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Chieri (; pms, Cher) is a town and '' comune'' in the
Metropolitan City of Turin The Metropolitan City of Turin ( it, Città metropolitana di Torino, Piedmontese: ''Sità metropolitan-a 'd Turin'') is a metropolitan city in the Piedmont region, Italy. Its capital is the city of Turin. It replaced the Province of Turin and ...
, Piedmont ( Italy), located about southeast of Turin, by rail and by road. It borders the following municipalities:
Baldissero Torinese Baldissero Torinese is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin. Baldissero Torinese borders the following municipalities: Castiglione Torinese, Torino, San Mauro ...
,
Pavarolo Pavarolo is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin. Pavarolo borders the following municipalities: Gassino Torinese, Castiglione Torinese, Baldissero Torinese, ...
,
Montaldo Torinese Montaldo Torinese is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about east of Turin. Montaldo Torinese borders the following municipalities: Gassino Torinese, Sciolze, Marentino, Pav ...
,
Pino Torinese Pino Torinese is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin. Pino Torinese borders the following municipalities: Turin, Baldissero Torinese, Chieri, Pecetto Tor ...
, Arignano,
Andezeno Andezeno (Piedmontese: ''Andzen'') is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin. Andezeno borders the following municipalities: Marentino, Montaldo Torinese, ...
,
Pecetto Torinese Pecetto Torinese is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin. Pecetto Torinese borders the following municipalities: Turin, Pino Torinese, Chieri, Moncalieri, ...
,
Riva presso Chieri Riva presso Chieri is a '' comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin. People * Domenico Savio, canonized by Pope Pius XII Pope Pius XII ( it, Pio XII), born Eu ...
,
Cambiano Cambiano ( pms, Cambiagn) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin. Cambiano borders the following municipalities: Pino Torinese, Chieri, Pecetto Torinese ...
,
Santena Santena (; pms, Santna) is a (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about southeast of Turin on the right bank of the Po. The of Gamenario is known for the Battle of Gamenario, fought on 2 ...
, and Poirino.


History


Pre-Roman

Between the Neolithic and the Iron Age, the original inhabitants of this part of the Italian peninsula were the Ligures. The Ligures living in this area of the Po river plain belonged specifically to the
Taurini The Taurini were a Celto-Ligurian tribe dwelling in the upper valley of the river Po, around present-day Turin, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name They are mentioned as ''Taurĩnoí'' (Ταυρῖνοί) by Polybius (2nd c. BC), ...
tribe. The location of Chieri is within the Taurini tribe's territory, in the belt of hills which surround Turin. The original settlement was most likely founded by them, being sited on a prominent hill (on which the church of San Giorgio currently stands) and growing to be the geographical focus of the city centre. Its original name would have been Karreum or a variant thereof (e.g. Karreo/Karrea/Carrea); this is based on the root ''kar'', which possibly means "stone", reflecting the typical Ligurian settlement layout of a stone edifice at the centre of a grouping of other habitations within a village, which would have likely been the original layout of Chieri. Sometime around 400 BCE, Celtic tribes crossed the Alps from Gaul and settled the Po river plain. These peoples mingled with the original Ligures, either through conquest or peaceful cohabitation, and gave rise to a Celto-Ligurian people, inhabiting the region which the Romans would call
Cisalpine Gaul Cisalpine Gaul ( la, Gallia Cisalpina, also called ''Gallia Citerior'' or ''Gallia Togata'') was the part of Italy inhabited by Celts (Gauls) during the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. After its conquest by the Roman Republic in the 200s BC it was co ...
, i.e. "Gaul this side of the Alps".


