Land of Art - Regione Piemonte

IEMONTE 

Land of Art 

Modern and Contemporary 

Art Venues 

Percorsi turistici - Tourist routes 

Parcours touristiques - Touristische Routen - 

Turin city and province 

(metropolitan area, Susa Valley and Canavese) 

Southern Piedmont 

(provinces of Cuneo, Asti and Alessandria) 

Northern Piedmont 

(provinces of Verbania, Novara, Vercelli and Biella)

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310 

311 

Index 

TURIN CITY AND PROVINCE 

Turin and the metropolitan area page 2 

The ancient capital looks to the future 

Susa Valley page 10 

Sacred and profane masterpieces 

The Canavese region page 11 

Where art comes naturally 

SOUTHERN PIEDMONT 

Caraglio and Saluzzo page 12 

Making way for cultural excellence 

Langhe and Roero page 14 

The hidden soul of the hills 

Alessandria and Casale Monferrato page 16 

A stroll, amidst hats and sculptures 

Asti and Bubbio page 18 

Art in towns and vineyards 

NORTHERN PIEDMONT 

Vercelli page 20 

A veritable treasure chest 

Novara and the surrounding area page 22 

Contemporary art and “renaissance” workshops 

Lake district page 24 

Where Nature meets Art 

Biella and the Wool Road page 26 

Between past and future 

P

IEMONTE 

Land of Art 

8 · 9 

10 · 11 Piedmont is synonymous with history, art and culture, 

boasting as it does an amazing architectural 

1 · 2 · 3 

heritage, inclusive of Roman ruins, Baroque buildings, 

Art Nouveau and contemporary styles. 

Turin is one of the leading European cities of contempo- 

4 · 5 · 6 · 7 

rary art. In recent years, Piedmont has gained significant 

credibility for its continuous, high profile activities to the 

public. This success is the result of years of work and of the combined 

efforts of public institutes and private bodies. Considerable resources 

have been invested since 2007 to create a veritable contemporary art system in 

Turin and Piedmont. ContemporaryArt Torino + Piemonte promotes concerts 

and visual and performing art performances with a well-defined contemporary 

identity, with a special focus on research, innovation and experimentation. 

This guidebook offers a very unusual characterisation of Piedmont’s cultural 

heritage, which is traditionally associated with the Baroque age, whereas the 

modern image of Piedmont is usually linked to Olivetti, the computer company 

based in Ivrea, and Fiat, the Turin car manufacturing company. 

A constellation of striking territories, world-renowned authors, en plen air 

works of art, international events, public art and architectural masterpieces dictate 

the region’s modern and contemporary history. 

A major role is played by GAM, the Gallery of Modern Art, which boasts 

a permanent collection with over 45,000 works, and the Museum of Contemporary 

Art in the Rivoli Castle, offering an extraordinary juxtaposition 

between the old Savoy residence redesigned by Filippo Juvarra and the works 

of contemporary artists such as Vedova, Pistoletto, Paolini, Merz, Sol Lewitt, 

Long, Anselmo, Fabro, Kounellis. 

Equally important is the role played by a number of trusts dedicated to contemporary 

art, such as the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo and the Fondazione 

Merz. Other important initiatives include: Cittadellarte, founded by 

Michelangelo Pistoletto in Biella, which can be described as “new kind of artistic 

institution that allows art to interact directly with the different sectors of 

society”; the old spinning mill in Caraglio, transformed into a cultural centre 

for theme-based exhibitions; Arca, in Vercelli, a venue hosting prestigious exhibitions 

of the Fondazione Guggenheim; and the historical gallery run by the 

art dealer Franz Paludetto, which has recently moved to the Rivara Castle. 

The aim of the project is to combine the cultural tourism associated with the region’s 

modern and contemporary architecture with a greater focus on the local 

territory, offering a number of unusual itineraries, for an “ever-new Piedmont”. 

www.contemporarytorinopiemonte.it 

www.piemonteitalia.eu

© Marco Saroldi - Fondazione Torino Musei 

2 

www.turismotorino.org 

Turin 

and the metropolitan area 

The ancient capital looks to the future 

GPs Turin 

Lat. 45°04'23"N 

Long. 7°40'51"E 

TURIN 

† Turin, GAM, 

Penone, In Limine 

The city of Turin is the perfect melting pot of modern and 

contemporary art, in its multiple expressions and endless opportunities 

for renewal and contamination. Our aim is to 

guide you through the best the city can offer in this sense. 

museums 

Gam 

Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea 

Turin - via Magenta, 31 - Ph. +39 011 4429518 

Info: open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10.00 - 18.00 

(the ticket office closes at 17.00). 

www.gamtorino.it 

GAM – Civic Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art – is 

one of Italy’s oldest and most important modern and contemporary 

art museums. Indeed, Turin was the first Italian city 

to promote a public collection of modern art, in 1863, as part of 

its Civic Museum. Today its collections consist in over 45,000 

works, including paintings, sculptures, installations and photographs, 

besides a rich collection of drawings and engravings 

and one of the most important European collections of art films 

and videos. The museum holds important works by major 19th and 20th century Italian and international artists, followers of the 

Arte Povera movement and of the new avant-garde of the second 

post-war period. These include works by Merz, Paolini, Boetti, 

Anselmo, Zorio, Penone and Pistoletto. 

GAM is surrounded by a pleasant sculpture garden with items 

by Melotti, Mainolfi, Cordero, Paolini and Penone. At night, a 

blue neon inscription reading “All Art Has Been Contemporary”, 

an installation by Maurizio Nannucci, shines out from the roof.


Fondazione Merz 

Turin - via Limone, 24 - Ph. +39 011 19719437 


(last entry 18.30). 

www.fondazionemerz.org 

Fondazione Merz, a trust dedicated to Mario Merz who died in 

Turin in 2003, inaugurated its exhibition space in April 2005. 

The trust is situated in the former thermal power station of the 

Lancia factory, a rationalist-style industrial building in what used 

to be a working class district. The three-storey building measures 

3,200 square metres in all, 1,400 of which are dedicated to the exhibition 

area. The trust also offers a library open to the public and 

a bookshop with all the material published by Fondazione Merz. 

The trust organises scientific and theme-based exhibitions on 

Mario Merz and invites contemporary artists to exhibit their 

works alongside those of the famous exponent of the Arte Povera 

movement. 

Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo 

Turin - via Modane, 16 - Ph. +39 011 3797600 

Info: open Thursdays 20.00 - 23.00, 

Fridays to Sundays 12.00 - 19.00. 

www.fsrr.org 

In 2002, the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, established 

in 1995, inaugurated the large Centre of Contemporary 

Art, designed by Claudio Silvestrin. The neominimalist-style 

building has a large hall for temporary exhibitions, as well as an 

auditorium, a bookshop, an education room, a restaurant and a 

stylish cafeteria designed by Rudolf Stingel, from the Trentino 

Alto Adige region of Italy. The Centre, designed to address the 

latest contemporary issues, is a flexible venue suitable for events 

as well as concerts, theatre shows, movie screenings, literary 

meetings and discussions. 

31 

π Turin, Fondazione Merz 

π Turin, Fondazione Sandretto 

Re Rebaudengo 

© Eric Planchard - Turismo Torino e Provincia 

© Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo 

3

© Turismo Torino e Provincia 

© Michele Vacchiano - Città di Torino 

© Bruna Biamino - Città di Torino 

4 

π Castello di Rivoli 

π Turin, Pinacoteca Agnelli 

† Turin, Luci d’Artista, 

Monte dei Cappuccini, 

Rebecca Horn 

Museo d’Arte Contemporanea 

Castello di Rivoli 

Rivoli - piazza Mafalda di Savoia - Ph. +39 011 9565222 

Info: open Tuesdays to Fridays, 10.00 - 17.00; Saturdays and 

Sundays, 10.00 -19.00 (the ticket office closes at 18.30 pm). 

www.castellodirivoli.org 

The Museum of Contemporary Art is situated in the Rivoli 

Castle, a baroque mansion designed in the early 18th century 

by Filippo Juvarra for King Vittorio Amedeo II. It is considered 

one of the most qualified institutes of contemporary art. As well 

as temporary international exhibitions, the museum houses a 

prestigious permanent collection of works from the 1950s to the 

present day, and boasts artists of the calibre of Sol LeWitt and 

Richard Long, as well as some of the main exponents of the Arte 

Povera and Transavantgarde movements. Manica Lunga, a 17th century Savoy picture gallery, also hosts temporary exhibitions in 

a 147m long space on the top floor. 

