Introduction
Understanding the place
The Sacra di San Michele is a monumental monastic ensemble perched above the Suse valley, dedicated to the Michael archangel and associated with the alpine pilgrimage routes.
To be retained
- Millennium Abbey
- Dedication to the archangel Michel
- Architecture merged with rock
- Modern Myth of Alignment to Realize
History and context
A religious community settled on Mount Pirchiriano around the year mill. The abbey developed between the 11th and 13th centuries, then declined before being entrusted to the Rosminians in the 19th century. Its architecture was spectacularly marrying the rock.
Why is this place spiritual?
Michael symbolizes protection and spiritual struggle in Christianity. Ascension, the stairs of the Dead and the portal of the Zodiac structure a passage from the outside world to the church.
What the landscape makes you feel
The view of the valley and the feeling of a building rooted in the mountain dominate the visit. The steps make the notion of ascension very concrete.
Energy, atmosphere and feelings
The Sacra is often integrated into a supposed "line of St. Michael" linking several shrines. Cartographic alignments depend on the selected sites and do not prove an ancient energy network.
Discover with respect
- Present the line of St. Michael as a contemporary story.
- Respect religious spaces and rules of access.
- Provide for steps and weather conditions.
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