Roman

The Romans, over the two centuries between 400-200 BCE, conducted a prolonged counter-offensive to conquer all of the northern Italian peninsula, partially in response to successive invasions, starting with Gauls led by king
Brennus Brennus or Brennos is the name of two Gaulish chieftains, famous in ancient history: * Brennus, chieftain of the Senones, a Gallic tribe originating from the modern areas of France known as Seine-et-Marne, Loiret, and Yonne; in 387 BC, in t ...
in 391 BCE, and later the Carthaginians under the great general
Hannibal Barca Hannibal (; xpu, 𐤇𐤍𐤁𐤏𐤋, ''Ḥannibaʿl''; 247 – between 183 and 181 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who commanded the forces of Carthage in their battle against the Roman Republic during the Second ...
in 218 BCE. It is likely sometime after 176 BCE that Cisalpine Gaul was completely subdued by Roman legions, and this would have included the village of Karreum itself. This was possibly under the command of Roman consul Caius Claudius Pulcrus, leading a military response to a rebellion the year before by the Ligures. Following this Roman conquest in the 2nd Century BCE, the village became known as the Roman settlement of ''Carreum Potentia'': the Latin name Potentia (derived from ''potens'', "powerful") being added as a cognomen to the original Ligurian name. It is likely that, following similar examples elsewhere, at Carreum Potentia the Roman settlement was built alongside the pre-Roman one, the Roman part built on lower ground in the plain, alongside the Rio Tepice stream and at the base of the original native hill-top settlement. It would appear the Forum and the main Temple (most likely dedicated to the goddess
Minerva Minerva (; ett, Menrva) is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. Minerva is not a patron of violence such as Mars, but of strategic war. From the second century BC onward, the Ro ...
) were located in the area where the
cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the ''cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denominat ...
and the piazza around it currently stand, with a wall around it (traces of which were excavated in the 1960s). Roman historian Pliny the Elder referenced "Carreum quod Potentia cognominatur", in his '' Naturalis Historia'' (dated 50-60 AD), naming it within a list of fortified settlements which then abounded in the section of
Cisalpine Gaul Cisalpine Gaul ( la, Gallia Cisalpina, also called ''Gallia Citerior'' or ''Gallia Togata'') was the part of Italy inhabited by Celts (Gauls) during the 4th and 3rd centuries BC. After its conquest by the Roman Republic in the 200s BC it was co ...
between the River Po and the Ligurian
Apennines The Apennines or Apennine Mountains (; grc-gre, links=no, Ἀπέννινα ὄρη or Ἀπέννινον ὄρος; la, Appenninus or  – a singular with plural meaning;''Apenninus'' (Greek or ) has the form of an adjective, which wou ...
: the city was portrayed as a prosperous Roman walled city, surrounded by cultivated farmlands and scattered agricultural settlements. By the 1st Century AD, Carreum Potentia was indeed referred to as a Roman municipium, i.e. a seat of local government for the surrounding area. The city underwent conversion to Christianity sometime between the 4th and 5th century, as recorded on a funeral slab dated from June 488 AD for a little girl called Genesia who died at the age of two. According to Marguerite de Lussan, biographer of Louis Balbe-Bertone de Crillon, the city of Chieri was given a republican form of government by a
Balbus Balbus is Latin for "stammerer", and may refer to: * Quintus Lucilius Balbus (fl. 100 BC), Stoic philosopher mentioned in the works of Cicero * Marcus Atius Balbus, grandfather of the Roman emperor Augustus * Lucius Cornelius Balbus (consul 40 B ...
, member of a patrician Roman family, who relocated to the city in the late sixth century. No evidence of this statement is provided, although Chieri would emerge in the middle ages as a republic striving for independence from its feudal liege lords.