Pinacoteca Giovanni e Marella Agnelli 

Torino - via Nizza, 230 - Ph. +39 011 0062713 


(the ticket office closes at 18.15). 

www.pinacoteca-agnelli.it 

Inaugurated in 2002, the Giovanni and Marella Agnelli picture 

gallery is situated in a futuristic, parallelepiped-shaped venue 

suspended in mid-air above the rooftop test track of the former 

FIAT Lingotto plant. Nicknamed “Lo Scrigno”, or treasure 

chest, by its designer Renzo Piano, it house 25 masterpieces of 

ancient and modern art, the oldest dating back to the 18th century 

and the most recent to the mid 20th century. 

en Plein air works of arT 

Luci d’Artista in Turin 


First held in 1997, Luci d’Artista is the world’s first outdoor 

light exhibition. Launched during the Christmas period, it 

soon expanded abroad, becoming a veritable en plen air exhibition 

of works by Italian and foreign artists. Some of the works are 

permanent, such as the Fibonacci series created by Mario Merz

on the dome of the Mole Antonelliana, Michelangelo Pistoletto’s 

installation on the ancient eaves of the clock tower in Porta 

Palazzo, and that by Marco Gastini in a vault of the Galleria Subalpina. 

These permanent works are switched on on special occasions, 

while alternating works by other artists, such as Buren, 

Casorati, Horn and Mainolfi, are installed every year. 

Public art 


Below are some of the most interesting en plein air sculptures 

and installations by artists of international repute, displayed 

in Turin over the past thirty years: 

La Fontanella di Venere 

(1997), by Enrica Borghi. 

Centro Congressi 

Torino Incontra 

Via Costa, 8. 

Punti di vista (2005), 

by Tony Cragg. 

Piazza D’Armi - Stadio Olimpico. 

Eco (2005), 

by Marc Didou. 

Via Sant’Ottavio, 20. 

Opera per Torino (2005), 

by Per Kirkeby. 

Largo Orbassano. 

Fontana Igloo (2002), 

by Mario Merz. 

Corso Lione - Corso 

Mediterraneo. 

Cantatore di arcobaleno (2000), 

by Mario Molinari. 

Ospedale Mauriziano 

Corso Filippo Turati. 


Albero Giardino (2002), 

by Giuseppe Penone. 

Corso Mediterraneo - 

Corso Ferrucci. 

In Primo Luogo (1998), 

by Michelangelo Pistoletto. 

Centro Commerciale Garibaldi 

Via Garibaldi, 18. 

Cuneo con Frecce (2007), 

by Arnaldo Pomodoro. 

Corso XI Febbraio, 14. 

Sole Aerospazio (1989), 

by Giò Pomodoro. 

Giardini di Piazza Adriano. 

Locus Of rain (1995), 

by Susumu Shingu. 

Piazzale del Lingotto 

Via Nizza, 262. 

Abbraccio Infinito (1999), 

by Luigi Stoisa. 

Cortile Molasso 

Via Borgo Dora, 29. 

Reggia di Venaria Reale - Gardens 

Ph. +39 011 4992333 

Info: the gardens are open Tuesdays to Sundays, from 9 am to sunset. 

www.lavenaria.it 

The sculptor Giuseppe Penone has created 14 installations, 

made with different materials such as bronze and marble, 

in a 5-hectare area in the garden of Parco Basso in Reggia di Venaria. 

Each work is divided by small wooded areas, pools and 

fountains, offering a reinterpretation, based on the original layout, 

of the former 17th century garden designed by Amedeo di 

Castellamonte, who had divided the garden into large squares. 

π Turin, Punti di vista 

by Tony Cragg 

π Turin, Fontana Igloo 

31 

by Mario Merz, along the 

“Spina” avenue 

† Venaria Reale, 

Giuseppe Penone 

© Città di Torino © Bruna Biamino - Città di Torino 

© Claudia Candeli - Città di Torino 

5

© Michele Vacchiano - Città di Torino © Giannese&Ramella - Fondazione Teatro Regio 

6 

π Turin, Teatro Regio 

† Turin, Santo Volto 

modern and conTemPorary 

archiTecTure 

Teatro Regio 

Turin - piazza Castello, 215 www.teatroregio.torino.it 

The love of architect Carlo Mollino for the curvy female 

figure can be seen in the symbolic correspondence between 

the theatre’s plan and the image of a female bust, more markedly 

in the curving walls of the staircases and less so in the great 

empty space of the ellipsoidal stalls. A detached gallery provides 

access to the hall, while two glass bridges connect the theatre to 

the foyer in the Alfieri wing. 

Torre Littoria 

Turin - via Viotti-piazza Castello 

The Littoria Tower, built between 1931and 1933 by Armando 

Melis de Villa, was the first structure in Turin to have 

an electro-welded metallic frame. The nine-storey tower, with 

a small bell tower on top, is situated above a ten-storey building, 

for a total height of 87 metres. The tower is covered with red 

brick stoneware and travertine slabs. The balconies, which are 

made of glass brick, have luminous panels under the windowsills 

to provide illumination at night. 

Santo Volto 

Turin - via Nole, con the corner with via Borgaro 

www.santovolto.com 

The Santo Volto parish church, designed by the Swiss architect 

Mario Botta, was built in an area which underwent 

considerable post-industrial transformation. Inaugurated in December 

2006, it features seven elements on the perimeter that 

rise towards the sky, like arms in search of the light. Light filters 

through seven skylights in the higher part of the roof to illuminate 

the central area, while seven other skylights (lower than the 

first) provide light to the side chapels. The post-modern bell 

tower, which incorporates the former chimney of the ironworks 

and is decorated with a spire ascending from the earth up to the 

sky, houses nine chime bells. Most of the building is made with 

natural materials such as stone, brick and wood.

urban reconversion 

and olymPic works 

oGr - Officine Grandi Riparazioni 

Turin - corso Castelfidardo, 22 

www.officinegrandiriparazioni.it 


Officine Grandi Riparazioni, built between 1885 and 1895, 

represents a particularly significant example of early industrial 

development in Turin. It was designed to be a state-of-the-art 

repair centre for railway engines and coaches, being close to the 

railway that connected Turin to Milan. Inside, rows of large castiron 

pillars remind viewers of impressive naves in a “cathedral” 

that pays tribute to Turin’s industrial history. 

The Officine was operational until the 1990s , when it was transformed 

into a large exhibition venue, measuring over 20,000 

square metres in size. 

mauTo - National Automobile Museum 

Turin - corso Unità d’Italia, 40 - Ph. +39 011 677666/7/8 

Info: open Mondays, 10.00-14.00; Tuesdays, 14.00-19.00; 

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, 10.00-19.00, Fridays and 

Saturdays, 10.00-21.00. 

www.museoauto.it 

The National Museum of Cars, built in 1958 by Amedeo Albertini, 

is situated on a hill that slopes towards the River Po. Special 

care and attention were placed in the design of vantage points 

and construction details. Reopened in 2011 following restoration 

by the architect Cino Zucchi, the museum’s outfitting has been 

further enhanced by the Swiss-French designer François Confino. 

Lingotto multipurpose centre 

Turin - via Nizza, 230 

The 1920s FIAT car factory was renovated by Renzo Piano, 

whose project, based on a combination of multipurpose 

venues, maintained the building’s original architectural image and 

made use of highly technological construction elements. Worthy 

of note are a series of playful elements, such as the spectacular 

glass bubble in the scenic conference hall and the large auditorium 

with a moving roof, created in one of the existing courtyards. 

π Turin, OGR 

31 

† Turin, National Automobile 

Museum 

“Torino Inedita 

Unknown Turin” 

Sightseeing Tour 

The “Torino Inedita” sightseeing tour 

offers an alternative, unexpected Turin, 

touching on areas of unexplored 

charm, such as Eataly, Officine Grandi 

Riparazioni (now an exhibition venue), 

the renovated Car Museum, the former 

Lingotto production plant (with 

the Giovanni and Marella Agnelli Picture 

Gallery), the infrastructures built 

for the 2006 Winter Olympics, and a 

number of contemporary art trusts. 

www.turismotorino.org/en/ 

citysightseeing 

© Bruna Biamino - Città di Torino 

© Andrea Guermani - Museo dell’Automobile di Torino 

7

© Agnese 

© Agnese 

8 

EVENTS 

π Turin, Oval 

† Turin, Palavela 

Artissima 

International exhibition 

of contemporary art 

Town/Venue: Turin 

Oval 

Turin - via Nizza, 294 

The Oval sports facility was built by Studio Zoppini Associati 

in the Lingotto district for the 2006 Winter Olympics. 

