Pecetto Torinese has about 4,000 inhabitants and is located 11 km from Turin.
It is an ancient settlement, as evidenced by Celtic artifacts from the Iron Age (Bric San Viter) and the Roman era. The foundation of the village dates back to the 13th century when it separated from Chieri, under whose jurisdiction the residents of Pecetto returned in 1360 before passing to the House of Savoy and various feudal lords.
Places of Interest
The Church of St. Sebastian, dating back to the early 13th century, is built in red brick and features a style that blends elements of Gothic and Romanesque architecture. It has three naves separated by pillars connected by arches. Notable are the frescoes from the 15th and 16th centuries, including the prestigious Nativity by Jacopino Longo (1508), as well as the painting of the Madonna with Child among Saints Joseph, Sebastian, Fabian, and Romuald. In the cross vault of the third bay of the left nave, you can find four episodes from the Legend of the Miracle of Santo Domingo de La Calzada.
The Church of the Confraternity of the Holy Name of Jesus and the White Penitents, dating from the early 17th century, is a single-nave church with a rectangular choir. It gets its name from the color of the robes worn by the monks during ceremonies. Notable features include the stone staircase and the massive carved wooden door (1816).
The Baroque parish church of Santa Maria della Neve, designed by Bernardo Antonio Vittone in 1739, has six altars along the side walls and an elegant marble high altar, originally from the Camaldolese Hermitage, along with several wooden sculptures. The organ from 1778 is impressive, and there are notable paintings, including the altarpiece by Vittorio Amedeo Raptus (1783) and the painting depicting Saint Ursula. Lastly, there is an eighteenth-century papier-mâché statue of the Sorrowful Virgin.
The Eremo dei Camaldolesi in the first half of the 17th century, a large abbey of the Camaldolese monks was built, which had a flourishing period until it was suppressed by Napoleon’s decree to abolish religious institutions. In the following centuries, it experienced gradual abandonment. Today, this beautiful plateau houses a center for the elderly, and the so-called Tower of the Mill has become the property of SERMIG.