Early Middle Ages

No further historical records exist regarding Chieri until the 10th century, when it was officially granted as a fief to the
Bishop of Turin The Archdiocese of Turin ( la, Archidioecesis Taurinensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory of the Catholic Church in Italy.Otto III, although it was also subject to the military authority of the larger march of Italy, whose holder at the time was the titular Count of the House of Savoy through his marriage to
Adelaide of Susa Adelaide of Turin (also ''Adelheid'', ''Adelais'', or ''Adeline''; – 19 December 1091) was the countess of part of the March of Ivrea and the marchioness of Turin in Northwestern Italy from 1034 to her death. She was the last of the Ardu ...
. Following the death of
Adelaide of Susa Adelaide of Turin (also ''Adelheid'', ''Adelais'', or ''Adeline''; – 19 December 1091) was the countess of part of the March of Ivrea and the marchioness of Turin in Northwestern Italy from 1034 to her death. She was the last of the Ardu ...
,
Marchioness of Turin The March or Marquisate of Turin ( it, marca di Torino) was a territory of medieval Italy from the mid-10th century, when it was established as the Arduinic March ( la, marca Arduinica). It comprised several counties in Piedmont, including the cou ...
, many of the Piedmontese holdings of the counts of Savoy were lost by her heir
Umberto II en, Albert Nicholas Thomas John Maria of Savoy , house = Savoy , father = Victor Emmanuel III of Italy , mother = Princess Elena of Montenegro , birth_date = , birth_place = Racconigi, Piedmont, Kingdom of Italy , de ...
. In the political fragmentation which followed, the Piedmontese lands east of Turin were divided into the counties of Saluzzo, Biandrate and the March of Montferrat, which eventually allowed the cities of Chieri and
Asti Asti ( , , ; pms, Ast ) is a ''comune'' of 74,348 inhabitants (1-1-2021) located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and it is deemed t ...
to flourish economically and declare independence from their respective liege bishops as free cities, supported by the House of Savoy who were interested in diminishing the power of the local feudal lords. The process of obtaining independence was gradual and prudent and started with various administrative and tax reforms to provide the city's government with resources and offices of government of Roman stamp, consuls, as well as with the strengthening of the city's fortifications. In this gradual manner, the city of Chieri started to expand its influence to the neighbouring territories. By the first half of the 11th century, the city had an encircling defensive wall erected around the San Giorgio Hill (known as the ''Castrum Sancti Georgi'', which still constitutes the city nucleus), under the direction of Bishop Landulf: these long-demolished ''Mura Landolfiane'' still clearly trace the outline of the pattern of narrow streets around the hill (known as the ''Chiocciola'', "snail"). The work included a strengthening of the fortifications and tower atop the hill, now incorporated into the Church of San Giorgio which occupies the hilltop and overlooks the city. Outside the walls, on the plains surrounding the city, a church was erected dedicated to the
Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
: this site was likely that of an earlier and more primitive Church dating from the 4th century, which had itself replaced the earlier Roman Temple to the goddess
Minerva Minerva (; ett, Menrva) is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. Minerva is not a patron of violence such as Mars, but of strategic war. From the second century BC onward, the Ro ...
. This period also experienced the construction of numerous quadrilateral towers inside the perimeter of the walls by the powerful families of the city, hence it became known as ''Città delle Cento Torri'' ("city of one hundred towers"): a handful of these towers still survive to this day. In 1154, the city allied itself with the more powerful city of
Asti Asti ( , , ; pms, Ast ) is a ''comune'' of 74,348 inhabitants (1-1-2021) located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and it is deemed t ...
in fighting against
William V of Montferrat William V of Montferrat (occ./piem. ''Guilhem'', it. ''Guglielmo'') ( 1115 – 1191) also known regnally as William III of Montferrat while also referred to as William the Old or William the Elder, in order to distinguish him from his eldest s ...
, defeating him in battle. At the first
Diet of Roncaglia The Diet of Roncaglia, held near Piacenza, was an Imperial Diet, a general assembly of the nobles and ecclesiasts of the Holy Roman Empire and representatives of Northern Italian cities held in 1154 and in 1158 by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa to d ...
, Emperor
Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (german: link=no, Friedrich I, it, Federico I), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death 35 years later. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on ...
who had descended upon Italy with his army to restore his sovereignty, granted
William V of Montferrat William V of Montferrat (occ./piem. ''Guilhem'', it. ''Guglielmo'') ( 1115 – 1191) also known regnally as William III of Montferrat while also referred to as William the Old or William the Elder, in order to distinguish him from his eldest s ...
, who had married a niece of the Emperor, rights over the two cities. With his army following the river Po, the Emperor was determined to lay siege to both cities. The citizen of Chieri, knowing that the city would be no match for a siege by the Imperial Army, fled the city carefully leaving behind copious amounts of wine and food for the invaders, who nonetheless proceeded to demolish its towers and ruin its fortifications, ultimately setting the city on fire in January of 1155, before moving on to Asti, where they would repeat the deed. Popular legend has it that the present-day name of the city was given by Barbarossa, who, upon departing the city after ransacking it, looked back upon its ruins and asked ''Ma tu, chi eri?'' (Italian for "And you, who were you?"), although this story is most likely apocryphal. In 1158, the Emperor returned to Italy to deal with the continued insurgence of the cities of northern Italy, which were growing politically bolder and economically more prosperous. Although this time Chieri sided with the Emperor and immediately contributed to his army, it was terribly compensated, for it was newly to the
Bishop of Turin The Archdiocese of Turin ( la, Archidioecesis Taurinensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory of the Catholic Church in Italy.Lombard League at the battle of Legnano and personally injured. The Balbo family from the city of Chieri participated in the battle fighting in the Guelph side, against the Emperor. At the end of the century, the city allied with Testona to declare war on its ecclesiastical liege lord the Bishop of Turin, Arduino Valperga. The town of Turin, the counts of Biandrate, and the lords of Cavoretto and Revigliasco joined on the side of the Bishop, while the lords of Cavorre and Piossasco joined on the side of the republic of Chieri. The republic of Asti, which was bound to Chieri by similar ambitions and fate, and by a military pact of 1194, came to the aid of Chieri. Although first hand recollections of the war are unavailable, it is assumed by the following peace that the war was favorable to Chieri. The peace was signed in the fields of Mairano, near Testona, on 10 February 1200 in the presence of ambassadors of Asti and Vercelli, the Bishop Arduino, the Podestà of Turin, Chieri and Testona, and numerous prominent citizens of the city, including two Pulluolii, Uberto di Bencia, two Merli, Pier Gribaldo, Signorino Balbo and Enerico Tana. The peace had several clauses, of which the most important was likely a clause stating that the two republics of Testona and Chieri would aid the Count of Savoy were he to exercise his rights over the city of Turin and the Bishop, in recognition that he was the heir of their former sovereigns and out of mutual enmity with Turin. A treaty of 4 March 1204 bound Chieri, Testona and Turin. On top of the defensive and mutual aid clauses, others were made to establish that each of the cities would enjoy the same municipal privileges of the others, and that they would share the same podestà. Many provisions were made in regards to the bridge of Testona (today at
Moncalieri Moncalieri (; pms, Moncalé ) is a town and ''comune'' of 56,134 inhabitants (31 January 2022) about directly south of downtown Turin (to whose Metropolitan City it belongs), in Piedmont, Italy. It is the most populous suburb of Turin and it i ...
), which was of vital economical importance to all three cities, including its tolls, the roads leading to it and the guards to be provided. Although ambitious in nature, the treaty was soon put aside, with a new Bishop of Turin requesting that many of his privileges be restored. This included being beneficiary of all fines for homicide, theft, treason and for duels, as well as of those foreigners who died without will and those of Chieri with no will and no relatives up to the fourth grade. This was ratified in a treaty in 1210. On 10 June of the same year, the city signed a treaty with Goffredo, Count of Biandrate, and his nephews for mutual defense against all enemies save for the Emperor and the Bishop. The treaty forbade the Count to give citizenship to any man of the city of Chieri, and vice versa for Chieri to offer citizenship to any of his subjects. The clause is characteristic of the regulation of growth in the medieval period, where the founding of a city required imperial dispensation, fortifications were to be approved by liege lords, and the movement of people was an enormous loss of capital for the feudal system, although one that would prove irreversible as urban areas grew larger and more powerful over the coming centuries. Many of the privileges earned were to be confirmed by
Otto IV Otto IV (1175 – 19 May 1218) was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1209 until his death in 1218. Otto spent most of his early life in England and France. He was a follower of his uncle Richard the Lionheart, who made him Count of Poitou in 1196 ...
, to whom a richer Chieri sent the ambassador Iacopo de Rohat, their podestà, and many others. Privileges he granted the city included the faculty of receiving new citizens as well as confirmed sovereignty over smaller territories nearby. In 1123 and 1224, respectively, Riva and Coazze were annexed by Chieri. The inhabitants of the latter were moved closer to Chieri with its help to the lands of Pecetto. Greatly responsible for the prosperity of Chieri at this time was Ugone del Carretto, podestà of Chieri and in 1225 of Asti. He was also instrumental for the purchase by the city of the Castle of Revigliasco and its surrounding lands. Finally, the commercial disputes over the merchant root from Genova and Lombardy which went through Asti and Chieri, which took Italian merchants to France, resulted in a new war by Chieri and Asti against Testona. In 1228, the troops of the two allied cities razed Testona to the ground, not sparing even its churches. In the following years, the dispersed inhabitants resettled in the nearby locality of Moncalieri.


