Sundial Itineraries

Site overview

Between the main village of Ala di Stura and its surrounding hamlets, there is one of the highest concentrations of frescoes and sundials in Italy, and even in Europe, with approximately 76 solar dials. This tradition is linked to the commercial role of the Municipality in past centuries; sundials were, in fact, a necessary tool for relating to time and coordinating activities. The Office of Sundials and Frescoes (Ufficio delle Meridiane e degli Affreschi) serves as the starting point for various excursions and houses the Horizontal Sundial of Prussello.

The “Sundial Itineraries” are part of a project that, since 2007, has aimed to introduce the Municipality to a wider audience through its unique cultural and artistic heritage.

Seven themed itineraries guide visitors through the streets and history of Ala di Stura, showcasing its most interesting and suggestive aspects. Among these, you can admire the horizontal sundial located in the square of Prussello and the “Casa delle Meridiane,” as well as numerous other dials that indicate ancient Italic hours (red lines) and Babylonian hours (black lines), used in Italy until the mid-nineteenth century.