Sacro Monte di Varallo

The Sacred Mountain of Varallo (Sacro Monte di Varallo) is the oldest of the Sacri Monti, founded in 1491 by Franciscan friar Bernardino Caimi. Located 600 meters above sea level on Monte Tre Croci, it overlooks Varallo Sesia in Piedmont and is part of the UNESCO-listed Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy.

The complex includes a basilica and 45 chapels filled with over 800 life-sized painted statues in wood and terracotta, vividly depicting scenes from the life, passion, and resurrection of Christ, enhanced by detailed frescoes.

Divided into two zones, the lower section is a landscaped path beginning with Genesis stories, while the upper area, modeled after Jerusalem, features elaborate buildings and squares housing scenes like the Last Supper, Crucifixion, and Resurrection.

Over the centuries (15th–19th), artists including Gaudenzio Ferrari, Giovanni and Tanzio d’Enrico, Morazzone, and others helped develop the site into a powerful visual narrative of Christ’s life—intended as a “Jerusalem for those who could not travel.”

Address
Via Fra Bernardino Caimi 20, Varallo, Italy

Established
1491