The aim was to create suitable sports facilities and, at the same 

time, provide Turin with a venue that could be used for exhibitions, 

trade shows and other events. The Oval project, therefore, 

forms part of a wider programme for the urban renovation and 

reconversion of Turin’s industrial area. 

Palavela 

Turin - via Ventimiglia, 145 

www.palavelatorino.it 

Time of year: November 

First held in 1994, Artissima has gained an international 

reputation as the most important contemporary 

art exhibition in Italy in the sector of 

new galleries and emerging artists. It has become 

a must-see event for workers in the industry, collectors 

and art lovers. Additional events, in which 

visual arts mix with literature, cinema, music, 

dancing, design and architecture, are included in 

Artissima’s action-packed programme, making it 

an attraction involving the entire city. 

www.artissima.it 

The symbol of the 1961 International Labour Exhibition 

was designed in 1959 by Franco Levi and Annibale and 

Giorgio Rigotti. The cloister dome results from the intersection 

of three vaults, forming a cross vault and creating a special hexagonal 

shape. The building was renovated in 2003 by the architect 

Gae Aulenti in view of the 2006 Winter Olympics, after which 

the Palavela returned to hosting figure skating and cultural events. 

Paratissima 

Town/Venue: Turin 

Time of year: November 

Paratissima was first held in 2005 with the aim 

of providing an art alternative to Artissima. The 

project offers the opportunity to hold art-related 

events in unconventional venues - not museums or 

art galleries, but shops, company premises, bars, 

private locations, and so on. Dedicated to various 

target audiences, the event lasts three days and 

includes exhibitions, shows and concerts involving 

all kinds of artists who would not be able to 

perform or exhibit in normal venues. Paratissima 

was first held in a flat, and later in the former Le 

Nuove jail. It has been held in the San Salvario 

district since 2009. 

www.paratissima.it

Juventus Stadium 

Turin - strada comunale di Altessano, 131 

www.juventus.com 

The futuristic Juventus stadium, inaugurated in 2011, is an 

innovative project featuring hanging gangways to access 

the stands. This enables a new, more enthralling view of the 

soccer field, from which all visual barriers between the players 

and spectators have been removed. And yet, the stadium is not 

merely a centre of sports events. Its design - reminiscent of a 

town square, with shops, bars, restaurants, and so on, open all 

week - contributes to the renovation and reconversion of the 

urban area in which it is situated. The involvement of Pininfarina 

Extra and Giugiaro Design, the two most prestigious 

industrial design brands on the international market, contributed 

enormously to the class and elegance of the building. 

Palasport Olimpico 

Turin - corso Sebastopoli, 123 

www.palaolimpicotorino.it 


This indoor stadium, seating 14,350 people, is the largest 

building of its kind in Italy. The international competition 

held for its design was won by an Italian team led by the architect 

Arata Isozaki. The futuristic building is a stern Cartesian 

parallelepiped covered with stainless steel and glass. The fourstorey 

building has a completely flexible, modular structure in 

terms of stand arrangement, acoustics and facilities. 

Eataly 

Turin - via Nizza, 230, int. 14 - Ph. +39 011 19506801 

Info: open every day, 10.00-22.30. 

www.eatalytorino.it 

The former Carpano plant for the production of the historical 

Carpano Vermouth has been carefully restored 

and is now the premises of Eataly, a 10,000 square metre 

venue dedicated entirely to wine and food. Indeed, Eataly is 

emblematic of Turin’s newfound commitment to promote 

and spread awareness of the local food and wine culture. The 

building houses the small Museo Carpano, dedicated to the 

history of Vermouth. 

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Historical 

Ceres-Turin line 

The Turin-Ceres railway, along 

with those of Val Vigezzo and 

Colle di Tenda, is one of the 

oldest Alpine railroads in Italy. 

The stations along the line that 

connects Lanzo Torinese with 

Ceres were built between the 

19th and 20th centuries. Their 

“Swiss chalet” style, with an 

Art Nouveau interpretation, 

makes them an unusual cultural 

monument characterising 

the entire railway. The Art 

Nouveau-style stations are 

Lanzo Torinese, Germagnano, 

Funghera, Traves, Losa, Pessinetto, 

Mezzenile and Ceres. 

Info: departure from Turin, 

GTT Dora station, via Giachino. 

www.comune.torino.it/gtt/ 

airport 

† Turin, Palasport Olimpico 

© Agnese 

9

© Francesco Bogetti - Vialattea 

10 

SAUZE 

D’OULX 

SANT’AMBROGIO 


Susa Valley 

Sacred and profane masterpieces 

GPs sauze d’oulx 

Lat. 45°02'00"N 

Long. 6°51'00"E 

GPs sanT’ambroGio 

Lat. 45°06'00"N 

Long. 7°22'00"E 

† Sauze d’Oulx, Chalet Mollino 

These two man-made elements are very different in style, but 

share the same innovative aim - one is a chalet that fits perfectly 

into the landscape, high up on the side of a mountain, while 

the other is a huge statue standing before an ancient abbey. 

Chalet Mollino 

Sauze d’Oulx (TO) - Ph. +39 0122 858009 (Tourism Office) 

Info: can be reached by car (dirt road) or chairlift from Sauze 

d’Oulx to Sportinia. From Sportinia to Mollino: 20-minute 

walk (gently uphill) or “Rocce Nere” chair lift (mid July - mid 

August). Once there it is a 15 minute downhill walk. 

The Capanna Lago, also known as “Chalet Mollino” (2300 m 

a.s.l.), is one of the few remaining masterpieces by the famous architect 

Carlo Mollino (1905-1973). In Mollino’s own words: “Bound 

to fit perfectly into the landscape, the building escapes the mountain’s 

immobility, with a coherent, energetic, plastic twist, which achieves 

a slight, dynamic and lyrically expressive fluidity in the airborne elements 

of reinforced concrete. With white cement foundations […], 

which blend into the purity of the snow, the chalet’s dark upper volume 

seems almost to be in flight.” The bar-restaurant houses a museum 

area dedicated to the life and work of the famous architect from Turin. 

Statue of Archangel Michael 

Sacra di San Michele 

Sant’Ambrogio (TO) - via alla Sacra, 14 - Ph. +39 011 939130 

Info: winter opening hours (16th October – 15th March): week days, 9.30- 

12.30; 14.30-17.00; holidays, 9.30-12.00; 14.40-17.00; summer opening hours 

(16th March – 15th October): week days, 9.30-12.30; 14.30-18.00; holidays, 

9.30-12.00; 14.40-18.30. Last entrance: 30 minutes before closing time. 

www.sacradisanmichele.com 

Since the 24th of September 2005, the millenary Sacra di San Michele 

abbey is guarded by a massive statue of Archangel Michael. The statue 

is over 5 metres tall, with an approximate weight of about 3400 kg, and 

was built by Paul dë Doss-Moroder, a sculptor from Trentino Alto 

Adige. It constitutes a very original interpretation of Good defeating Evil. 

32


The Canavese region 

Where art comes naturally 

The Canavese region has many interesting historical sites, while also 

devoting considerable resources to innovation and contemporary 

art, as shown by its outdoor museums and the Rivara Art Centre. 

macam 

Outdoor museum of contemporary art 

Maglione (TO) - via Castello, 2 - Ph. +39 0161 400113 www.macam.org 

The Museum, conceived by Maurizio Corgnati, was established 

in 1985, and boasts over 160 works of art on display 

in the streets of Maglione. 

maam 

Open air museum of modern architecture 

Ivrea (TO) - via Jervis - Ph. +39 0125 410311 / +39 0125 410313 www.maam.ivrea.it 

journey through Ivrea’s rich modern architectural heritage. 

A Guided tours are available. 

Open air museum of Russian artists 

and artists from the Canavese region 

Torre Canavese (TO) www.torrecanavese.piemonte.it 

More than 80 works of art by former USSR artists and 

painters from the Canavese region are displayed in the 

central streets of Torre Canavese. 

