MUST SEE
Ponte del Diavolo: Ponte del Diavolo (Devil’s Bridge) was built in 1378 over a narrow gorge, dug by the torrent Stura, to connect Lanzo and its valleys with Turin. It has the shape of a curved “donkey’s back”, and it is 65 meters long and 16 meters high. On the 15 July 1564, the community decided to put a door, exactly in the middle of the bridge. Their aim was to close it in case of epidemics, in order to prevent the passage of foreigners and preserve, therefore, the village. The name comes from the legend of the devil building the bridge by himself. But in exchange, he asked the soul of the first who would cross it. To prevent the sacrifice of a human being, the villagers let cross a small dog, first. This inflamed the anger of the devil, who began to beat his paws violently on the rocks around, producing there deep furrows called “giant mufflers”. Today the Bridge and the surrounding nature reserve have been declared sites of Community interest.
Ecomuseo Storia dell’Alpinismo delle Valli di Lanzo: Via Umberto I 9, 10074 Lanzo Torinese x +39 360 444949 R www.cailanzo.it Located in the headquarters of the Italian Alpine Lanzo Club, the Ecomuseum goes back over the historical steps of the development of mountaineering and skiing in the valleys of Lanzo. A rich collection of tools and technical materials illustrates the story of the passion for the mountain environment in its different forms. Inside the museum are exposed some of the tools which were used in past during the different ascents and conquest of the most famous peaks of the Lanzo valleys. Museo dell’Arte Tessile lanzese: Via Usseglio n. 5, 10074 Lanzo Torinese x +39 0123 29331 v ricamolanzo@libero.it R www.digilander.libero.it The ethnographic-laboratory museum of textile art, located in the 17th-century former institute of the Immaculate Nuns, guides visitors to the rediscovery of the manual activities typical of the land. Inside one can relive all the steps of yarn processing and weaving techniques, and discover the Popular Lanzese Art or Lanzo Work, a particular embroidery technique which was conceived in the city in the early 20th century. In addition, being an exhibition place, the museum is now also a workshop in which the art of weaving and embroidery is taught weekly by using tools and techniques of the past century. Museo dell’utensileria Silmax: Via Fucine 9, 10074 Lanzo Torinese x +39 0123 940301 Inside the Silmax building it is possible to visit lathes, milling cutters, sharpeners and antique tools dating back to the early 19th century. Viù Valley Ancient Road: R www.cailanzo.it The itinerary joins the Park Ponte del Diavolo of Lanzo with the pic-nic area of Germagnano, and is the first part of the hiking route that goes up the Valle di Viù to the Parco della Resistenza located on Colle del Lys. This route is the principal and direct way to the Lanzo valleys. It was the usual route covered by the valley inhabitants. Demolished after two ordinances of mid ‘500, it was then restored only after 1621.
On its top there is a big bell, and on the facade you can find the coats of arms of the Savoia and of the Estensi, who have been the lords of the city. The tower is the only remained edifice of the ancient castle of Lanzo, destroyed in mid-16th century by the French army.
Door and civic tower of Aymone di Challant: The Lanzo civic tower (1329-1357) bears the name of Aymone di Challant, its builder, who arrived to Lanzo at the service of Margherita di Savoia. In medieval times, the tower had a drawbridge and no roof.
Documentation Centre for Contemporary History and Resistenza "N. Grosa": Via Usseglio 5, 10074 Lanzo Torinese x +39 0123 29331 15