4 abandoned churches in Piedmont

Piedmont preserves numerous religious buildings that, after being deconsecrated or losing their original function, remained unused. Some have become true testimonies to past eras, still recognizable in their structure and particularly interesting from an architectural perspective.

In this article we have collected four abandoned churches and religious buildings in Piedmont that are still existing and recognizable , deliberately avoiding the ruins of which only a few parts remain.

In this article:

• The Hermitage of Lanzo

• The church of Sant'Evasio in Mondovì

• The deconsecrated church of San Claudio in Castiglione Torinese

• The little church of Villa Conchiglia

• Why churches are abandoned

• Conclusions

The Hermitage of Lanzo

Among the most evocative abandoned religious architectures in Piedmont we find the Eremo di Lanzo , located in the territory of Lanzo Torinese.

The complex was built starting in 1661 based on a design by engineer Francesco Lanfranchi and was intended for the Camaldolese monks. The structure included a large church, convent spaces, a cloister, a guesthouse, and numerous monastic cells spread across the extensive surrounding grounds.

Over the course of its history, the hermitage changed purpose several times. In the twentieth century, it was transformed into a sanatorium by the Italian Red Cross, and later the hospital complex was converted into a retirement home. The healthcare facility was finally closed in 2013.

Today, the church is one of the still recognizable parts of the ancient religious complex. The original buildings were partially demolished over time, but the church remains standing, preserving decorative and architectural elements that testify to its 17th-century origins.

The Hermitage is particularly interesting because it combines religious architecture, monastic history and medical archaeology , showing how the same place can undergo centuries of transformation before being finally abandoned.

The church of Sant'Evasio in Mondovì

In the Carassone district of Mondovì, there is the former church of Sant'Evasio , one of the most particular religious buildings among the abandoned ones in Piedmont.

The building's origins likely date back to the 13th century. The church was subsequently transformed and expanded, reaching its peak in importance in the 17th century, when it boasted as many as seventeen altars.

The building has been deconsecrated for centuries and still preserves several elements of its history, including the characteristic Romanesque bell tower , a marble tabernacle, some tombstones and the crypts under the presbytery.

The current situation is that of an unused building in need of repair. The façade has been subjected to work and scaffolding, while the restoration and enhancement project has not yet led to the complete reopening of the building. In recent years, some residents have also volunteered to clean the interior.

Sant'Evasio is therefore an interesting example of how a church can remain architecturally legible even after centuries of abandonment , maintaining medieval elements and evidence of the transformations that took place in subsequent centuries.

The deconsecrated church of San Claudio in Castiglione Torinese

On the hill of Castiglione Alto stands the church of San Claudio , a building with a particularly long and complex history.

Previous religious buildings existed on the site, but the building we know today is the result of a series of transformations over the centuries. The church was rebuilt in Baroque style in the 17th century and subsequently underwent further renovations between the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In 1905, the structure was declared unsafe and its closure was ordered. However, restoration work was undertaken in the following years, while the new architectural configuration also introduced neo-Gothic elements.

The church is now deconsecrated and is one of the most unique historic buildings in the municipality. Its poor state of preservation has led to the need for restoration and enhancement over time.

Unlike many abandoned religious buildings, San Claudio is not a simple ruin : the structure is still clearly recognizable and retains the architectural volume of the church, making it interesting also from a historical and photographic point of view.

The little church of Villa Conchiglia

Among the lesser-known religious testimonies of Piedmont there is also a small church linked to Villa Conchiglia , located within a historic complex now marked by abandonment.

Compared to large parish churches, it is a smaller building, but this very characteristic contributes to its uniqueness. The rooms still retain decorative elements and traces of their original function, while progressive abandonment has led to the deterioration of the interior.

The chapel represents an example of how religious architecture does not necessarily consist only of large churches and sanctuaries: historic villas, convents and noble residences could in fact have small private places of worship , which are often forgotten today.

It is precisely this combination of residential and religious architecture that makes the church particularly interesting in the panorama of Piedmontese urban locations.

Why churches are abandoned

The abandonment of a church can have very different origins.

In some cases, the cause is the area's declining population , making a small parish increasingly unattended. In other cases, a new church replaces the old one, or the building becomes unusable due to maintenance costs.

Deconsecration can also completely change the fate of a structure. Once the religious function is over, the building must find a new purpose compatible with its characteristics, but there aren't always sufficient resources or plans to transform it.

In the case of very old buildings, a further problem arises: restoring a historic structure can require considerable investments , especially when there are structural problems, infiltrations or architectural constraints.

The result is that some churches remain closed for years, while vegetation, humidity, and lack of maintenance slowly contribute to their deterioration.

Conclusions

Piedmont's abandoned churches tell very different stories. Some originated as medieval places of worship, others were part of monastic complexes or historic residences, while still others underwent transformations and changes in purpose over the course of the twentieth century.

The Hermitage of Lanzo, Sant'Evasio in Mondovì and San Claudio in Castiglione Torinese clearly demonstrate how stratified the history of these buildings can be.

For the urbanist, these structures represent, above all , architectural testimonies of a distant past . Their interest stems not only from their abandonment, but from the opportunity to observe how time has modified buildings originally intended for completely different functions than those we imagine today.

As with any abandoned building, it is important to remember that abandonment does not automatically mean accessibility : any private property, restrictions, barriers or dangerous conditions must always be respected.