Rivalta of Turin

Immersed in the Turin countryside, in the valley of the Sangone stream, the city of Rivalta di Torino was born as a fortified castrum by noble feudal lords of the eleventh century. The city is made up of three hamlets: Tetti Francesi, Pasta and Gerbole Prabernasca. The village preserves intact the walls of which it is surrounded; the Civic Tower, built at the highest point of the city, was the entrance to the medieval village. The city was born around the castle built in the XII century around a sturdy rectangular land; the structure was built on a hill, in the past it was accessed thanks to a drawbridge replaced by a brick one. The Cisterncense Abbey or Ancient Monastery built in 1100 was equipped with residential and service spaces where the monks could live their daily life. Recent archaeological excavations have brought back the remains of the first church, visible because they are protected by a glass floor inside the chapel. The baroque church of Santa Croce was built in 1718 and has a brick facade, with a central rose window surmounted by a sundial, inside there are frescoes from the nineteenth century. The old town hall entitled Silvio Grimaldi is now the seat of the town library. The church of Saints Peter and Andrew was built in the fifteenth century, over time it underwent several changes. From the bell tower of the church it is possible to enjoy a wonderful view over the whole village and the mountains. In the streets of the city it is possible to admire the murals of the artist Carrasco. Important is the Chapel of San Vittore in Romanesque style has a façade with simple lines that preserves inside two bowls of semicircular arches and fifteenth-century frescoes depicting the Madonna giving milk to the child Jesus. Of particular interest is the Cycle of the martyrdom of the SS Vittore and Corona. There are numerous events held in Rivolta di Torino, such as: the spring fair, the celebrations in honor of the patron saint, the Tomino festival. Typical pastry product is the cocoa and hazelnut cake with hazelnut mousse.