Centre of contemporary art, Rivara Castle 

Rivara(TO) - piazza Sillano, 2 - Ph. +39 0124 31122 

Info: Fridays, 14.00-19.00; Saturdays and Sundays, 10.00-13.00 and 14.00- 

19.00. Open only when exhibitions are held. www.castellodirivara.it 

Made up of two 12th-14th century buildings renovated in the 

19th century, the Art Centre houses a library with about 20,000 

books, a photograph archive and Franz Paludetto’s historical art gallery. 

TORRE 

CANAVESE 

RIVARA 

IVREA 

3 

GPs maGlione 

Lat. 45°21'00"N 

Long. 8°01'00"E 

GPs ivrea 

Lat. 45°27'44"N 

Long. 7°52'29"E 

GPs Torre canavese 

Lat. 45°23'00"N 

Long. 7°46'00"E 

GPs rivara 

Lat. 45°20'00"N 

Long. 7°38'00"E 

MAGLIONE 

† Ivrea, MAAM, workshops 

© Turismo Torino e Provincia 

11

© Matteo Gazzera - ATL del Cuneese www.cuneoholiday.com 

12 

Caraglio and Saluzzo 

Making way for cultural excellence 

GPs caraGlio 

Lat. 44°25'02"N 

Long. 7°25'40"E 

GPs saluzzo 

Lat. 44°38'43"N 

Long. 7°29'15"E 

SALUZZO 

CARAGLIO 

† Caraglio, 

Convent of the Capuchin Friars 

The oldest silk factory in Europe and a significant cross section of 

the current artistic scenario - this is what the Caraglio Spinning 

Mill and the IGAV Exhibition in Castiglia di Saluzzo have to 

offer. Namely, a journey through history and contemporary art. 

Spinning mill (Filatoio) 

and Capuchin Convent 

Caraglio (CN)- Spinning mill: via Matteotti, 40 - Ph. +39 0171 618300 

(ticket office); Associazione Marcovaldo and CeSAC: via Cappuccini, 29 

Ph. +39 0171 618260 

Info: please visit the www.marcovaldo.it web site for 

information on the spinning mill opening hours. 

The Capuchin Convent is open to the public on request, 

Mondays to Fridays, 9.00-12.00 and 15.00-18.00 

(closed on midweek holidays). 

The Caraglio Spinning Mill, built between 1676 and 1678, 

is the oldest “silk factory” in Europe, and comprised attractive 

living quarters for the silk weavers - something that was 

truly unique in 17th century Piedmont. For this reason the building 

looks a bit like a fortress, with two internal courtyards on a 

regular, symmetrical plan, and a façade decorated with round 

towers. Circular throwing machines, exactly like the ones used in 

the 17th century to weave silk, have been recreated inside the mill. 

They are the first elements in the Piedmont Silk Factory Museum. 

The Marcovaldo Association started organising international exhibitions 

of ancient and modern art in this venue in 2002. The 

exhibition activities are an example of cultural excellence in the 

province of Cuneo and include events dedicated to important 

themes (such as Time, Landscapes, Animals and art), to the history 

of fabric and fashion (the events are, after all, held in a spinning 

mill), to the valorisation of important contemporary artists


from Piedmont, to Italian and European art, and to important 

private collections. The headquarters of the Marcovaldo Cultural 

Association are in the Capuchin Convent, built in 1689. The association 

promotes the activities of CeSAC (Experimental Centre 

for Contemporary Arts). Gartden, a permanent exhibition in the 

gardens surrounding the convent, offers a collection of sculptures 

and installations by important contemporary artists. 

Permanent exhibition and collection 

iGav at the Castiglia 

Saluzzo (CN) - Castiglia, piazza Castello - Ph. +39 011 19781500 (IGAV) 

+39 0175 46710 (IAT Tourism Office) 

Info: every Sunday and holidays from 25th March to 7th October 

2012, 15.00-19.00 (open on Saturdays, 15.00-19.00, when 

temporary exhibitions are being held). 

www.igav-art.org 

Inaugurated in the autumn of 2009, the exhibition is the 

mainstay of the multiyear programme “Saluzzo Contemporanea. 

An IGAV popular art project”. Works of contemporary 

art from the Garuzzo Visual Arts Institute of Turin and loaned 

by artists and art dealers are exhibited at the Castiglia. The aim 

is to offer a representative cross section of the current art scenario 

through a selection of works of art. “Dalla cella all’atelier”, 

which opened in September 2011, is a new exhibition on the 

history of a jail transformed into a creative workshop. Since it 

was established, IGAV has hosted the works of more than forty 

artists, and is constantly committed to addressing themes related 

to contemporary art through temporary exhibitions (collective 

exhibitions of young, emerging and well-known artists, 

and solo exhibitions of great masters), meetings, conferences 

and other cultural initiatives. 

34 

π Caraglio, Spinning mill 

EVENTS 

Saluzzo Arte - 

Contemporary 

art exhibition 

Town/Venue: Antiche Scuderie 

ex Caserma Mario Musso, piazza 

Montebello 1 

Time of year: April and May 

Saluzzo Arte offers a journey through 

contemporary art, with sections 

dedicated to painting, sculpture, 

graphics, engraving, photography 

and design. The exhibition, which 

offers emerging artists the chance 

to display their works, is organised 

by Fondazione Amleto Bertoni. 

Info: +39 0175 43527 

† Saluzzo, Castiglia 

© Dario Fusaro - ATL del Cuneese © Tommaso Mattina - ATL del Cuneese 

13

© Courtesy Archivio Gallizio www.langheroero.it 

14 

Langhe and Roero 

The hidden soul of the hills 

GPs alba 

Lat. 44°42'01"N 

Long. 8°02'10"E 

GPs doGliani 

Lat. 44°31'48"N 

Long. 7°56'42"E 

DOGLIANI 

ALBA 

† L’Anticamera della morte 

This region, with its gentle hills, beautiful landscape and 

sweet fragrances, is mainly known for its excellent food and 

wine. And yet, discovering its hidden soul - its excellence in 

art - is an amazingly rewarding experience. 

Spazio Gallizio 

Alba (CN) - Centro Studi Beppe Fenoglio - piazza Rossetti, 2 

Ph. +39 0173 364623 

Info: Tuesdays to Fridays, 9.00-12.00 and 15.00-18.00; 

Saturdays, 9.00- 12.00. Free entry. 

www.centrostudibeppefenoglio.it 

Spazio Gallizio - a venue dedicated to Giuseppe (“Pinot”) 

Gallizio, the artist who invented industrial painting - is situated 

on the second floor of the Beppe Fenoglio Study Centre. It 

houses the “Anticamera della morte” (Antechamber of death) 

installation, donated to the town of Alba by the Archivio Gallizio, 

which also donated images and documents related to the 

life and history of the artist in a special setting - the library in 

the Gallizio family home. Pinot Gallizio, who died in February 

1964, created the Antechamber of death a few months before 

his death, by arranging a number of heterogeneous items that 

he had collected during his lifetime (he had been a partisan, a 

pharmacist, a chemist and an archaeologist, as well as a painter) 

on a bookcase in his study, and then applying a monochromatic 

layer of carbon black over them. It is a kind of wunderkammer 

in reverse, through which Gallizio’s artistic research approached 

the new style of the European and international neo-avant-garde 

movements. The installation is a must-see opportunity to learn 

about the great eclectic star of European artistic research in the 

1950s and 1960s, as well as a chance to meet the hidden soul of 

Alba, the capital of the Langhe region and a town most people 

know for its food and wine.


Un sogno di città: percorso sulle 

opere di Giovanni Battista Schellino 

[A city dream: journey through the work 

of Giovanni Battista Schellino] 

Dogliani (CN) - piazza Einaudi, 9 - Ph. +39 0173 70210 (Infoturismo) 

www.comune.dogliani.cn.it 

The town of Dogliani, with the help of the local parish church, 

the Friends of the Museum, the Dogliani Comprehensive 

Institute and the Orma del Leone Youth Association, has set 

up an extensive cultural project to remember the great works of 

the eclectic artist, Giovanni Battista Schellino (1818-1905), 

through an ‘artistic journey’ involving the entire town, in the 

natural setting of the master’s works. 

This famous “town planner”, who worked in the second half of the 

19th century, gave the town of Dogliani some very unusual features 

that are a far cry from the standards of the time, providing the town 

with a monumental appearance that is unlikely to go unnoticed. 

