Since the 15th century, the Shroud of Turin has followed the vicissitudes of the Savoy dynasty. Now kept in the Turin Cathedral, it is not accessible to the public and is displayed only on the occasion of public exhibitions. The Museum of the Shroud, in the crypt of the Church of SS. Sudario, provides an overview of the studies and research that led to the amazing three-dimensional face image of the Man of the Shroud.
Holy Shroud itineraries in the Lanzo Valleys
Over 90 km of paths for 4 hiking and historical-cultural routes: the Holy Shroud Itineraries in the Lanzo Valleys retrace the stages of the Shroud transfer from Chambéry to Turin. Emanuele Filiberto decided to rescue the most precious dynastic relic and transfer it to the new capital while making it easier for the archbishop of Milan Carlo Borromeo to come for his thanksgiving pilgrimage after the terrible plague that struck his city in 1576-77.
In Val d'Ala, Valle del Malone and Cirianese, and Valle di Viù and Richiaglio, the passage of the Shroud is echoed in frescoes, paintings and buildings, expressions of art and devotion that mark the two connecting lines between Alta Moriana (the Savoy valley), and the Lanzo and Turin Valleys: the first section touches Val d'Ala, Colle Arnas, Balme, Voragno, Lanzo, Germagnano, Ciriè and Nole; the second one crosses Valle di Viù, Colle Autaret, Usseglio, Fucine, Richiaglio, Biolaj, Colle Poertia, Grange Brione and the castle of Lucento to reach Turin. In 1578 the relic was received in a chapel near Porte Palatine and the Green Bastion (today it can be seen from the Royal Gardens). And travelers can also get the pilgrim's kit, complete with credentials to affix the stamps related to the stretch traveled.
For a more religious exploration of Lanzo Valleys, itineraries extend into the Path of the Marian apparitions, from Chiaves to the Sanctuary of Marsaglia, the Path of the Friars and the Path of Pilgrims.
Among ancient iron and talc mines turned into ecomuseums, lakes, Liberty villas and peaceful villages, the Lanzo Valleys have preserved their intact biodiversity with countless possibilities for recreation and outdoor activities. The wide and flat Val Grande is perfect for trekking, mountain biking, but also canoeing, kayaking and paragliding. A worldly holiday destination since the end of the nineteenth century, Balme is the highest town in the valleys and the historic cradle of Piedmontese and Italian mountaineering, as we read in the Ecomuseum of the Alpine Guides A. Castagneri. In Val d'Ala, the steep slopes are a popular destination for climbing. Here, from the verdant plateau of over two kilometers of Pian della Mussa (1,752 meters) you can go on ski mountaineering excursions up to Ciamarella (3,676 meters), Bessanese (3,601 meters) and some ice climbing routes on the Dentina and Rocce Pareis. Today even organic beers are produced from the spring water filtered at 1,500 meters. Wide spaces, excellent for walks and excursions, also open up in Val di Viù, from the Lemie basin to the Usseglio plain. Orange Flag of the Italian Touring Club, the small village of Usseglio is immersed in a landscape of woods and alpine peaks at 1,200 meters above sea level. Snowshoes and ski mountaineering are prevalent in winter while the warm season attracts fans of hiking, mountaineering, cycling and climbing. In the hamlet of Malciaussìa, the magnificent landscape is reflected in the beautiful artificial lake at 1,805 meters above sea level.