Description of the attraction
Bussoleno is a mountain village located in the Italian valley of Val di Susa on the banks of the Dora Riparia River. According to some historians, its name comes from the word "buxus" - "box, box", while others believe that it comes from the name of the local Bussulus family, which is found in documents. The territory of the municipality of Bussoleno consists of several settlements lying at an altitude of 430 to 2852 meters above sea level. The entire area is known for its stone quarries, green marble and iron ore deposits.
The old part of Bussoleno, whose history dates back to the Middle Ages, attracts attention with its characteristic buildings, such as the Aschieri house or the small restaurant Antica Osteria. In the era of Ancient Rome, an important settlement was located on these lands, surrounded by several "villas" - huge farms. These buildings were used until the Middle Ages, and from the 10th century a new stage in the development of Bussoleno began. In the 11th century, the town became a feudal possession of the Savoy dynasty, and three centuries later it was surrounded by powerful walls with three gates. Then Bussoleno passed from hand to hand, changing one aristocratic owner to another - among them were the local families of Aschieri and Rotari. In the 17th century, the town was handed over to the local doctor Francesco Fioketto in gratitude for his invaluable help during the plague epidemic.
In the second half of the 19th century, there was a qualitative leap in the development of the urban economy thanks to the construction of the railway. Initially, it connected Turin with Susa, and was later extended to French territory. Thus Bussoleno became a major trade and economic point. The construction of several factories that function to this day also played a role in this. The mining industry remains important for the local economy.
Among the attractions of Bussoleno, it is worth noting the parish churches of San Giovanni Battista from the 18th century and the antique Santa Maria Assunta, rebuilt in the 18th century in the Baroque style and notable for the wooden crucifix of the 15th century. Ancient frescoes have been preserved in the Chapel of Our Lady of Mercy. Tourists do not ignore the so-called Borello castle - all that remains of the city walls of the 14th century. Also worth seeing are the Renaissance Castello di Alle, the Railway Museum, housed in a real railway depot, where old trains, steam locomotives and electric locomotives stand, and the historic houses of Aschieri and Amprimo, built in the Middle Ages.
