Bra Travel Guide

 JLBG Says:  The main building of the Neo-Gothic farming complex built by Charles-Albert is an imposing square building that was bought and restored in 1999 by Agenzia di Pollenzo S.p.A.Pollenzo is now the seat of the University of Gastronomic Sciences and of several gastronomy-related... 

 JLBG Says:  Chiesa di san Vittore (Saint Victor Church) was built in a Neo-Gothic style by architect Ernesto Melano. In the church, Carlo Bellosio painted the Martyrdom of Saint Victor. The delicately carved choir was borrowed from the Abbey of Staffarda where it was carved between 1520... 

 JLBG Says:  During the Middle Ages, the antique Pollentia was almost entirely destroyed and deserted. From 1762, Pollenzo belonged to the estates of the Dukes of Savoie. They were the first to be interested in unearthing the remains of the Ancient Romans past of Pollentia. Besides that,... 

 JLBG Says:  Inside the house, the ancient structures can be seen and sometimes have been put on display but all houses are private and I had not the opportunity to visit any.Outside, very little of the ancient structures can be seen as they have so intimately used for housing and «... 

 JLBG Says:  Houses around the gardens are amazingly arranged in a wide circle. The street follows the circle of the amphitheater and the houses on the left used the outer wall of the amphitheater as their basement while those on the right used the uppers rows of seats as their basement. 

 JLBG Says:  The ancient town of Pollentia on the left bank of the Tanaro is known today as Pollenzo. In the antiquity Pollentia stood at a cross road of military importance: on the road from Augusta Taurinorum (modern Turin) to the coast at Vada Sabatia (modern Vado Ligure, near... 

 JLBG Says:  The Residences of the Royal House of Savoy have been inscribed in 1967 on the Unesco World Heritage list with the following comment (quote):When Emmanuel-Philibert, Duke of Savoy, moved his capital to Turin in 1562, he began a vast series of building projects (continued by... 

 JLBG Says:  Another church in the same street bears the inscription “DOM et San Antonino Mart.” (Saint Anthony martyr). I have not found any information on this church. It seems to be also in a baroque style but I do not know when it was built. 

 JLBG Says:  Chiesa Santa Maria degli Angeli o dei Frati (Church Saint Mary of the Angels or of the brothers) stands on Piazza XX Settembre (XX September Square). It is a baroque church with a curved front, built in 1742 in bricks. The architect was Bernardo Antonio Vittone. 

 JLBG Says:  I came back to see if from the right of the church the dome was better seen. It shows a little more, but not much. There were grids that did not allow to walk around the church and get closer to the dome. I suppose that if you have enough time (we had not), you can walk to... 

 JLBG Says:  Chiesa Santa Chiara stands on Via Barbacana (Barbacana Street), at the crossing with Via Craveri (Craveri Street). It is a Rococo church built on a project from the architect Antonio Vittone between 1742 and 1748 with an aerial dome. It is the most beautiful piece of... 

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 JLBG Says:  This door seems to be modern and made in chestnut wood, which is much more often found around Bra than oak. However, it is also a very good wood, widely used for woodwork. It keeps well over the years and it is said that spiders do not nest on chestnut wood. 

 JLBG Says:  As you can see from the previous pictures, what is the most striking in Bra was the great many sculpted wooden doors. I have tried to photograph those that were the most characteristic. The one on the first photo is a heavily carved oak door, which must correspond to a... 

 JLBG Says:  This photo shows a better woodwork. The door is not made of plain boards. The panels are adjusted and have some very simple and geometric carvings. The wood is of better quality but not outstanding, though. 

 JLBG Says:  The first photo shows an unsophisticated old wooden door, which is obviously very old. It was certainly not the entrance of a fancy house but may be to stables. It is made of plain horizontal boards of cheap wood with hand wrought iron nails.The second photo shows another...