Sanctuary of San Costanzo Al Monte, a masterpiece hidden in the woods of Villar.
There are several options for reaching this national monument, the most convenient is to start from Dronero going up the asphalt road to the Sanctuary of Santa Maria Delibera, from which you can reach San Costanzo al Monte on a dirt road.
The church of S. Costanzo al Monte is one of the most interesting Romanesque monuments, and at the same time one of the least known, in the region.
Its foundation is attributed to Ariberto II (701-712), but it was destroyed by the Saracens in the 10th century. It was then rebuilt in several stages between the 11th and 13th centuries, with additions also in later periods, such as the 18th-century façade.
The Sanctuary of San Costanzo Al Monte is made up of two churches, one above the other, and two stairways lead to the different rooms.
The upper church has three naves that end with three apses. The columns are decorated with geometric motifs. On the southern wall of the church, at the height of the first span, traces of 11th-century frescoes with the stories of Adam and Eve
The octagonal lantern on trumpet-shaped pendentives and the finely carved capitals with animal, plant and monstrous themes are in Lombard style.
In the lower church, squat stone pillars support low cross vaults. The oldest area is the eastern one and it is thought that it could be the crypt of the ancient church destroyed by the Saracens.
The latest restoration, which lasted three years, was completed in 2019. On this occasion, a cycle of frescoes was discovered on the perimeter walls of the church depicting episodes from the life of Jesus according to the narration of the apocryphal Gospels, set within ribbon frames, stylistically attributable to the Romanesque phase of the building between the 11th and 12th centuries.
A curiosity: look in the right aisle for a stone parallelepiped with four hemispherical cavities of different volumes: these are the measures for the tithes on the products of the land that the farmers had to pay to the abbot every year.
Via Fonza (Villar San Costanzo)
How to visit the site
Visits organized for the year 2024:
14/04/2024
12/05/2024
09/06/2024
16/06/2024
14/07/2024
11/08/2024
08/09/2024
13/10/2024
Time: 14:30-17:30 Visitable on other days by contacting the Volunteers for the Art of Villar San Costanzo at 335.7780966 or the Parish of Villar San Costanzo at 0171 902432.