Discover Cavaglià

Cavaglià offers several cultural and historical points of interest that are easy to distinguish from one another: a historic villa with two permanent exhibitions, a neoclassical church, a castle from the early 20th century and an archaeological menhir site. A stage of the Via Francigena also passes through the town. When planning your trip, you can therefore decide whether architecture, art, archaeology or a route stage should be your main focus.

Villa Salino, the church and the castle

Villa Salino is a historic building dating back to 1726. It houses two permanent exhibitions: one featuring portraits from the Risorgimento and another on esoteric art. The exhibitions offer different perspectives and give the villa, in addition to its architectural history, a connection to art and history.

The Chiesa Parrocchiale San Michele Arcangelo is neoclassical and was built in 1779 to a design by the architect Filippo Castelli. Its organ was added later: it was made by the Serassi brothers of Bergamo and inaugurated in 1821. The church and organ thus represent two separate dates in architectural and musical history. If you are interested in architecture, the neoclassical church offers a different historical point of reference from Villa Salino.

Rondolino Castle is in the town centre and was built in the early 20th century. Its date of construction differs from that of the 1726 villa and the 18th-century church. Together, the three buildings show that Cavaglià’s historical points of interest come from different eras.

Menhirs and archaeology

The Cavaglià menhirs probably form the largest archaeological menhir site in Piedmont. The stones are arranged in a circle to form a group known as a cromlech. The menhirs date back at least to the Iron Age. The circular arrangement and the dating are two distinct aspects of the site: one describes how the stones are arranged, the other how far back their history goes.

The menhir monument can be visited freely at the junction with the state road to Biella. Check locally whether it is possible to visit before planning your visit. This keeps information about free admission separate from the question of when a visit is possible.

Sanctuary and VFS IT08 stage

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Babilone is outside the town centre, in the direction of the motorway access from Santhià. After a period of decline, it was rebuilt by residents of Cavaglià. The sanctuary’s location is therefore linked to a local history of rebuilding. The VFS IT08 Viverone–Santhià stage passes through Cavaglià; the Sanctuary of Santa Maria di Babilone is a point of interest along the route. Route details may change if the course is revised. Check the current route before planning your trip.

More activities and practical information

Cycling and golf also add to the range of activities. The municipal e-bike rental service provides three bicycles. After registering, you can collect them from the station at Via Generale Salino 4 in Cavaglià. Check the registration requirements before you arrive. This allows you to include collection in your plans without assuming how the process works on site.

At Golf Club Cavaglià, the Piedmontese countryside forms the setting for the golfing experience. For travellers interested in golf as well as culture and history, this is another possible focus. The different themes can help you choose what to explore in Cavaglià based on your own travel interests: from the villa and church to the menhirs, the route, e-bike rental and golf.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Bielmonte, Bellaria, Tollegno, Biella, Masserano, Castellengo, Solesio, Donato

For the overview of the wider area: Biella.