Late Middle Ages

In the course of the 13th century, the Republic of Chieri experienced a period of substantial prosperity, and at that time was comparable in splendor and importance to other Italian city-states such as Genoa,
Asti Asti ( , , ; pms, Ast ) is a ''comune'' of 74,348 inhabitants (1-1-2021) located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River. It is the capital of the province of Asti and it is deemed t ...
and Pisa. In 1238, the Republic was granted the status of ''camera speciale'' (Italian: "special chamber") by Emperor Frederick II, which meant that the only authority the Republic would be subject to was that of the (very remote) emperor. Following growing violent internecine struggles between city factions to the end of that century, the Republic of Chieri, despite asserting its dominion over adjacent lands and castles and constructing a secondary ring of city walls, decreased in power and autonomy to the point that in 1339 the city made itself subject to
Robert of Anjou Robert of Anjou ( it, Roberto d'Angiò), known as Robert the Wise ( it, Roberto il Saggio; 1276 – 20 January 1343), was King of Naples, titular King of Jerusalem and Count of Provence and Forcalquier from 1309 to 1343, the central figure of It ...
, King of Naples; in doing so, it granted half of its lands and territories as feudal possession to Prince Iacopo of the house of Savoy-Acaia. The city eventually passed in its entirety to the House of Savoy, when the line of Acaia died out.


