Chieri has over 37,000 inhabitants and is 16 km from Turin, boasting a history of at least two millennia. Various archaeological findings testify that the territory was inhabited from prehistoric times (Bronze and Iron Ages). In the 2nd century BC, the Romans established their colony, “Carrea potentia,” but it was only from the 11th century onwards, following fortifications by the Bishop of Turin, that Chieri emerged as both a free commune and an important commercial center. A possession of the House of Savoy since 1046, in 1155, it was destroyed by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, later becoming a prosperous city under the rule of the Savoys starting from 1437. Known as the “city of a hundred towers” due to the prominent noble families, it was repeatedly involved in the wars between France and Spain in the 16th century. In the 17th century, a plague epidemic halved its population. Trade and agriculture (hemp, flax, and silk farming) greatly contributed to economic development, bolstered during the Napoleonic era by the establishment of a significant textile factory and subsequent cotton processing. Since then, there has been significant economic development closely tied to the Piedmontese textile industry and urban growth.
Places of Interest
The historic center, with its characteristic spiral shape. The Cathedral (Collegiate Church of S. Maria della Scala), one of the largest churches in Piedmont, built between 1405 and 1436, with paintings and statues spanning seven centuries of history, including an extraordinary frescoed baptistery depicting the Passion of Christ and a grand marble portal. The Church of S. Giorgio, offering a splendid panorama, built in 1037 and renovated in the Baroque era (1752). The Convent of S. Domenico (14th-15th centuries), with numerous patrician chapels, preserving ancient treasures including valuable works by Moncalvo. The Baroque Church of San Filippo, dating back to 1673 The Sanctuary dell’Annunziata, from the 17th century, built around the 1469 fresco to which miraculous virtues were attributed. The Arch of the square, erected in 1580 in honor of Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia. The Jewish Ghetto, with Gothic windows, featuring buildings originally inhabited by prominent local families and allocated to the Jewish community since 1724. The striking medieval palaces: Albussani, Balbiano, Brea, Bruni, Mercadillo, Opesso, Tana, and Valfrè, to name a few.
Museums
Casa Martini – Piazza Luigi Rossi, 2 Pessione – casamartini@bacardi.com
Centro Visite Don Bosco – Via V. Emanuele II, 63 – info@turismochieri.it
Imbiancheria del Vajro – Via Imbiancheria 12 – cultura@comune.chieri.to.it
MAC Mostra Archeologica Chieri – Via Palazzo di Città, 10 – cultura@comune.chieri.to.it
Museo del Tessile – Via Santa Chiara 11/A – info@fmtessilchieri.org
Museo Etnografico Villa Brea -Villa Brea – Strada Pecetto, 14 – camsafa@camsafa.org