The town stands at the mouth of the Val di Susa, at the foot of Monte Pirchiriano, which carries the Sacra di San Michele. It took Ambrose's name probably in the sixth century, with the arrival of the Lombards devoted to him, who kept here their last garrison on the Frankish border; the "di Torino" was added by royal decree in 1862.
In 773 that border gave way: Charlemagne's troops met the Lombard army of Adelchi, son of the last king Desiderius, and after the battle of the Chiuse the town passed to the Carolingian empire. Two famous translations later came through the valley: the relics of the Magi, going from Milan to Cologne, and the Shroud, going from Chambéry to Turin.
Sacra di San Michele · Chiesa della Beata Vergine delle Grazie · Chiesa di San Giovanni Vincenzo and 3 more
17 places to stay · top rated: La Casa di Simone 9.7 · La Rosseria B&B 9.6
Next up: Feast of Saint John Vincent, Sunday 22 November
Nearest airport: Torino Caselle, 26 km away
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📅 Every year, on the Sunday nearest 21 November
The village patron is the hermit who founded the Sacra di San Michele, up on the Pirchiriano. The feast is held on the Sunday nearest 21 November; Saint Ambrose, who gives the village its name, is co-patron.
Sacra di San Michele Perched at 960 metres on Mount Pirchiriano, this thousand-year-old abbey is the symbolic monument of Piedmont. 
Chiesa della Beata Vergine delle Grazie The country church of Le Brayde, grown from a shrine on the road to Avigliana. 
Chiesa di San Giovanni Vincenzo Vittone's church in the Val di Susa, with the relics of the Sacra's founder. 
Palazzo abbaziale di Sant'Ambrogio The Sacra abbot's valley-floor palace, where justice was administered. 
Palazzo Comunale di Sant'Ambrogio di Torino Sant'Ambrogio's town hall, an industrialists' villa turned civic house. 
Santuario di Nostra Signora di Fátima Italy's first Fátima sanctuary, at the foot of the Sacra di San Michele. Straight-line distances from the town centre. Tap a point to open its page.
The closest destinations covered by our editors, with straight-line distance.
Outside Sant'Ambrogio di Torino, but an easy day trip away.