Renaissance era

The 15th century brought Chieri a period of economic prosperity and a flourishing of the arts with, among other endeavours, the rebuilding of the Church of Santa Maria into its present form as the
Duomo ''Duomo'' (, ) is an Italian term for a church with the features of, or having been built to serve as, a cathedral, whether or not it currently plays this role. Monza Cathedral, for example, has never been a diocesan seat and is by definition n ...
. During this time the hill-top church of San Giorgio was also rebuilt into its current incarnation, and several works of Flemish art were brought into the area by rich city merchants. The 16th century covered a period of succeeding plagues, epidemics, and wars, and from 1551 to 1562 also brought French domination. During this period, some of its citizens became followers of the Protestant Reformation started by Martin Luther, but this was quashed by strong opposition from Duke Emmanuel Philibert: it was in order to honour him, along with Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy, that the city towards the end of this century constructed a triumphal arch, still present on the main street (currently Via Vittorio Emanuele II). The year 1630 saw a terrible outbreak of the
Bubonic Plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by the plague bacterium (''Yersinia pestis''). One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and vomiting, as well ...
, which is still commemorated every 12 September with the ceremony of the Madonna delle Grazie. Despite this, the remainder of the 17th century experienced a flourishing of artistic achievement, with the building of several churches and chapels in Baroque style such as Sant'Antonio Abate at Chieri, as well as numerous paintings and sculptures.


Modern era

In 1785 Chieri became a Principality under the control of the Duke of Aosta. The late 18th century again brought French domination, this time under the conquests of Napoleon Bonaparte, but this period also witnessed the establishment of a major
textile mill Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods ...
, which consolidated and built upon the city's base as a medieval centre for textile trade and manufacture. Numerous other textile factories followed in the late 19th century, with textile manufacture originating from Chieri playing a prominent role even in international textile fairs. The year 1850 saw the demolition of the old medieval city gates and the privatisation of the city walls, which at that time still demarcated the limits of the entire city. In 1871, a railroad link was constructed to the city in the form of the Chieri-Trofarello branch line, partly due to contributions from the municipality and from wealthy citizens. This was to serve the now very significant textile industry of the city, with the building of the railway station also serving to initiate in the surrounding area the erection of the first city quarter built outside its walls. The early 20th century brought the electrification of the textile industries (1909). World War II caused no direct bombardments to the city despite the relocation of numerous factories and heavy industry manufacture from the nearby major industrial centre of Turin. Germany occupied the city following the 1943
Armistice of Cassibile The Armistice of Cassibile was an armistice signed on 3 September 1943 and made public on 8 September between the Kingdom of Italy and the Allies during World War II. It was signed by Major General Walter Bedell Smith for the Allies and Brig ...
until its liberation by Allied forces.


Today

The post-war period experienced a huge increase in Chieri's population, as massive migration occurred between the 1950s and 1970s from the Veneto region and from Southern Italy to the major industrial centres of Northern Italy such as Milan and Turin and adjacent areas. This resulted in a population boom from approximately 14,000 immediately after the war to 30,000 inhabitants in just under three decades. The later years of the 20th century also witnessed the decline of textile industry in the city, as numerous factories were forced to close from competitive pressure from the cheaper manufacturing centres of the Indian subcontinent and the Far East. This is being counteracted by the establishment of a new industrial area outside the city, and also by a rediscovering and redeveloping of Chieri's significant cultural and historical heritage. Today, Chieri is a growing center for the provision of a varied portfolio of commercial, retail, financial, and tertiary services.


