Municipal Bell Tower

Site overview

Dating from 1760 and also known as the “solitary bell tower”, it stands on a raised hillock and is visible from the surrounding villages and the hills of Turin.

The bell tower, built in the 18th century, occupies a striking, panoramic, isolated position on a promontory beside the parish church. A very ancient chapel, long since vanished, once stood here, dedicated to St Bernardine of Siena, described as “supre montem ecclesiae proximum” (on the hilltop above the church). The bell tower was later raised on the site of this chapel. No trace of the chapel remains, but the name of the Sienese saint has endured in local records as the name of the locality.

What is certain, writes Father Maccono, is that St Bernardine preached in Piedmont from May to autumn 1418. The fervour of the preacher, his forceful and impassioned tone against the vices of the age, and his captivating oratory left a deep impression on people’s consciences.

The saint’s presence is well-documented in Asti, Alessandria, Casale Monferrato, and Turin. While we cannot confirm St Bernardine’s passage through Coassolo, the influence and echoes of his preaching certainly extended there. This likely explains the construction of the chapel bearing his name and the preservation of the place name over the centuries. The bell tower’s construction started in 1776 and finished in 1779, based on a design by master builder Carlo Ceroni.