Until the nineteenth century Villar Perosa lived off farming, woodland and a little home manufacture. Then, in 1906, Giovanni Agnelli senior, one of the founders of FIAT, had the Officine di Villar Perosa built here, out of which came RIV, makers of ball bearings; and the family bought houses and land nearby, among them the villa that became their summer residence.
During the First World War the works produced a machine gun that took its name from the plant: the Fiat Modello 1915 Villar Perosa. A few survive in Italian military museums. An electric tramway linked the town to Pinerolo from the end of the nineteenth century until the thirties.
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📅 Every year, on the last Monday of July (patronal feast); liturgical feast on 29 June
Villar Perosa celebrates Saint Peter with the patronal feast on the last Monday of July, in the church dedicated to him; the liturgical feast falls on 29 June.
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 Villar Perosa, but an easy day trip away.
