Land of Art - Regione Piemonte

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