EPISODE · May 8, 2026 · 2 MIN
Carthusian church of San Pietro in Vincoli
from Toirano – Old Town Tour · host eArs
The history of Toirano is closely connected to the religious orders that settled here from the early Middle Ages. The first were the Benedictine monks, who founded the Abbey on Monte San Pietro in the 9th century. In the 13th century, however, they were removed by the Bishop of Albenga, who transferred their belongings and properties to the Carthusian order. This stop on the tour invites you to explore the remains of the ancient Charterhouse.We reach it via Via Alessandro Provaggi, which branches off Via Braida just after the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. Continuing on, we come to Via Certosa, which leads to the characteristic area of the Mulini or - in dialect - Murìn, where the monks' workshops once stood. Later they became paper factories, then they were turned first into oil mills and finally, back into flour mills.Enjoy the walk which guides us across the 18th-century bridge over the Varatella stream, next to the old public washhouse. Stopping on the bridge for a while, you can take in the pleasant view of the buildings constructed by the Carthusian monks.The path continues along the scenic paved mule track, which leads to the monumental ruins of the Carthusian church of San Pietro in Vincoli, with its bell tower erected in 1564. The entire complex was designed as an enclosed monastery and was built starting in 1495. It included the church, cloister, monks’ quarters, and the Prior’s residence. Today, the site is no longer open to visitors and has been incorporated into a residential area. To understand its fate, we must go back to 1798, when the Ligurian Republic was established.The new government ordered the suppression and closure of the monastery, confiscating its assets. The buildings of the Charterhouse were eventually demolished in 1810, a fate shared by many religious structures across the region.
What this episode covers
The history of Toirano is closely connected to the religious orders that settled here from the early Middle Ages. The first were the Benedictine monks, who founded the Abbey on Monte San Pietro in the 9th century. In the 13th century, however, they were removed by the Bishop of Albenga, who transferred their belongings and properties to the Carthusian order. This stop on the tour invites you to explore the remains of the ancient Charterhouse.We reach it via Via Alessandro Provaggi, which branches off Via Braida just after the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary. Continuing on, we come to Via Certosa, which leads to the characteristic area of the Mulini or - in dialect - Murìn, where the monks' workshops once stood. Later they became paper factories, then they were turned first into oil mills and finally, back into flour mills.Enjoy the walk which guides us across the 18th-century bridge over the Varatella stream, next to the old public washhouse. Stopping on the bridge for a while, you can take in the pleasant view of the buildings constructed by the Carthusian monks.The path continues along the scenic paved mule track, which leads to the monumental ruins of the Carthusian church of San Pietro in Vincoli, with its bell tower erected in 1564. The entire complex was designed as an enclosed monastery and was built starting in 1495. It included the church, cloister, monks’ quarters, and the Prior’s residence. Today, the site is no longer open to visitors and has been incorporated into a residential area. To understand its fate, we must go back to 1798, when the Ligurian Republic was established.The new government ordered the suppression and closure of the monastery, confiscating its assets. The buildings of the Charterhouse were eventually demolished in 1810, a fate shared by many religious structures across the region.
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Carthusian church of San Pietro in Vincoli
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