Alpette: Copper Tradition, Churches and Hiking Destinations

Alpette brings together a historic copperworking tradition, religious art, mountain trails and an astronomical focus. When planning your trip, you can organize these themes according to your interests: are you most interested in local history and churches, in hiking, or would you like to combine both with astronomy? This is also a useful starting point when looking for a hotel in Alpette and planning your stay.

Copperworking as a historical point of interest

Alpette was once known as “terra dei mastri ramai” (“land of the coppersmiths”), because copperworking was a local tradition. The name gives the town’s history a concrete connection to craftsmanship and adds another facet to its religious and artistic themes. If you are interested in the town’s history, this former name can serve as an introduction to its cultural heritage.

Chapels and churches: dedications and art

The Cappella della Madonna della neve was built in 1883 by the family of Seren Piocca Giacomo and Giovanna. Its façade is decorated with frescoes of San Francesco, San Giacomo and Sant'Agostino. A different historical connection is central to the Cappella di San Rocco: it was built in honor of San Rocco after the plague of 1523 and probably dates from the 16th century. “Pane della carità” is still distributed at the chapel today; details of local events may vary.

The Chiesa dell'Immacolata houses an icon dating from the second half of the 17th century, depicting the Immaculate Virgin. The loggia of the same church is decorated with frescoes of San Pietro and San Giuseppe. Another artistic stop is the Parrocchiale dei Santi Pietro e Paolo, which has four stained-glass windows created in 1998 by the artist Padre Costantino Ruggeri. The churches and other religious buildings offer different art forms, from frescoes and an icon to stained-glass windows.

Celebrations in honor of San Giacomo take place at the Chiesa di San Giacomo on July 25. The annual program may vary. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check the dates for the relevant year. This is particularly useful if the celebrations themselves are an important part of your plans.

Mountain trails and high-altitude destinations

Around Borgata Trione, part of the former network of paths is still used for hiking. In 2014, Borgata Trione was recognized by UNCEM PIEMONTE as an authentic mountain village. This gives you two distinct points of interest: the village’s recognition and the present-day use of some of the former paths for hiking.

Monte Soglio, at 1,971 meters, can be reached on foot from Alpette in about three hours. The Cappella votiva della Madonna del Pilone was built by the local population in 1954 and lies on the route to Cima Mares. At 1,570 meters above sea level, Cima Mares is the highest point of the mountain of Alpette. The elevation comparison helps put the destinations in context: Monte Soglio is higher than Cima Mares, and the approximate three-hour walking time refers to Monte Soglio. You can therefore consider the elevation and time required as separate points of reference when planning your hike.

Astronomy and outdoor breaks

The “Don Giovanni Capace” Astronomical Center consists of an observatory and a planetarium. This adds a distinct astronomical focus to the town’s history, religious art and hiking. If you are interested in astronomy, you can explore this topic separately as part of your visit to Alpette.

For an outdoor break, Alpette has six equipped picnic areas.

Discover more destinations: Pralormo, Moncalieri, Barbania, Grugliasco, Rosta, Castagnole Piemonte, Perosa Argentina, Bruzolo

For the main travel overview: Turin.