Here is a heterogeneous jubilation of neoclassical domes and neogothic 

spires, medieval towers and Wagnerian settings, and all on a 

backdrop of rolling green hills. The contrast is skilfully harmonious, 

fitting perfectly into the landscape and providing a wealth of evocative 

scenes. The aim of the project is to pay homage to this brilliant 

architect and introduce visitors to the character and work of a man 

who is often - wrongly - considered a minor artist, but whose historical 

heritage is in fact of considerable importance, and not just locally. 

Buildings designed by Giovanni Battista Schellino 

Monumental Cemetery 

(1867) 

The cemetery - made up of dark, 

coarse, handmade bricks held together 

by mortar and rostrate iron 

crosses and wrought iron gates 

- is Schellino’s most imaginative 

and exclusive reinterpretation of 

Gothic architecture. This wiry, 

cutting creation is completely 

symmetrical and yet unpredictable 

and mysterious. 

Cappella dell’Immacolata 

Concezione 

e di San Giuseppe (1870) 

The chapel, also known as “del 

Paramù” (dialect for the wall 

defences of the fortifications of 

Castello, one of the two ancient 

villages of Dogliani), was built by 

Schellino to extend the church 

of San Lorenzo. The chapel has 

very evident neoclassical elements, 

and is inspired by a widespread 

model of that time, reminiscent 

of the Pantheon. 

35 

π Dogliani, Civic Hospital 

† Dogliani, 

Monumental Cemetery 

© Comune di Dogliani 

© Comune di Dogliani 

Civic Hospital 

(1878-1888) 

The Civic Hospital was built to replace 

the old Casa dell’Ospedale, 

which had fallen into very poor 

repair. Neoclassical and neoromantic 

elements may be 

glimpsed in the eclectic architecture 

of the hospital, whose 

facade features exposed bricks 

and stones and ends with a garish 

ledge with suspended arches, 

which incorporate the round windows 

on the third floor. 

15

16 

www.alexala.it 

Alessandria 

and Casale Monferrato 

A stroll, amidst hats and sculptures 

GPs alessandria 

Lat. 44°54'29"N 

Long. 8°36'54"E 

GPs casale monferraTo 

Lat. 45°08'05"N 

Long. 8°27'10"E 

CASALE 

MONFERRATO 

ALESSANDRIA 

† Alessandria, 

Borsalino Hat Museum 

Two buildings, two worlds to explore: Palazzo Borsalino is 

the keeper of the famous Borsalino hats, synonymous with 

quality Italian production, while the Bistolfi Plaster Art 

Gallery is the ideal place in which to admire drawings, 

marble sculptures and sketches. 

Palazzo Borsalino - Hat Museum 

Alessandria - via Cavour, 84 - Ph. +39 0131 234794 / +39 0131 40035 

Info: open Saturdays and Sundays, 16.00-19.00. 

www.comune.alessandria.it 

Borsalino’s adventure began more than one hundred and fifty 

years ago. Today, the company, which over the years has 

come to symbolise quality Italian production, is the crowning 

jewel of the town of Alessandria, and one of the most prestigious 

hat brands in the world. 

The Museum, situated in the Sala Campioni in Palazzo Borsalino, 

has a sample of every single hat produced in the factory since 

1857, when the company was established. Visitors can admire 

about 2000 hats of very different styles and colours, exhibited 

in historical cabinets designed by Arnaldo Gardella. The exhibition 

guides visitors through all the phases of the company’s 

production, in a conscious and long-sighted effort to protect the 

© ATL Alexala


company’s history and its aesthetic and cultural heritage. Every 

section of the exhibition is introduced by a video explaining the 

topics addressed, with more information supplied through three 

multimedia workstations. 

The Hat Museum does not simply represent the famous company’s 

production history. It is also a vivid account of the very 

tight bond that links the company to its surrounding area. 

Many significant architectural works of Italian rationalism, 

designed by Ignazio Gardella, were commissioned by Borsalino, 

such as the Anti-tuberculosis Clinic, the Laboratory of 

Hygiene and Prophylaxis, the house for Borsalino employees, 

the Fur Cutting House, and the Teresio Borsalino Hospital 

and Sanatorium. 

Leonardo Bistolfi Plaster Art Gallery 

Casale Monferrato (AL) - via Cavour, 5 - Ph. +39 0142 444309 / +39 0142 444249 

Info: open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8.30-12.30 and 14.30-16.30; 

Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, 10.30-13.00 and 15.00-18.30. 

www.comune.casale-monferrato.al.it 

The civic collections of the town of Casale are situated in the 

halls of the Santa Croce Augustinian Convent, built during 

the 12th century and often renovated in later years. 

The Plaster Art Gallery dedicated to Leonardo Bistolfi (Casale 

Monferrato 1859 – La Loggia 1933) is on the ground floor. Its 

five halls contain over 170 works by the sculptor, including drawings, 

terracotta and plasticine items, sketches, chalk models, and 

works in marble and bronze. These works of art help visitors understand 

how the artist developed and grew, starting from the 

works influenced by the Scapigliatura movement (Gli Amanti) 

and the Verismo movement (Il boaro), touching on his Symbolist 

period (La patria), and ending with his more mature 

works (Monumento a Carducci). 

† Casale Monferrato, 

Civic Tower 

36 

π Alessandria, 

Borsalino Hat Museum 

π Casale Monferrato, 

Bistolfi Plaster Art Gallery, 

first hall 

© ATL Alexala © ATL Alexala 

© ATL Alexala 

17

© Palazzo Mazzetti www.astiturismo.it 

18 

Asti and Bubbio 

Art in towns and vineyards 

GPs asTi 

Lat. 44°53'58"N 

Long. 8°12'17"E 

GPs bubbio 

Lat. 44°39'49"N 

Long. 8°17'37"E 

ASTI 

BUBBIO 

† Asti, Palazzo Mazzetti, 

G. Grosso, La femme 

Lovers of modern and contemporary art should not miss out 

on the opportunity to visit an elegant nobleman’s mansion, a 

former beer brewery housing an important cultural trust and 

a museum surrounded by vineyards. 

Palazzo Mazzetti - Civic picture gallery 

Asti - corso Alfieri, 357 - Ph. +39 0141 530403 

Info: open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10.30-18.30. www.palazzomazzetti.it 

Palazzo Mazzetti is the most elegant 18th century nobleman’s 

mansion in Asti. Painstaking renovation works restored it to 

its former splendour, and it has been a museum and a temporary 

exhibition venue since. In 2011, a civic picture gallery was set up 

in the building. Two important works of art by Giacomo Grosso 

and Lorenzo Delleani, dating back to 1895, can be admired on 

the ground floor. The second floor houses sections dedicated 

to modern and contemporary art, and includes works acquired 

by the town council from Piedmont artists such as Soffiantino, 

Paulucci, Pittatore, Nogaro and Quaglia, and other artists of the 

calibre of Guttuso, Spazzapan and Vespignani. 

Associazione Fondo Giov-Anna Piras 

Asti - via Brofferio, 80 - Ph. +39 0141 352111 

Info: open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10.00-12.30 and 15.00-19.30; 

Sundays, 17.00-19.30. www.fondopiras.com 

The Trust was established by the eclectic artist Flavio Piras in 

memory of his mother and sister, Giovanna and Anna, with 

the aim of preserving and valorising a multiform cultural heritage 

comprising contemporary works of art and photography, designer 

items, film critiques and essays, art and literature publications, and 

audio documents, as well as a precious collection of wine and la-


bels, in a fascinating encounter between artists and vineyards, years 

and vintages - here are Burri, Frank, Berio, Manzoni, Gaja, Visconti, 

Demetrio Stratos, Weston, Merz, Elvis Presley, Sottsass, Paolini, 

Cage, Conterno, Beecroft, Cartier-Bresson, Gonzalez-Torres, 

Biondi-Santi. And that’s not all. Here also are the first manifestos 

of the Futurism movement, and the book bound with two bolts 

by Depero, the “anguria lirica” book [lyric watermelon] published 

by Litolatta, labels by Bacon, Miró, Picasso on the bottles of Château 

Mouton Rothschild, the complete series of the Bianco e Nero 

magazine, and first edition Beatles records. The museum is situated 

right in the middle of the town, in via Brofferio. The building used 

to house the Metzger Brothers’ beer brewery, and is an attractive 

example of the industrial architecture of the late 19 th century. It was 

renovated without altering the main structural elements and light 

sources. Temporary exhibitions are now held in its large halls. 

