The Abbey of San Michele

Went by car northwest of Torino to the small town of Giaveno, about a 1 hour drive. The town is at the base of the Piedmonte mountain range, which is quite severe. It is so difficult to cross that Torino was considered of strategic military importance since it was difficult to be attacked over these mountains. The quest of this visit is the 1200 year old Sacra di San Michele, Abbey of St. Michael.
The building was actually constructed that long ago, but over the top of 3 prior abbeys and churches. So the are has a very long history of religious influence. It was started by the Benedictine monks, but currently is operated by the Rosminian Fathers.

It took us almost as long to scale the 962 meter Mount Pirichiano as it did to drive from Torino. You can see from the picture how it is perched at the very tip of this mountain. And as you can see from the next picture, it is massive in volume and size.

The engineer in me can't help but wonder how before 1000 a.d. they were able to construct such a fortress.  Even touring it is exhausting. There are lots of stairs and no elevators, so bring your walking shoes.
This abbey is one of three dedicated to San Michele, the warrior angel. One other in the Apulian region of southern Italy and the third in Normandy France. They form a triangle which is to protect all of Western Europe from evil by St. Michael, the Guardian Angel.
Even as difficult as it is to get around, Mass is still said in the main chapel every Sunday. Judging from the sounds of the monks practicing, I would say the experience would be worth the trip.

 Of course the church is all marble with the tombs of the founding monks circling the outside of the nave of the main church, realizing these sarcofogi are 1000 years old is amazing.

There is the usual link to the rest of the pictures I took today. Warning, so of them gave me acrophobia like I felt looking over the walls of the abbey.  I didn't care if the church has stood for over 1200 years and been the target of many wars, It would be my luck to be there during some calamity or other, or a wall finally giving way.

That was as close to the edge as I was going,.

 
The rest of the photos, 
including a lot of the mysticism of San Michele, can be found here:Abbey of San Michele