Holiday Apartment in Barbania: Churches, Ricetto and Festa di San Giuliano

Barbania lies on the southern edge of the Canavese, on an elevation shaped by the glacier of the Lanzo Valleys and known as the Vauda. The town combines this distinctive landscape setting with impressive evidence of its local history, sacred art and vibrant festival culture. When choosing a holiday apartment in Barbania, you can therefore tailor your stay to different interests: historical details, ecclesiastical art, regional traditions or a thematic connection to the Vauda.

Holiday apartment in Barbania between landscape and local history

A prominent historical landmark is the Torre-porta dell'antico ricetto di Barbania. It belongs to a Ricetto built in Barbania during the Middle Ages to protect the population during the ongoing conflicts between the local lords. The cuts for operating the drawbridge and the brackets that supported the bridge are still preserved on the tower gate. In the past, this bridge controlled access to the Ricetto.

Churches and sacred art

The parish church of San Giuliano Martire has three decorated naves and several chapels held under the patronage of Barbania's oldest families. Its furnishings also include a main altar made of polychrome marble, above which a large crucifix is mounted. The church is accessible from the forecourt and is accessible to people with disabilities. This makes it possible to combine a cultural tour of the town with a clear point of reference to an important historic building.

The Chiesa dell'Assunta offers a different artistic accent. It contains a finely carved wooden Baroque altar with twisted columns. The central altarpiece from the 18th century depicts the Virgin Mary in glory. The church is accessible to people with disabilities both outside, via a traversable ramp, and inside. The two churches therefore offer different details for travellers who wish to combine architecture, religious art and local history.

Casa Drovetti and the connection to Turin

Casa Drovetti is the birthplace of Bernardino Drovetti, who lived from 4 January 1776 to 9 March 1852. He was a diplomat, collector of Egyptian antiquities and a military officer under Napoleon. The collection known as the “drovettiana” is also associated with him: it comprised 8,000 artefacts, was sold to Carlo Felice and forms the founding core of the Museo Egizio di Torino. Casa Drovetti is privately owned and accessible only by contacting the owner in advance. A visit should therefore not be assumed to be part of a spontaneous sightseeing tour of the town; it must be arranged separately.

Festa di San Giuliano in August

The traditional Festa patronale di San Giuliano in Barbania takes place at the end of August. During this festival, the municipality associates certain symbols with Celtic traditions, including the bindéj, the caritin and the Carità. For the Monday programme in 2019, a sequence has been recorded in which the Obada granda followed the Armëttià dël drapò and the handover of the flag as a reception. The Corenton was then performed as a dance in the square, accompanied by the local brass band.

Regional connection to the Vauda

Barbania is listed as one of the municipalities affected by the Val Malone–Vauda planning conference. This regional connection may be of interest if, when choosing your accommodation, you wish to keep the Vauda landscape in view alongside the churches, the Ricetto and the festival culture. A holiday apartment or accommodation in Barbania can thus be selected according to your preferred focus: cultural and historical discoveries in the town alongside a regional perspective on the landscape.

Other destinations in the same region

If you would like to plan your trip beyond Barbania, you can find more destinations here: Vico Canavese, Ala Di Stura, Cuorgnè, Orbassano, Meana di Susa, Champlas Seguin, San Secondo Di Pinerolo and Moncalieri.

For the higher-level travel overview: Turin.