π Bubbio, Mayer Park 

Quirin Mayer sculpture park 

Bubbio (AT) - Regione Sant’Ippolito, 218 

Ph. +39 0144 83502 / +39 347 8478915 

Info: well signposted; the park is always open. 

www.comune.bubbio.at.it 

www.mayer-quirin.com 

The park, which has a good view of the Langa Astigiana region, 

is made up of five terraces in which nineteen large 

sculptures, made of lacquered aluminium sheets, can be admired. 

The sculptures on the second and fourth terrace are set on 

pedestals in the centre of water pools. The third terrace contains 

an amphitheatre for musical and theatre performances. Two 

more sculptures stand in the historical centre of Bubbio. 

© Associazione Fondo Piras 

© ATL AstiTurismo 

† Bubbio, Mayer Park 

37 

Asti, Piras Trust Exhibition 

Quirin Mayer 

Quirin Mayer was born in 

Basil and settled in the Langhe 

region at the end of a brilliant 

business career. He then started 

painting abstract geometrical 

shapes on canvas using acrylic 

paints. Over time, as a result 

of a completely natural process, 

his painting compositions 

turned into waterjet-cut sculptures. 

Intense colours, one of 

the main traits of Mayer’s work, 

express the artist’s joy for life. 

His sculptures have been exhibited 

in Acqui Terme and in a 

number of European countries 

(France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland 

and Belgium). 

© ATL AstiTurismo 

19

© ATL Valsesia Vercelli www.atlvalsesiavercelli.it 

20 

Vercelli 

A veritable treasure chest 

GPs vercelli 

Lat. 45°19'26"N 

Long. 8°25'23"E 

VERCELLI 

† Vercelli, 

Basilica of Sant’Andrea 

A shrine for priceless treasures - Arca has hosted, and continues 

to host, a vast number of highly admired exhibitions, and 

is considered the second most important exhibition centre of 

modern and contemporary art in Piedmont, after Turin. 

San Marco Church, 

arca exhibition centre 

Vercelli - piazzetta San Marco, 1 - Ph. +39 0161 596333 

Info: open only during exhibitions and shows. 

www.comune.vercelli.it www.guggenheimvercelli.it 

rca” (Italian for ‘ark’) was considered the most appropri- 

“A ate name for a “safe haven” in which to safeguard priceless 

works of art. This has been the venue’s mission, ever since 

its opening in 2007 in the town of Vercelli. Arca is a very modern 

structure, made of glass and steel, placed in the central nave of 

the church of San Marco. This simple yet innovative parallelepiped 

has become one of the town’s symbols, epitomising the will 

and ability to combine antique and contemporary elements. The 

crystal vaults of the Arca are transparent, so that the majestic 

medieval vaults of the church can be admired from inside the 

parallelepiped. Furthermore, the church’s marvellous frescos, 

after being covered with whitewash for years, are being skilfully 

restored by the young restorers of the Conservation and Restoration 

Centre of Venaria Reale. 

Taking up only part of the central nave, the Arca effectively splits 

the church interior into two different areas. One, the Arca’s interior, 

is fitted with all the latest technologies to guarantee observance 

of the international standards for the exhibition of works 

of art. The other, larger area is made up of the side naves and 

the apse, and is available for events linked to the internal exhibitions 

or other unrelated events. Every year, important exhibi-

© ATL Valsesia Vercelli 


tions organised by the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (with the 

help of the Municipality of Vercelli and the Region of Piedmont) 

are held in the Arca, making Vercelli the second most important 

exhibition centre of modern and contemporary art in Piedmont, 

after Turin. The silent naves of the church of San Marco welcome 

important international works of art by artists such as 

Chagall, Mondrian, Miró, Calder, Picasso, Pollock, De Chirico, 

Modigliani, Duchamp, Dalí, Magritte, Matisse, Cézanne, and 

many more besides. The works, on loan from various Guggenheim 

museums around the world and from private trusts, are 

arranged in original and carefully designed exhibition paths, in 

which the artistic genius of the great masters of contemporary art 

emerges with surprising strength. Here, it is possible to admire, 

in a single venue, the works that the art patron Peggy Guggenheim 

loved so dearly and that represented a real turning point 

for art, leading to the birth of important avant-garde movements. 

During the various Guggenheim exhibitions, the Vercelli Town 

Council’s Office for Culture organises a number of additional 

events linked to the exhibition and to the town itself, opening 

visitors to the town’s rich artistic and cultural heritage. The exhibition 

centre is situated in the town’s attractive historical centre, 

half way between the Basilica of Sant’Andrea (the majestic historical 

and artistic symbol of Vercelli) and Piazza Cavour, previously 

the site of an ancient Roman “forum” and currently the 

throbbing heart of Vercelli. This harmoniously elegant square, 

with pavements soberly decorated with arabesques and long rows 

of stone tiles, features attractive porticoes on all its four sides. 

π Vercelli, 

Piazza Cavour 

Vercelli, Arca 

38 

© ATL Valsesia Vercelli 

21

© ATL Novara www.turismonovara.it 

22 

Novara 

and the surrounding area 

Contemporary art 

and “renaissance” workshops 

GPs novara 

Lat. 45°26'45"N 

Long. 8°37'19"E 

GPs GalliaTe 

Lat. 45°28'39"N 

Long. 8°41'43"E 

GPs casalbelTrame 

Lat. 45°26'11"N 

Long. 8°28'04"E 

GALLIATE 

NOVARA 

CASALBELTRAME 

† Casalbeltrame, Materima 

The region of Novara offers many kinds of cultural events 

related to modern and contemporary art, as well as the truly 

unique Materima, a citadel of sculpture. 

Museum of contemporary art 

Angelo Bozzola 

Galliate (NO) - Castello Visconteo-Sforzesco, piazza Vittorio Veneto 

Ph. +39 0321 800763 (Galliate Town Council, Office for Culture) 

www.comune.galliate.no.it 

The museum dedicated to Angelo Bozzola comprises the underground 

vaults of Visconti Sforza Castle, as well as the three 

floors of the north-eastern tower in the northern battlement, the 

northern courtyard and the external moat. It houses over 140 works 

of art, donated to the town of Galliate in 1998. The permanent exhibition 

includes sculptures, installations, paintings, graphic works and 

artist’s books created by the artist throughout his lifetime. The earliest 

works are paintings and Constructivist creations dating back to 1954, 

when the artist joined the Movimento Arte Concreta, while the last 

belong to the great symbolic sculpture series Origine (1988). Booking 

is required for guided tours. The Casa-Museo Fondazione Angelo 

Bozzola in Galliate hosts about 2000 works by the same artist. 

Materima 

Casalbeltrame (NO) - via Umberto I, 2 - Ph. +39 02 67075049 www.materima.it 

Materima, measuring over 20,000 square metres in size, is an 

international centre for the design, creation and exhibition 

of plastic art: a veritable citadel of sculpture. Here, artists will find 

everything they need to create their works, including marble workshops, 

a foundry, chalcography facilities, art studios and guest flats, 

and can work together in the true spirit of Renaissance workshops.


This project sets out to prevent now rare trades (such as marble 

chiseller, wax retoucher and bronze chaser) from vanishing altogether. 

The larger works of art, in the park and courtyard, include 

items by Bodini, Manzù, Maraniello, Messina, Perez, Arnaldo and 

Giò Pomodoro. Temporary exhibitions displaying works by worldfamous 

artists are held in Materima during the year. 

Galleria d’Arte Moderna 

Paolo e Adele Giannoni 

Novara - Broletto - via Rosselli, 20 - Ph. +39 0321 3702770 

Info: open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 14.00-19.00; Sundays, 10.00-19.00; 

Wednesdays, 9.00-12.00 (only for schools, booking required). 

www.brolettodinovara.it 

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, after 

lengthy restoration the Broletto reopened to the public with the 

Paolo e Adele Giannoni Gallery of Modern Art, containing a prestigious 

collection donated by Alfredo Giannoni, awarded the title of 

Cavaliere del Lavoro, to the town of Novara. Alfredo Giannoni (1862- 

1944), from Novara, was interested in the paintings and sculptures of 

his time, and at the beginning of the 20th century, started collecting 

works of art by local artists. His collection gradually became larger 

and more varied, soon boasting works by artists from all over Italy. 

