Nature parks
Provincial Nature Park of Monte San Giorgio (Piossasco)
Category: Parks
Monte San Giorgio (St George Mountain) offers wonderful views both of the Western Alps and of the underlying agricultural plain, since it is the farthest offshoot of the Alpine chain and overlooks the plain of Torino. The woods on Monte San Giorgio are mainly made up of sessile oak, holm oak and hornbeam, and give shelter to a rich bird population, which comprises about sixty species. Among the registered species some are typical of mountain forests, such as the crested tit and the crossbill, while others are distinctive of the Mediterranean, such as the Sardinian warbler and the Orphean Warbler, and not of course to overlook birds of prey such as the harrier eagle and the peregrine falcon.
Although the first traces of human settlements can be dated back to the VIII century B.C., the remains of the Lombard Castle of the Gran Merlone and the Castle of the Nove Merli, which are located on the southern ridge, are among the most important finds. Conversely, the Cappella di San Giorgio (St George’s Chapel), which was built around the year 1000 by Benedictine monks, is situated on the top of the mountain. The area of Monte San Giorgio and the paths in the district of Piossasco have routes suitable for hiking, cycling and lovers of horse riding.
Information
Area: 388 hectares
Elevation: 316 - 836 metres above sea level
Environment: mountainous
Established: 2004
E-mail: servizio_parchi@provincia.torino.it
www.parks.it/parco.monte.san.giorgio
Head Office
c/o Provincia di Torino - via Bertola, 34 - 10122 Torino
Tel. +39.011.8615254 - Fax: +39.011.8615477
