Monte Pirchiriano, Rocky spur in the lower Susa Valley, Metropolitan City of Turin, Italy.
Monte Pirchiriano is a 962-metre rocky spur in the lower Susa Valley, on the land of Sant'Ambrogio di Torino and Chiusa di San Michele. Its west side is covered by dense forest, while the east side holds the hamlet of Borgata San Pietro. The summit, inside the abbey church of the Sacra di San Michele, lies at the first pillar on the left of the central nave.
The summit holds the Sacra di San Michele, begun by the hermit Giovanni Vincenzo at the end of the 10th century after Bishop Amizone of Turin reportedly saw a globe of fire with angels above the mountain. The name then changed to the Greek pir-Chirianos, "fire of the Lord". The monastery became the symbol of Piedmont.
The name Pirchiriano probably comes from Porcariano, after pig farms once kept on the slope; tradition instead links it to the Greek pir-Chirianos, "fire of the Lord", after Bishop Amizone of Turin saw a globe of fire with angels above the summit in the late 10th century, when the hermit Giovanni Vincenzo founded the first structure of the Sacra di San Michele. The summit now lies inside the abbey church, at the first pillar on the left of the central nave.
Multiple marked hiking trails lead to the summit from Sant'Ambrogio di Torino, with the main route taking about two hours to reach the top. Wear proper hiking shoes and bring weather protection since conditions at this elevation can change quickly throughout the day.
The true summit of Monte Pirchiriano lies inside the abbey church of the Sacra di San Michele, at the first pillar on the left of the central nave. The mountain is made of serpentine rock, long studied by geologists, and its name may come from the Latin Porcariano, after the pig farms once kept on its slopes.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,849 contributors worldwide.