Ex Istituto Metalli Leggeri 

Novara - via Bovio, 6 - Ph. +39 0321 697174 (Novara Development Trust) 

www.novarasviluppo.it 

The Istituto Sperimentale Metalli Leggeri was designed by the 

Renzo Piano Building Workshop firm in Paris and built 

between 1985 and 1986, following the desire of Alumix, the parent 

company of the Italian aluminium group, to establish its Research 

Centre in Novara. The building is currently the headquarters of the 

Novara Development Trust and of the Scientific and Technological 

Centre of Novara. The site houses many important research centres, 

as well as numerous faculties of the “A. Avogadro” university of eastern 

Piedmont. The institute, formed by two three-storey buildings, 

comprises a system of light aluminium glazing - one of the building’s 

main features - in contrast with a strong frame of joined, prefabricated 

cement components. Inside, balustrades, parquet flooring 

and plants soften the main frame, while the building as a whole 

can be admired through transparent internal glass partitions. 

39 

Angelo Bozzola 

Angelo Bozzola (1921-2010), a 

world-famous artist from Galliate, 

painted his first abstract 

paintings and created his first 

plastic figures in iron at the beginning 

of the 1950s. In 1955 

he began elaborating his own 

trapezium-ovoid monoshape, 

whose developments characterised 

his later work. In the 1970s 

he experimented more and 

more with techniques and materials, 

with multiples, graphs on 

metal, use of photographic film 

and large space-time sculptures. 

Later, his structural sign creations 

shifted to granite elements. 

Bozzola left a strong and undying 

cultural mark on Galliate. 

www.fondazioneangelobozzola.it 

† Novara, Paolo e Adele Giannoni 

Gallery of Modern Art 

© ATL Novara 

© ATL Novara 

23

© Scenari srl - Andrea Lazzarini Editore, Stresa (VB) 

24 

www.distrettolaghi.it 

Lake district 

Where Nature meets Art 

GPs verbania Pallanza 

Lat. 45°55'17"N 

Long. 8°33'03"E 

GPs omeGna 

Lat. 45°52'32"N 

Long. 8°24'32"E 

VERBANIA 

PALLANZA 

OMEGNA 

† Lake Maggiore, Isola Bella 

In this stunning corner of Piedmont, an enchanting natural 

setting forms the background to equally enchanting museums 

and exhibitions of paintings, sculptures and industrial 

archaeology. 

Museo del Paesaggio [Landscape Museum] 

Verbania Pallanza - via Ruga, 44 - Ph. +39 0323 556621 

Info: open Tuesdays to Sundays. 

www.museodelpaesaggio.it 

The Landscape Museum in Verbania Pallanza houses important 

collections of sculptures and paintings, as well as 

sections dedicated to archaeology and popular religion. 

Painting section. Visitors may first admire 15th century frescoes, 

moving then on into halls with works from the 1850s to the early 

1900s , most of which depict the lakes and mountains of Verbania 

and the surrounding region. 

Sculpture section. This section hosts works by the Russian 

sculptor Paolo Troubetzkoy (Intra, 1866-1938), by Arturo 

Martini (1889- 1947) and by other artists who lived between 

the 19th and 20th centuries and who worked in this area at some 

time in their lives. 

Popular religion section 

Inaugurated in 1999, this section – 

dedicated to popular religion, art and 

culture – is situated in a 15th century 

building, Palazzo Biumi-Innocenti, 

which was assigned to the museum 

by the Municipality of Verbania and 

restored with EU funding. There 

are 5023 painted votive offerings 

(although only some are exhibited) 

donated to the museum by Eugenio 

Cefis, ranging from the 16th to the 20th century, and stemming from every 

part of Italy and from Mexico. There 

is also a collection of about 80,000 

sacred images (known as “santini”) 

from all over the world. The collection 

can be viewed on request. 

Info: +39 0323 556621


Archaeology section. Items from the graves of Ornavasso (VB) 

form the most important elements in this section. There are over 

1500 items in the museum, providing information on how a local 

Celtic tribe, the Leponti, evolved and were gradually incorporated 

into the Roman Empire. 

Popular religion section. This section is situated in Palazzo 

Biumi-Innocenti, in Verbania Pallanza. 

Fondazione Museo Arti e Industria Forum 

Omegna (VB) - Parco Maulini, 1 - Ph. +39 0323 866141 

Info: open Tuesdays to Sundays. Free entry. 

www.forumomegna.org 

The Museum of Arts and Industry Forum Trustis a multipurpose 

venue established to promote research on the industrialisation 

of Omegna and the Cusio region, to preserve the 

historical memory of the area’s industry and handicrafts and to 

preserve documents related to local technology procedures. The 

Forum, situated in a former industrial area, houses a permanent 

collection of items from famous local industries producing 

household goods (such as Bialetti, Alessi and Lagostina). These 

manufacturing companies have made Omegna the town with 

the highest production of coffee machines, pans and kitchenware, 

as all those items that have revolutionised culinary culture 

in Italy and the world. Temporary exhibitions held periodically 

focus on a number of subjects and themes, with special attention 

given to younger visitors. 

The Literary Park dedicated to Gianni Rodari, a poet and writer 

of fairytales and yet another example of local creativity and skill, is 

housed in the halls of the Forum and Recreation Centre. 

10 

3 

π Verbania Pallanza, 

Landscape Museum, 

Plaster Art Gallery 

† Omegna, Fondazione Museo 

Arti e Industria Forum 

© Sergio Ronchi-Museo del Paesaggio 

© Distretto Turistico dei Laghi 

25

© Lyle Roblin - ATL Biella 

26 

www.atl.biella.it 

Biella and the Wool Road 

Between past and future 

GPs biella 

Lat. 45°33'58"N 

Long. 8°03'14"E 

GPs Pray 

Lat. 45°40'34"N 

Long. 8°12'31"E 

BIELLA 

PRAY 

† Biella, Cittadellarte - 

Fondazione Pistoletto 

Cittadellarte and Palazzo Boglietti embody the allure of modern 

and futuristic trends. La Strada della Lana (Wool Road), with 

the Fabbrica della Ruota (Wheel Factory) and other evocative 

testimonies of the past, offer visitors a unique journey through time. 

Cittadellarte - Fondazione Pistoletto 

Biella - via Serralunga, 27 - Ph. +39 015 28400 

Info: open Tuesdays to Fridays, booking required at least two days in 

advance, Saturdays and Sundays, 11.00 – 19.00. The cafeteria is open 

every day at lunchtime, 13.00 - 14.30, and in the evening, Tuesdays to 

Saturdays, 20.00 - 22.00 (booking required). 

www.cittadellarte.it 

Built on the shores of the river Cervo and surrounded by 

factory chimney stacks and traditional brick buildings, Cittadellarte 

– Fondazione Pistoletto combines the attraction of a 

19th century industrial area with the most innovative trends in 

contemporary art. The project, commissioned by Michelangelo 

Pistoletto, a famous artist from the town of Biella, began 

in 1994 and was developed in the Trombetta woollen mill, a former 

manufacturing plant under the supervision of the Ministry 

of Cultural Heritage. The plant was converted into an expressive 

and creative workshop. The large, well-lit halls of the old factory 

now house an experimental cultural centre that organises exhibitions, 

meetings, special events, temporary showrooms, workshops 

and multimedia labs. There are twelve operational units, 

with each one dedicated to a specific issue or subject (art, education, 

ecology, economy, politics, spirituality, production, work, 

communication, architecture, fashion and nutrition). 

Cittadellarte hosts a permanent collection of works by Michelangelo 

Pistoletto. 

A welcoming cafeteria offers creative and sustainable dishes, 

served in a youthful, informal setting.


La Fabbrica della Ruota 

Pray (BI) - Regione Vallefredda, 1 - Ph. +39 015 766221 (main office); 

+39 015 7388393 +39 015 766221 (DocBi - Centro Studi Biellesi) 

Info: from June to September, open on Sundays, 15.00-18.00. 

All year round, Mondays to Fridays, 9.00-13.00, 

entry to the Textile Industry Documentation Centre 

and guided tours for groups and schools (booking required). 

There are specific opening times during temporary exhibition. 

www.docbi.it 

The former Zignone woollen mill, known as Fabbrica della 

Ruota (Wheel Factory) is one of Italy’s most famous examples 

of industrial archaeology. Like almost all the other 19th century 

woollen mills in the area of Biella, Zignone, built in 1878, features 

the same simple architecture of Manchester mills. However, it does 

have one distinguishing feature: it is the only mill in Italy to still 

have machinery driven by a “teledynamic” power supply system. 

