The Church of Saint Gaudentius

The Church of San Gaudentius, originally located outside the walls of the village, is one of the most significant religious buildings in Agliè. The first written evidence of the church is found in the report of a pastoral visit dated 1329. The interior retains the original single-nave structure, with four side chapels, including the chapel of the Mautino and Danesio families – to the right of the entrance – which houses the remains of the poet Guido Gozzano and his grandfather, Massimo Mautino, the first senator of the Italian Parliament. To the right of the presbytery is the sacristy, connected to the choir, which was extended in 1925 by the engineer from Agliè, A.F. Michela. Inside, you can admire a splendid wooden crucifix by sculptor Carlo Giuseppe Plura of Lugano. Dating back to the early 18th century, it is housed in a marble niche and protected by glass. Next to the exit, the green marble font reveals a possible link with the original building, indicated by its age and manufacture. Outside, a terracotta statue of Saint Gaudentius decorates the entrance portal, while a small bell tower rises above the tympanum. The cemetery, once located next to the church, was moved to its current location after the Edict of Saint-Cloud of 1804, which required burials to take place outside the village. One of the most authentic places of daily life in the village, the public washhouse, is located just a few metres from the church. It was built around 1900 to a design by engineer Fausto Gozzano, the poet's father. The perfectly preserved wash house consists of a large basin with two long stones on which the women did their laundry. The structure is open on all sides, supported by brick pillars, with a wooden roof and tile covering, typical of Canavese architecture. Until the mid-20th century, and before the introduction of running water, this place was not only a place of work but also a centre of female social life: women would meet here to swap stories, advice and smiles while doing their household chores together.