Issiglio

As you know from reading my web pages, I have a close connection with Issiglio due to my family being from there.  My genealogy research has brought me back into the 1600s in the town on many branches of my family. It is safe to say that I am related to many people in the town, in some way or another.  The Martellono family is one of the oldest families in the town, as evidenced by the street named after our family.

Any time that I go to Ivrea, I always make sure that I visit Issiglio.  The visit to town almost always includes a walk to the cemetery, a walk down via Martellono, a "hello" to my cousin Franca, and a walk around the center of town.

Issiglio is an old mountain town in the Canavese region, specifically located in Val Chiusella. The town is certainly older than a thousand years, as the church of St. Peter in Vincoli is dated in construction back to the year circa 1000-1100 AD. This old church is located adjacent to the cemetery, and the "new" church is located a short distance away, closer to the center of town.  My second great grandfather's tombstone is embedded in the wall of the church.  He died in 1891.

As noted above, the "old" church for Issiglio, shown in the picture above, was built around the year 1000-1100 in Issiglio.  The church, at the time, was shared with Vidracco and Vistrorio, which are neighboring towns. When I first went to Issiglio almost 30 years ago, the church was unlocked and visitors to the cemetery could just walk inside.  Over time, unfortunately, people stole things out of the church and they locked it up.  They also chose to lock up the church due to a number of medieval frescoes being found underneath some of the paint on the walls.  In the summer of 2018, I was able to gently slide my hand into a crack between the doors and take some photos of the murals that were uncovered around 2008.  It is amazing to think that my family probably celebrated births, marriages and deaths in that church!

Issiglio currently has about 425 residents.  The town has a municipal office with limited hours, a small bar and restaurant, a small store that sells cheeses, sliced meats and GREAT pizzas on the weekend, and a small shop that sells breads and tobacco products.  The bar, in the center of town, serves coffee, wine, drinks, and lunch/dinner. Great local fare!

Every year, for the last two weeks in July, a festival is held in Issiglio celebrating the Lady of the Snow and Pietro in Vincoli.  There is music, and often times in the evenings, food served at a large "cook out" on the outskirts of Issiglio heading towards Castelnuovo Nigra.  The celebration of the Maddona delle Piana takes place by the chapel that is located on the road from Issiglio to Castelnuovo.  The food is amazingly cheap and lots of locals attend!

In July 2018, I caught the processional in Issiglio for St. Peter (Pietro) in Chains (in Vincoli).  There was music played outside of the church and the locals made their way through town with the statue of St. Pietro being carried.  I was also able to stick my head in the "new" church, which has the picture to the right.  The interior was restored thanks to the generosity of a local resident, and as you can see, it is decorated in a baroque style.