Two impressively large iron wheels outside the building, which give 

the structure its name, are connected together by a cable measuring 

over 80 metres in length. When the wheels turned, movement 

was transmitted via pulleys directly to the machinery inside 

through a horizontal shaft that crossed the building longitudinally. 

Today this building is part of the Biella Ecomuseum. The Textile 

Industry Documentation Centre, an archive housing a number of 

collections and a specialised library, is situated in this building. 

Inside, attractive halls host a permanent exhibition on the industrialisation 

of Biella, as well as a number of temporary exhibitions. 

The Wool Road 

DocBi - Centro Studi Biellesi - Ph. +39 015 7388393 / +39 015 766221 

www.docbi.it 

T 

th 

he skyline of the so-called Wool Road is dotted with 19 

century brick woollen mills, tall chimney stacks, power stations, 

offtake canals, penstocks, residential areas devoted to factory 

workers, contractors’ houses, public buildings such as kindergartens, 

schools, hospitals, workers’ recreational clubs and “work 

roads” used by the factory workers to reach their place of work. 

The Wool Road, which starts in Biella and ends in Borgosesia, 

once the site of a wool market, winds through the valleys that are 

the symbol of Biella’s textile industry, passing through the small 

manufacturing towns in the Strona Valley and Valsassera, such as 

Pettinengo, Camandona, Valle Mosso, Trivero and Pray. 

† Sagliano Micca, 

Cervo Hat Factory 

11 

3 

π Pray, night view 

of the Wheel Factory 

© ATL Biella © Dario Lanzardo 

27

© Fabrizio Lava - ATL Biella 

© ATL Biella 

28 

† Pray, La Fabbrica della Ruota 

† Biella, Palazzo Boglietti 

Two among the many historical industrial sites located near currently 

active production plants, naturally in very different building styles and 

working conditions, deserve special attention. One is the Fabbrica della 

Ruota in Pray and the second is the workers’ village in Miagliano, the 

most significant example of social housing in the province of Biella. 

Palazzo Boglietti 

Biella - via Fratelli Rosselli, 102 - Ph. +39 015 8493960 

Info: open during temporary exhibitions. 

www.palazzoboglietti.org 

Palazzo Boglietti is a futuristic venue designed for exhibitions 

and events. It was built for Giovanni Boglietti, the owner of 

the land on which it stands, who wished to pay homage to the 

history of his family in an area of great sentimental value for him. 

Construction began in the 1990s and was supervised by the architect 

Alberto Rizzi. The building, which was opened to the public 

in 2006, represents an oak tree with disc-shaped mushrooms 

growing on its trunk. Its 1,500 square metre surface is divided 

into three floors above ground and one below, and features a 

rooftop terrace with breath-taking views of the mountains surrounding 

Biella. The internal staircase - an upside-down, askew 

triangular pyramid - is a unique architectural feature. 

Palazzo Boglietti, in the south western part of the town, regularly 

hosts international art and science-related initiatives. 

EVENTS 

Art at the heart of a Responsible Social Transformation 

Town/Venue: Biella - Cittadellarte, via Serralunga, 27 sion, young artists are called upon to develop projects 

Time of year: giugno-novembre 

aimed at achieving a responsible social transformation. 

International season of exhibitions, events, meetings The initiative is part of the UNIDEE programme. 

and conferences addressing different aspects of the Info: +39 015 28400; store@cittadellarte.it 

relationship between art and society. For the occa- www.cittadellarte.it

REGIONAL TOURIST ORGANISATION 

Regione Piemonte - Assessorato al Turismo 

Via A. Avogadro, 30 – 10121 Torino – promozione.turistica@regione.piemonte.it 

web: www.piemonteitalia.eu Regione Piemonte-Piemonteitalia.eu @piemonte_italia 

ATL Agenzie Turistiche Locali [Local Tourism Agencies] 

Agenzia di Accoglienza e Promozione Turistica 

Locale di Alessandria&Monferrato “ALEXALA” 

Piazza Santa Maria di Castello, 14 - 15121 Alessandria 

Ph. +39 0131 288095 - web: www.alexala.it 

ALEXALA Tourist Board Alessandria & Monferrato 

ALEXALA 


Locale di Asti “Astiturismo” 

Piazza Alfieri, 34 - 14100 Asti 

Ph. +39 0141 530357 - web: www.astiturismo.it 

Astiturismo A.T.L. 

@AstiturismoAtl 


Locale di Biella 

Piazza Vittorio Veneto, 3 - 13900 Biella 

Ph. +39 015 351128 - web: www.atl.biella.it 

Numero Verde 800 811 800 (Italy) 

biellaturismo 


Locale del Cuneese 

Via Vittorio Amedeo II, 8 A - 12100 Cuneo 

Ph. +39 0171 690217 

web: www.cuneoholiday.com 

www.cuneoutdoor.it 

www.festivalestivo.com 

ATL Cuneese 


Locale delle Langhe e del Roero 

Piazza Risorgimento, 2 - 12051 Alba (CN) 

Ph. +39 0173 35833 - web: www.langheroero.it 

TuLangheRoero 

@Tu.LangheRoero 


Locale della Provincia di Novara 

Baluardo Quintino Sella, 40 - 28100 Novara 

Ph. +39 0321 394059 - web: www.turismonovara.it 

Agenzia Turistica Locale Novarese 

@ATLNovara 


Locale “Turismo Torino e Provincia” 

Torino Piazza Castello/Via Garibaldi 

Stazione ferroviaria di Torino Porta Nuova 

Aeroporto Internazionale di Torino 

Ph. +39 011 535181 

Pinerolo Viale Giolitti, 7/9 

Ph. +39 0121 795589 

Ivrea Corso Vercelli, 1 

Ph. +39 0125 618131 

web: www.turismotorino.org 

turismotorino 

turismotorino 

turismotorino 

photos/turismotorino 


Locale “Distretto Turistico dei Laghi, Monti e Valli” 

Corso Italia, 18 - 28838 Stresa (VB) 

Ph. +39 0323 30416 - web: www.distrettolaghi.it 

Distretto Turistico dei Laghi, Monti e Valli 

Lago Maggiore Valli @laghiemonti 


Locale “Turismo Valsesia Vercelli” 

Varallo Corso Roma, 38 - 13019 Varallo (VC) 

Ph. +39 0163 564404 

Vercelli Viale Garibaldi, 90 - 13100 Vercelli 

Ph. +39 0161 58002 

web: www.atlvalsesiavercelli.it 

Published by Iniziative Speciali, De Agostini Libri S.p.A. 

CEO: Paolo Andreoni - Novara, Corso della Vittoria 91 

ph. 0321 424831 - fax: 0321 424940 - e-mail: iniziative.speciali@deagostini.it - internet: www.deagostini.it 

Layout and editing: studio27snc.it 

L.135/2001 “Valorisation and promotion of tourism linked to modern culture” inter-regional project 

www.architetturadelmoderno.it

P 

IEMONTEP 

GETTING THERE 

1 

Motorways 

www.autostrade.it 

ph. 840042121 

A21 Torino/Alessandria/Piacenza 

A5 Torino/Ivrea/Aosta 

A4 Torino/Milano 

A6 Torino/Savona 

A55 Torino/Pinerolo 

A33 Asti/Cuneo 

A26 Santhià/Voltri/Genova 

A32 Torino/Bardonecchia/Frejus 

T4 Traforo del Frejus / Frejus Tunnel 

www.tunneldufrejus.com 

$ 

Torino Caselle 

www.aeroportoditorino.it 

ph. +39 011 5676361-2 

Modane 

Cuneo Levaldigi 

T4 

www.aeroporto.cuneo.it 

ph. +39 0172 741500-558 

Î 

Airports 

Milano Malpensa 

www.seamilano.eu 

ph. +39 02 232323 

Malpensa-Torino:137 km 

Trenitalia 

www.trenitalia.com 

ph. +39 06 68475475 

ph. 89 20 21 (Italy) 

A32 

Pinerolo 

A6 

A5 

Caselle 

$ 

• TORINO 

A55 

Cuneo • 

Levaldigi 

$ 

Aosta 

A33 

• Biella 

A4 

A21 

Asti• 

A33 

Vercelli 

• 

Savona 

Verbania 

• 

A26 

Malpensa 

$ 

• 

Novara 

Milano 

•Alessandria 

Voltri 

Piacenza 

Genova

Land of Art - Regione Piemonte

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