Picture the Abbadia di Stura. Its story begins not with bricks and mortar but with a generous heart. In 1146 Pietro Podisio a Turin jurist gifted land to Vallombrosan monks. They built a hospital named San Giacomo di Stura. The Abbadia di Stura was born. This wasn’t just a hospital. It was a refuge for pilgrims a haven for the sick. It had farmlands and mills. The abbey thrived. Its 24-meter-high bell tower stood tall a symbol of its importance.
The Abbadia di Stura’s fortunes shifted. In 1421 Pope Martin V decreed its transfer to the Bishop of Turin. The abbey’s riches became a key source of income for the Archdiocese of Turin. The Abbadia di Stura continued to evolve.
Centuries passed. The 1700s brought changes. Cardinal Roero transformed the church into the parish church of the “Barca” region. This area got its name from the ferry that crossed the Stura River. The old Roman wooden bridge was gone. The monks managed the river port crucial for the flow of travelers and goods.
The 1800s witnessed the gradual dismantling of the Abbadia di Stura’s holdings. A silk mill was built on part of its land. Later it became a cotton mill then the Aurora factory. In 1867 the State acquired most of the remaining buildings. The wealthy Ceriana banking family bought them. A charming neo-Gothic kiosk perhaps a birdcage was added.
The 1900s brought more change. A two-story house was built near the Bertolla Street entrance. The church remained a focal point until the early 1900s. The Abbadia di Stura served the Falchera and Bertolla communities. Bombing during World War II caused minimal damage. Sadly the church was declared unsafe in 1954. It was deconsecrated in 1960. Fires damaged its frescoes. Eventually the Abbadia di Stura passed into private hands.
Today the Abbadia di Stura exists in fragments. Some parts are homes others are businesses. Some portions remain sadly neglected. Yet the Abbadia di Stura’s enduring legacy speaks of faith charity and resilience. The abbey stands as a reminder of Turin’s rich and layered past a testament to the human spirit’s power to endure through centuries of change.