VILLAR SAN COSTANZO

TOWN OF THE “CICIU”

Villar San Costanzo is a small village at the foot of Mount San Bernardo, at the beginning of the Maira valley. It was a thriving Benedictine centre from the Lombard period onwards, as evidenced by its landmarks, the Abbazia and San Costanzo al Monte, one of the most interesting Romanesque monuments in Piedmont. Villar is known as the town of the “Ciciu”, its characteristic mushroom-shaped erosion stacks, today protected as a nature reserve.

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Villar San Costanzo is a small village at the foot of Mount San Bernardo, where the Maira valley begins. Originally known as "Cannetum", it was a flourishing Benedictine centre from the Lombard period onwards. Its Romanesque-style abbey with Gothic bell tower and Baroque facade at the gates of the town offers testimony of this ancient bond. Inside, it houses an evocative crypt and the Cappella di San Giorgio, frescoed in 1469 by painter Pietro da Saluzzo. Next to the property stands the park named after Gilda Allemandi, a Villarese teacher awarded the title of “Giusta tra le Nazioni” for having helped save a Jewish family during the Shoah.


Villar has repeatedly won awards as a "Flowery Municipality" for the care and attention it dedicates to its public parks. A short distance from the Chiesa Parrocchiale, towards Dronero, visitors can make another leap back in time with a visit to the Cannetum Archaeological Park, which faithfully reconstructs the habitat of the Iron Age, re-proposing the rituals of a Lombard camp.


Going back up the slopes of the San Bernardo, along paths and dirt roads in the woods, which can be travelled on foot, by bicycle or on horseback, you will find the Sanctuary dedicated to Santa Maria, guardian of dozens of ex voto to the Virgin. Further up, you’ll reach San Costanzo al Monte, one of the most interesting Romanesque monuments in Piedmont, steeped in mysticism, which can be visited in certain periods during the summer.


An unmissable trail for nature lovers is the trip to the Riserva Naturale dei Ciciu del Villar, famous for its characteristic mushroom-shaped erosion pillars, called “ciciu”, or “puppets”, and one of a kind in Piedmont. The reserve, a protected area of the Maritime Alps, is ideal for family outings and amusing walks in the countryside.


The other attractions include the Tibetan bridge over the Maira river that connects the Monastero di Dronero with the hamlet of Morra, known for its excellent bread and tasty cheeses. Villar is also known as a place where adventurers can try free flight, paragliding or hang gliding, departing from Colle Liretta or from Mount San Bernardo.

CUNEO ALPS: YOUR PERFECT HOLIDAY. MAIRA VALLEY

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