As very often in Italy, the train stations are imposing and majestic. The Cuneo station dominates the Place de la Liberté with its fountain, which is also an Italian characteristic. The traveler will immediately grasp the measure of this city, made of grandeur and majesty.
Cuneo boasts no less than 14 churches. Among the most beautiful, we list: The Sacred Heart, corso da Nizza with its mosaic bell tower and its admirable polychrome wooden stations of the cross. The church dates from the end of the 19th century. The Saint Mary Cathedral, via da Roma. Cuneo is an episcopal see and you must visit its crypt with the tomb of the bishops; the church dates from the 16th and 17th centuries. In its location, there was, in the 12th century, a small chapel where monks gathered, as the place was then a forest. We also mention: Saint Ambrose or the Milanese church from the 18th century. Saint Mary della Pieve from the 17th century, it is also Baroque and has the characteristic layout of the Jesuit order.
When you enter a church in Italy, don’t be surprised to see a service, the rosary, and confession happening at the same time. There is also the ancient church of Santa Maria with its Gothic porch, which is now part of the civic museum. In this Piedmontese city, stroll through the streets with their arcades, and you can admire the buildings, most of which are patrician palaces: the Bank of Italy, the municipal palace, the old bell tower from 1729, the Trovaforte Palace which is the bishop’s palace, the prefecture, are the most remarkable.
You must also be in Cuneo on Sunday at 11:30 am to listen to this concert of bells from the bell tower. In via Carlo M Roero, you can contemplate a red brick facade in Florentine style. Besides via da Roma and corso da Nizza, you must discover corso Dante, with its central garden that runs along the length of the avenue.
On this note, Cuneo is very airy with wide avenues and especially the imposing Tancredo Galimberti Square, bordered by its palaces. This is where the market is held. Cuneo is located in the Po Valley, surrounded by the Alpine peaks, including Mount Viso visible in the distance on a clear day. After a coffee or rather, a chocolate, a local specialty, you will leave Cuneo, vowing to yourself to return one day.
by Thierry Jan
