BARCA/BERTOLLA
The districts of Barca and Bertolla are set in the north suburb of Turin, on the Stura river, and between the cities of Settimo Torinese and San Mauro Torinese. They have been isolated from other districts of Turin for a long time, because of the inability to reach them without a boat (that's why one of them is called "Barca", boat in english). The districts are often mentioned together for this common "isolation". In 1874, with the construction of the bridge Amedeo VII, they were finally connected to the rest of the city. On the one side, the Barca's urbanistic structure is very diversified as it includes low houses and buildings, farmsteades, factories, small businesses and handcrafted laboratories. On the other, Bertolla maintains the traditional aspect of small village; it's composed by alleys and rustic buildings that, sometimes, keep the original architectural elements. The central point of this district is the square Piazza Monte Tabor, where there is no difference between houses' yards and the street.
“The laundresses' work was very hard. On Monday morning laundresses woke up very early and went to the city centre with a wagon drawed by a horse to return the clean linen and to pick up the dirty one. On Monday evening they separated the linen and marked them with a different colour for each client...”
points of interest
Visualizza Barca/Bertolla in una mappa di dimensioni maggiori
Cycling lane
Alongside the Stura river there is a cycling lane. It connects Bertolla and Barca districts to the Meisino Park and Confluenza Park and to the near city of San Mauro Torinese. Until 1952, the bordering area was susceptible to the flood of the river, but, with the construction of a dam (Diga del Pascolo) this problem was in part solved. The main purpose of the dam was the creation of a canal that stems from the river to generate electricity. This was the first system built by the ancient Azienda Energetica Metropolitana (A.E.M., nowadays Iren) on a river that passes through the city.
In the bordering area of the river you can see vegetable gardens cultivated by local peasantry and an uncontaminated nature. According to a survey, in the area live more than 160 bird species, mainly acquatic, such as cormorants, wild ducks and seagulls. It is worth pointing out that there is also a grey herons colony, the only city nucleus of these birds apart from that of a public garden in Amsterdam.
Moreover, on the riverbanks you can see a sport centre, the Sport Village Bertolla, where you can play tennis, beach tennis, volley, squash or you can go to the gym. The entry of the sport centre is in Via Gran Paradiso, 16/25.
Further information on: http://www.sportvillagebertolla.com
Parish Church San Grato
Strada Comunale di Bertolla, 113
It was built in XVIII century as a rural chapel. In 1853 it was extended and chosen as branch church of the Abbadia di Stura. The 3rd January 1960 the church of Bertolla became parish church and the first parish was Domenico Allemandi.
Laundresses' Museum (“I Lavandé d Bertula”)
Strada Comunale di Bertolla, 113
Thanks to the Stura river and to the large number of bealere (little canals), Bertolla is traditionally known as the laundresses' district. This profession was born at the end of XVIII century, but only at the beginning of XIX it became an organised job, as a result of the 1935 town ordinance that forbade hanging out laundry in the city rivers to avoid an unpleasant appearance. Every day, the laundresses went from Bertolla to the city centre with a wagon full of clean linen and went back with the wagon full of dirty linen. The arduous and difficult laundresses and teracin (dedicated to fields cultivation or breeding) works were the main professions of the district. To begin from the 1970 the spread of the washing machine in the houses caused the extintion of this job. However, some laundresses continued the activity setting up businesses such as industrial laundries. In order not to forget this long tradition in the courtyard of the San Grato Church is holded the Laundresses' Museum that collects a lot of pictures and the main laundresses' objects. In addition, every year the laundresses' historical group parades in the streets of Bertolla and takes part in the most important national and international folkloristic shows (such as the well-know Europeade). The Museum is in Strada Bertolla 113 and it's open every day.
The reservations phone contacts are: 011 2731880 or 349/8722649 (Battistino Prina).
Piemônt Cioccolato
Via Gran Paradiso, 16/23
The Piemont Company was born in 1948 in Via Rossini (Turin) as a laboratory of confectioring. Beginning from half of 1970 the property was transferred to Fioraso Brothers' and the laboratory moved to the actual location. Piemont Cioccolato produces candies and typical chocolate of the piedmontese tradition, such as the famous "Crì-Crì"(praline with a heart of toasted Piemonte hazel-nut, covered of most fine extra fondant chocolate and dusted with grain of sugar), tartufati (praline covered by a thin sheet of chocolate dusted by a delicate bitter cacao veil), Gianduiotti (the typical piedmontese chocolate candy) and so on. The products of Piemont gained the reward of Eccellenza artigiana della Regione Piemonte.
The opening hours are: Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 14:30 to 18:00.
