Pinerolo and Valdesi Valleys

The territory is inhabited since prehistoric times, although the name Pinerolo appears only around the year 1000, listed among the territories owned by the Bishop of Turin.

The city, which until then was still a mere agglomeration of four different villages, knows a strong urban development in late-medieval times. In fact, the largest monuments and characteristic buildings, which can still be seen in the city today, date back to this time.

Pinerolo will cross a second time of strong affluence in 1849, when, becoming the home of the Horse Riding School, will see the arrival of knights and officers from all over the world. From this moment on, the Pinerolo-Cavalleria binomial will remain indelible over the centuries until today.

To the west of Pinerolo, in a border area in the western part of the region, there is an area now known as the Valdesi Valleys, that includes today the Pellice, Germanasca Valleys and Low Chisone Valley.

This area is characterized by a past of social and religious dissidence due to the presence of a non-Catholic Christian minority, the Valdesi, who, persecuted in France and Northern Italy, have been sheltered in these vases since the medieval age.

From the seventeenth century this territory was stage of campaigns and heavy repression against the Valdesi, who hadn’t full civil and political rights until the middle of the 1800s.

This important interweaving of geography and history has given the Valdesi Valleys the strong identity they enjoy today, reflected in a multilingual and open ecumenical context at international level.

Two natural parks and a protected faunal area defend this kingdom of Monviso, a territory rich in natural beauty, but also fascinating historical testimonies.