Main sights

* Chieri Cathedral:
Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
-style ''Duomo'' (cathedral), founded in 1037 and reconstructed in 1405, is the largest in Piedmont, and has a 13th-century octagonal
Baptistery In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry ( Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding the baptismal ...
which includes a collection of 13th century frescoes. Its glass stained windows are the work of renowned glass artist Silvio Vigliaturo. * San Giorgio: hill-top church dominating the historical centre and offering commanding views of the entire city. * San Filippo: church on the principal Via Vittorio Emanuele, boasting an example of Italian
Baroque The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including th ...
-style face-brick façade. * San Guglielmo * The ''Arco'' ( Triumphal Arch), dedicated to
Charles Emmanuel I Charles Emmanuel I ( it, Carlo Emanuele di Savoia; 12 January 1562 – 26 July 1630), known as the Great, was the Duke of Savoy from 1580 to 1630. He was nicknamed (, in context "the Hot-Headed") for his rashness and military aggression. Being ...
and Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy. * Santi Bernardino e Rocco * Sanctuary of the Santissima Annunziata * Collegiata di Santa Maria della Scala * San Domenico: gothic style church


Sports

Chieri is home to Chieri ’76 Volleyball, a professional women's volleyball club playing in the Serie A1. The town also has a semi-professional football club A.S.D. Chieri, who play in the Serie D.


People

* Giuseppe Avezzana (1797–1879), Italian general and politician who previously fought under Napoleon in 1813–14 *
Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo or Joseph Benedict Cottolengo (3 May 1786 – 30 April 1842) was the founder of the and is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. Early life Joseph Benedict Cottolengo was born on May 3, 1786, into a middle-cla ...
(1786–1842), Catholic priest and saint, died in Chieri * David Levi (1816–98), Italian poet and patriot * Giovanni Perrone (1794–1876), theologian *
Roberto Rosato Roberto Rosato (; 18 August 1943 – 20 June 2010) was an Italian footballer, who played as a defender. A strong, hard-tackling, and reliable centre-back, he is regarded as one of Italy's greatest defenders. Rosato played for four different I ...
(1943–2010), football player * Francesco Stacchino (born 1940), football player


Notable events

At 8:30a.m. on Tuesday, 15 October 2002, Chieri experienced one of Italy's worst civilian massacres outside of wartime when unemployed craftsman Mauro Antonello (40), a gun enthusiast with a history of mental illness, went on a shooting rampage in Via Parini Street within the Borgo Venezia Quarter on the outskirts of the city. Using four weapons (including three semi-automatic), the perpetrator killed seven people, starting with his ex-wife Carla Bergamin, at whose house the tragedy occurred. His other victims included her widowed mother Teresa Gobbo; Carla's brother Sergio Bargamin and his wife Margherita Feyles, who operated a textile workshop on the ground floor of their house; next-door neighbour Decio Guerra along with his wife; and Pierangela Gramaglia, a friend of Margherita's who also worked for them at their workshop. The perpetrator took his own life before police arrived on the scene.


International relations


Gastronomy


Chieri's Focaccia

This town has among its culinary specialties a sweet flatbread, a recipe completely homemade, which is eaten at the end of a meal. In order to prepare it, it is necessary to use a dough made of water, flour, milk, eggs, butter, sugar and beer yeast. This mix is then put in the oven so that it can caramelize. These days one can buy the traditional version, which weighs half a kilo.


Library

In Chieri there is the Nicolo and Paola Francone Library. The project for the renovation of the building and its furniture was given to the architect and library expert, Gianfranco Franchini from Genoa. He renovated the interior design with pragmatism, having as a priority the use of pieces of furniture from the 1950s to set up the library. For Franchini, those pieces of furniture had to be in line with the design style of the former cotton mill Tabasso. https://web.archive.org/web/20100726163528/http://www.comune.chieri.to.it/contenuti/cultura_turismo/biblioteca/La_nuova_Biblioteca.htm (in Italian) Chieri is twinned with: * Épinal, France *
Nanoro Nanoro is a town in the Nanoro Department of Boulkiemdé Province in central western Burkina Faso Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of , b ...
,
Burkina Faso Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of , bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to th ...
*
Tolve Tolve is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Potenza, in the Southern Italian region of Basilicata. History Remains of pre-historic (Neolithic) settlements have been found in the nearby. In early historic times, the area was inhabited tow ...
, Italy *
Adria Adria is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Rovigo in the Veneto region of northern Italy, situated between the mouths of the rivers Adige and Po. The remains of the Etruscan city of Atria or Hatria are to be found below the modern cit ...
, Italy


References

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External links


www.comune.chieri.to.it/

{{Authority control Roman towns and cities in Italy