Further information on website: http://www.piemontcioccolato.it
“Cantiere Barca”
Via Anglesio, 25
“Cantiere Barca” arised from the project of the collective of Berliner artists “Raumlabor” in collaboration with the Situa.to (a Turin workshop). The original intent of the project was to create a common space for young people of the suburb and to lead a group of citizens in a construction experience aimed to revalue the public space. Using recyclable materials (for example old doors, frames and boardes) new objects were built (such as a stage, some benches, some objects for a recereation ground..) and, the most importan one, a house-boat which has an height of 5 metres.
On the website http://www.raumlabor.net/?p=3563 you can see some pictures of the workshop "Cantiere Barca".
Alongside the Stura river there is a cycling lane. It connects Bertolla and Barca districts to the Meisino Park and Confluenza Park and to the near city of San Mauro Torinese. Until 1952, the bordering area was susceptible to the flood of the river, but, with the construction of a dam (Diga del Pascolo) this problem was in part solved. The main purpose of the dam was the creation of a canal that stems from the river to generate electricity. This was the first system built by the ancient Azienda Energetica Metropolitana (A.E.M., nowadays Iren) on a river that passes through the city.
In the bordering area of the river you can see vegetable gardens cultivated by local peasantry and an uncontaminated nature. According to a survey, in the area live more than 160 bird species, mainly acquatic, such as cormorants, wild ducks and seagulls. It is worth pointing out that there is also a grey herons colony, the only city nucleus of these birds apart from that of a public garden in Amsterdam.
Moreover, on the riverbanks you can see a sport centre, the Sport Village Bertolla, where you can play tennis, beach tennis, volley, squash or you can go to the gym. The entry of the sport centre is in Via Gran Paradiso, 16/25.
Further information on: http://www.sportvillagebertolla.com
Parish Church San Grato
Strada Comunale di Bertolla, 113
It was built in XVIII century as a rural chapel. In 1853 it was extended and chosen as branch church of the Abbadia di Stura. The 3rd January 1960 the church of Bertolla became parish church and the first parish was Domenico Allemandi.
Laundresses' Museum (“I Lavandé d Bertula”)
Strada Comunale di Bertolla, 113
Thanks to the Stura river and to the large number of bealere (little canals), Bertolla is traditionally known as the laundresses' district. This profession was born at the end of XVIII century, but only at the beginning of XIX it became an organised job, as a result of the 1935 town ordinance that forbade hanging out laundry in the city rivers to avoid an unpleasant appearance. Every day, the laundresses went from Bertolla to the city centre with a wagon full of clean linen and went back with the wagon full of dirty linen. The arduous and difficult laundresses and teracin (dedicated to fields cultivation or breeding) works were the main professions of the district. To begin from the 1970 the spread of the washing machine in the houses caused the extintion of this job. However, some laundresses continued the activity setting up businesses such as industrial laundries. In order not to forget this long tradition in the courtyard of the San Grato Church is holded the Laundresses' Museum that collects a lot of pictures and the main laundresses' objects. In addition, every year the laundresses' historical group parades in the streets of Bertolla and takes part in the most important national and international folkloristic shows (such as the well-know Europeade). The Museum is in Strada Bertolla 113 and it's open every day.
The reservations phone contacts are: 011 2731880 or 349/8722649 (Battistino Prina).
Piemônt Cioccolato
Via Gran Paradiso, 16/23
The Piemont Company was born in 1948 in Via Rossini (Turin) as a laboratory of confectioring. Beginning from half of 1970 the property was transferred to Fioraso Brothers' and the laboratory moved to the actual location. Piemont Cioccolato produces candies and typical chocolate of the piedmontese tradition, such as the famous "Crì-Crì"(praline with a heart of toasted Piemonte hazel-nut, covered of most fine extra fondant chocolate and dusted with grain of sugar), tartufati (praline covered by a thin sheet of chocolate dusted by a delicate bitter cacao veil), Gianduiotti (the typical piedmontese chocolate candy) and so on. The products of Piemont gained the reward of Eccellenza artigiana della Regione Piemonte.
The opening hours are: Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 12:00 and from 14:30 to 18:00.
Further information on website: http://www.piemontcioccolato.it
“Cantiere Barca”
Via Anglesio, 25
“Cantiere Barca” arised from the project of the collective of Berliner artists “Raumlabor” in collaboration with the Situa.to (a Turin workshop). The original intent of the project was to create a common space for young people of the suburb and to lead a group of citizens in a construction experience aimed to revalue the public space. Using recyclable materials (for example old doors, frames and boardes) new objects were built (such as a stage, some benches, some objects for a recereation ground..) and, the most importan one, a house-boat which has an height of 5 metres.
On the website http://www.raumlabor.net/?p=3563 you can see some pictures of the workshop "Cantiere Barca".