Strambinello

Strambinello combines the history of castles and bridges with distinctive landscape features. The town offers several points of interest to help you choose your destination: Castello di Strambinello and the historic Ponte dei Preti, routes through the town, and the geological features along the Chiusella. Its location on the western edge of the Pedanea also helps place the town in context.

Location and getting around Strambinello

Strambinello lies on the western edge of the Pedanea. The old road through Strambinello offers a specific point of reference: it runs along the gently sloping side of a moraine. The regional setting and the shape of the terrain can therefore be considered together when you assess the character of the destination. The road junctions lead to different landscape features. At the western fork, a branch descends to the Chiusella. A road branches uphill to the Gusse waterfall; another branch leads to the entrance to Valle di Chj.

Castles and architectural history

Castello di Strambinello was built as a strategic outpost oriented toward other castles in the Pedanea. These include Parella, Loranzè, and Pramonico. This places the castle in the context of several named sites in the Pedanea: its recorded role relates not only to the building itself, but also to its position in relation to these castles.

For visitors, it is important to know that the castle is privately owned. It can be reached via the S.S. 565 di Castellamonte, and access by car is permitted. Contacting the site by phone before visiting is recommended. Plan to check in advance rather than assume unrestricted access.

Ponte dei Preti: crossing and history

The upper bridge, Ponte dei Preti, was built in 1788 to a design by architect Michelangelo Pelazza. The year of construction and the architect’s name give the bridge a specific historical context. Ponte dei Preti is also a crossing featured in the route description for the Alta Via dell’Anfiteatro Morenico di Ivrea.

The route description, last updated on January 23, 2025, crosses the bridge into Strambinello. There, the route follows Via Alleu; near a medieval tower, it turns onto Via Selva. If you plan to follow this route, check trail conditions before setting out. The bridge can be crossed by car or on foot. Vehicles crossing it are subject to a weight limit of eight tonnes. As road conditions can change, check them before driving.

Landscape and geological features

In Strambinello, the Chiusella serves both as a point of reference for directions and as a geological feature. Near Strambinello, the river exposes fossilized remains of marine mollusks from the Tertiary period in Pliocene sedimentary layers. The layers are two to five meters thick. Alongside routes and buildings, rock layers and fossils are therefore also central to descriptions of the local landscape.

The landscape destinations mentioned differ in their orientation: the branch at the western fork descends to the Chiusella, while the branch to the Gusse waterfall runs uphill. The entrance to Valle di Chj can also be reached by a road branch. These details provide specific names for the terrain without combining the destinations into a single route.

More information for your visit

A road leads to the Chiesa Parrocchiale di Sant’Ilario Vescovo; from the parking area, a staircase leads down to it. This route information can help with your visit planning if you want to include the church in your local itinerary. Actual road and trail conditions may change.

The cultural and landscape features offer different points of focus: the Castello is notable for its role in relation to the castles of the Pedanea, while Ponte dei Preti stands out for its construction in 1788 and its connection to the route described. The Chiusella, by contrast, is associated with sedimentary layers and fossilized mollusk remains. You can assess Strambinello based on the specific features that suit your stay and look for a hotel for the trip you have in mind.

Discover more destinations: Champlas Seguin, Rivarolo Canavese, Chiesanuova, Sangano, Settimo Torinese, Venaria Reale, Borgone Susa, Fenestrelle.

For the broader travel overview: Turin.