Associazione Cittą Italiane Patrimonio Mondiale UNESCO
Sacri Monti of Piemonte and Lombardia
Associazione Cittą Italiane Patrimonio Unesco
i Sacri Monti
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Sacri Monti of Piemonte and Lombardia
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Inscription N° 1068 2003 C (ii) (iv)
The World Heritage Committee has inscribed the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy on the World Heritage List on the basis of cultural criteria (ii) and (iv) as defined in paragraph 44 of the "Operational guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention":
Criterion (ii): The implantation of architecture and sacred art into a natural landscape for didactic and spiritual purposes achieved its most exceptional expression in the Sacri Monti ('Sacred Mountains') of northern Italy and had a profound influence on subsequent developments elsewhere in Europe.
Criterion (iv): The Sacri Monti ('Sacred Mountains') of northern Italy represent the successful integration of architecture and fine art into a landscape of great beauty for spiritual reasons at a critical period in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.
The World Heritage Committee encourages the authorities of Italy and Switzerland to consider a possible transboundary collaboration in an extension of the property to include other properties of this type in Switzerland.
The UNESCO website at www.unesco.org/culture in the pages dedicated to World Heritage describes the "Sacred Mountains of Piedmont and Lombardy" as follows:
"The nine Sacri Monti (Sacred Mountains) of northern Italy are groups of chapels and other architectural features created in the late 16th and 17th centuries and dedicated to different aspects of the Christian faith. In addition to their symbolic spiritual meaning, they are of great beauty by virtue of the skill with which they have been integrated into the surrounding natural landscape of hills, forests and lakes. They also house much important artistic material in the form of wall paintings and statuary".
The Nine Sacri Monti
1. The Sacro Monte or Nuova Gerusalemme (New Jerusalem) of Varallo Sesia (1486)
(Comune of Varallo Sesia - Vercelli)
2. The Sacro Monte of Santa Maria Assunta, Serralunga di Crea (1589)
(Comune of Ponzano Monferrato, Serralunga di Crea - Alessandria)
3. The Sacro Monte of San Francesco, Orta San Giulio (1590)
(Comune of Orta San Giulio - Novara)
4. The Sacro Monte of the Rosary, Varese (1598)
(Comune of Varese - Varese)
5. The Sacro Monte of the Blessed Virgin, Oropa (1617)
(Comune of Biella - Biella)
6. The Sacro Monte of the Blessed Virgin of Succour, Ossuccio (1635)
(Comune of Como - Como)
7. The Sacro Monte of the Holy Trinity, Ghiffa (1591)
(Comune of Ghiffa - Verbania)
8. The Sacro Monte and Calvary, Domodossola (1657)
(Comune of Domodossola - Verbania)
9. The Sacro Monte of Belmonte, Valperga (1712)
(Comunes of Cuorgnč, Pertusio, Prascorsano, Valperga - Torino)
The World Heritage Committee has inscribed the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy on the World Heritage List on the basis of cultural criteria (ii) and (iv) as defined in paragraph 44 of the "Operational guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention":
Criterion (ii): The implantation of architecture and sacred art into a natural landscape for didactic and spiritual purposes achieved its most exceptional expression in the Sacri Monti ('Sacred Mountains') of northern Italy and had a profound influence on subsequent developments elsewhere in Europe.
Criterion (iv): The Sacri Monti ('Sacred Mountains') of northern Italy represent the successful integration of architecture and fine art into a landscape of great beauty for spiritual reasons at a critical period in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.
The World Heritage Committee encourages the authorities of Italy and Switzerland to consider a possible transboundary collaboration in an extension of the property to include other properties of this type in Switzerland.
The UNESCO website at www.unesco.org/culture in the pages dedicated to World Heritage describes the "Sacred Mountains of Piedmont and Lombardy" as follows:
"The nine Sacri Monti (Sacred Mountains) of northern Italy are groups of chapels and other architectural features created in the late 16th and 17th centuries and dedicated to different aspects of the Christian faith. In addition to their symbolic spiritual meaning, they are of great beauty by virtue of the skill with which they have been integrated into the surrounding natural landscape of hills, forests and lakes. They also house much important artistic material in the form of wall paintings and statuary".
The Nine Sacri Monti
1. The Sacro Monte or Nuova Gerusalemme (New Jerusalem) of Varallo Sesia (1486)
(Comune of Varallo Sesia - Vercelli)
2. The Sacro Monte of Santa Maria Assunta, Serralunga di Crea (1589)
(Comune of Ponzano Monferrato, Serralunga di Crea - Alessandria)
3. The Sacro Monte of San Francesco, Orta San Giulio (1590)
(Comune of Orta San Giulio - Novara)
4. The Sacro Monte of the Rosary, Varese (1598)
(Comune of Varese - Varese)
5. The Sacro Monte of the Blessed Virgin, Oropa (1617)
(Comune of Biella - Biella)
6. The Sacro Monte of the Blessed Virgin of Succour, Ossuccio (1635)
(Comune of Como - Como)
7. The Sacro Monte of the Holy Trinity, Ghiffa (1591)
(Comune of Ghiffa - Verbania)
8. The Sacro Monte and Calvary, Domodossola (1657)
(Comune of Domodossola - Verbania)
9. The Sacro Monte of Belmonte, Valperga (1712)
(Comunes of Cuorgnč, Pertusio, Prascorsano, Valperga - Torino)
Editorial staff : Association of Italian World Heritage Sites