Pecetto: Church Art and Historical Traces

Sacred Art and Architectural History

Pecetto offers several tangible points of interest for anyone interested in church art and historic buildings. The Chiesa di San Sebastiano, now a cemetery chapel, dates from the late 14th to early 15th century. Its interior is predominantly Gothic in style. Here, the history of the building is linked to two remarkable works of art.

A Nativity by Jacopino Longo is dated 1508 and is considered the artist’s earliest surviving dated work. It is located on the opposite façade, on the right. Another work is the fresco on the vault of the presbytery: it was created between 1440 and 1450 and is considered an outstanding work by Guglielmetto Fantini, a painter from Chieri. The dates bring different periods of sacred art in the same church into focus.

The Parrocchiale di Santa Maria della Neve offers a different historical and artistic point of reference. It was built between 1730 and 1739 and was the first building designed by Bernardo Antonio Vittone. The main altar is made of marble, comes from the Eremo, and is a work by Francesco Dellala of Beinasco. The church also has an imposing organ dating from 1778 with five manuals. The building period, design and furnishings each offer a distinct way to explore the church: you can look at the development of the building as well as individual examples of craftsmanship.

Baroque Façade and Distinctive Architectural Features

The Chiesa della Confraternita del SS. Nome di Gesù, the church of the “Battuti Bianchi,” was designed by Luigi Molinari d'Andorno in the first half of the 17th century. Its Baroque façade is divided by pilasters, vaults and niches. A panel was originally decorated with a fresco; in the upper section there is a large framed window. These features make the façade a subject of interest in its own right, alongside the paintings and furnishings in the other churches.

The church is readily accessible during scheduled events. So, if you are planning a visit, arrange it around one of these events. This condition is important for your plans and means that the church cannot be visited at any time.

Medieval Traces and the Local Landscape

Visible foundations of a medieval fortification remain at Bric San Viter. They provide an archaeological point of interest alongside the churches: here, the focus is not on paintings or façade details, but on the visible remains of a fortification.

Villa Sacro Cuore is another notable historic building in Pecetto. It stands beside the parish church on the crest of the hill and is surrounded by a park. It was formerly also known as Villa Nigra and later as Villa Triulzi.

Cherries from Pecetto

Alongside the buildings and works of art, there is another tangible connection to the area: you can buy Pecetto cherries directly from producers in Pecetto. This adds an opportunity to purchase a local product to the cultural points of interest. When choosing Pecetto as a destination, you can decide whether you are particularly interested in sacred art, historic architecture, archaeological traces or cherries.

Discover more destinations: Val Della Torre, Sciolze, Pavone Canavese, Gassino Torinese, Rivoli, Alpignano, Roure, Cavallo

For the full travel overview: Turin.