I cistercensi foglianti e le abbazie medievali: interventi architettonici a Staffarda e Novalesa

Many of Piedmont’s most important medieval religious buildings have been restored in modern times, and this has significantly modified parts of the monasteries. Many of these, originally built to house monastic communities, were chosen for the settlement of new congregations, such as the Foglianti monks. The pre-existence of the church and the parts of the building reserved for the monks ensured that the main liturgical and cenobitic activities could be carried out right from the start, even after considerable reconstruction and restoration work. An important milestone was marked at the beginning of the 18th century with the policy implemented by Vittorio Amedeo II and with the opening of architectural sites of central importance, led by a group of technicians which included Tommaso Sevalle, Giovan Giulio Bertola and Carlo Gerolamo Re, under the direction of Antonio Bertola. This essay focuses on two of these buildings, the abbeys of Staffarda and Novalesa.