve management office in Cuorgnè.

🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations

• Oropa (45 km) – Major Marian sanctuary in the Biellese Alps, home to the Black Madonna of Oropa, one of Piedmont's most revered pilgrimage sites.
• Turin (50 km) – Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, home to the Holy Shroud; Church of the Gran Madre di Dio; numerous churches and relics throughout the city.
• Sacro Monte di Varallo (70 km) – The first and most complete of the Piedmontese Sacri Monti, with over 40 chapels depicting the life of Christ.

🪶 Closing Reflection

"The Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy are groups of chapels and other architectural elements created in the late 16th and 17th centuries and dedicated to different aspects of the Christian faith. In addition to their symbolic spiritual meaning, they are of great beauty by virtue of the skillful integration of the architectural elements into the surrounding natural landscape of hills, forests and lakes."

— UNESCO World Heritage Committee, Inscription of the Sacri Monti, 2003