The abbey that inspired "The Name of the Rose" has balanced on Mount Pirchiriano for a thousand years, aligned — enthusiasts say — on the mysterious Saint Michael line joining Mont-Saint-Michel to Monte Sant'Angelo. The Stairway of the Dead climbs carved rock to the Zodiac portal; from the terraces, the Susa valley opens all the way to Turin.
Piedmont's symbol by regional law, it is still kept by Rosminian fathers.
Our tip: walk up the San Pietro mule track (a true 45 minutes) to arrive as pilgrims did; the light is best in the morning, valley still in shade and the abbey alight.
