Monte Musinè
Encyclopedia
Monte Musinè or simply Musinè (also in Piedmontese
Mont Musinè) is a mountain in the Graian Alps
in Italy
. Musinè is well known for its high cross on the top, and because it's the closest mountain to Turin
; it can be seen from some distance, from the Piedmontese plateau or from the mountains in Biella's
or Vercelli's
provinces.
and Lanzo.
Its main summit has a subsummit
called Truc dell'Eremita (Hermit's hill, 1.101 m) and is surrounded by several minor hills: on an hill eastwards stands Saint Abaco's sanctuary (535 m) and on Monte Calvo (north-east, 551 m) there is a Via Crucis ending with a chapel.
The Musinè is linked from neighbouring Mount Curt (1.323 m) by a wide wooden ridge which lowest point is the Colle della Bassetta (Bassetta's pass, 945 m).
Musinè's top is the tripoint
at which the borders of the municipalities of Caselette
, Almese
and Val della Torre
meet.
and protohistoryc
records
in the area. Among them traces of a hut dating the early bronze age
(ca 1700 b.C.) in the municipality of Caselette
. and several finding of late Iron Age
(last centuries b.C.) not faraway from Almese
(Truc Randolera).
Two roman
buildings of the imperial age are located near the mountain: a villa rustica
(in the municipality of Caselette) and a big residential villa
in the municipality of Almese
(Grange di Rivera)..
A local tradition states that near the Musinè (and not during the Battle of Milvian Bridge
) emperor Constantine I
would have seen a flaming cross and the In hoc signo vinces
motto a little before the Campi Taurinati battle
, which he won against his rival Maxentius
.
A cross 15 metres high was built in 1901 on the top of the mountain using reinforced concrete
.
On the north-eastern slopes of Musinè several magnesite
quarries have been active between 1875 and the second world war..
) of 1.524,29 ha called Monte Musine' e Laghi di Caselette (code IT1110081).
Piedmontese language
Piedmontese is a Romance language spoken by over 2 million people in Piedmont, northwest Italy. It is geographically and linguistically included in the Northern Italian group . It is part of the wider western group of Romance languages, including French, Occitan, and Catalan.Many European and...
Mont Musinè) is a mountain in the Graian Alps
Graian Alps
The Graian Alps are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in France , Italy , and Switzerland...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Musinè is well known for its high cross on the top, and because it's the closest mountain to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
; it can be seen from some distance, from the Piedmontese plateau or from the mountains in Biella's
Province of Biella
The Province of Biella is a province of Italy located in Piedmont. It was created in 1992 and its capital is the city of Biella.It has an area of 913 km², and a total population of 187,249...
or Vercelli's
Province of Vercelli
Vercelli is a province in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Its capital is Vercelli., it has an area of 2,088 km², and a total population of 176,829...
provinces.
Geography
Mount Musinè is the easternmost mountain of the long ridge which, starting from Rocciamelone, divides the valleys of SusaSusa Valley
The Susa Valley is a valley in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, located between the Graian Alps in the north and the Cottian Alps in the south. It is the longest valley in Italy. It extends over in an east-west direction from the French border to the outskirts of Turin. The valley takes its...
and Lanzo.
Its main summit has a subsummit
Summit (topography)
In topography, a summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. Mathematically, a summit is a local maximum in elevation...
called Truc dell'Eremita (Hermit's hill, 1.101 m) and is surrounded by several minor hills: on an hill eastwards stands Saint Abaco's sanctuary (535 m) and on Monte Calvo (north-east, 551 m) there is a Via Crucis ending with a chapel.
The Musinè is linked from neighbouring Mount Curt (1.323 m) by a wide wooden ridge which lowest point is the Colle della Bassetta (Bassetta's pass, 945 m).
Musinè's top is the tripoint
Tripoint
A tripoint, or trijunction , is a geographical point at which the borders of three countries or subnational entities meet....
at which the borders of the municipalities of Caselette
Caselette
Caselette is a town and comune in the province of Turin, in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.It is located at the entrance of the Val di Susa, at 18 km from Turin, at the feet of the Monte Musinè. It is home to a castle , currently hold by the Salesians...
, Almese
Almese
Almese is a comune in the province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located in the lower Val di Susa, about 27 km west of Turin.-External links:*...
and Val della Torre
Val della Torre
Val della Torre is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 25 km northwest of Turin.It is situated in the Graian Alps. The Monte Colombano's summit is in the municipal territory....
meet.
History
Several archaeological researches found prehistoricPrehistory
Prehistory is the span of time before recorded history. Prehistory can refer to the period of human existence before the availability of those written records with which recorded history begins. More broadly, it refers to all the time preceding human existence and the invention of writing...
and protohistoryc
Protohistory
Protohistory refers to a period between prehistory and history, during which a culture or civilization has not yet developed writing, but other cultures have already noted its existence in their own writings...
records
Archaeological record
The archaeological record is the body of physical evidence about the past. It is one of the most basic concepts in archaeology, the academic discipline concerned with documenting and interpreting the archaeological record....
in the area. Among them traces of a hut dating the early bronze age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
(ca 1700 b.C.) in the municipality of Caselette
Caselette
Caselette is a town and comune in the province of Turin, in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.It is located at the entrance of the Val di Susa, at 18 km from Turin, at the feet of the Monte Musinè. It is home to a castle , currently hold by the Salesians...
. and several finding of late Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
(last centuries b.C.) not faraway from Almese
Almese
Almese is a comune in the province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located in the lower Val di Susa, about 27 km west of Turin.-External links:*...
(Truc Randolera).
Two roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
buildings of the imperial age are located near the mountain: a villa rustica
Villa rustica
Villa rustica was the term used by the ancient Romans to denote a villa set in the open countryside, often as the hub of a large agricultural estate . The adjective rusticum was used to distinguish it from an urban or resort villa...
(in the municipality of Caselette) and a big residential villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
in the municipality of Almese
Almese
Almese is a comune in the province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located in the lower Val di Susa, about 27 km west of Turin.-External links:*...
(Grange di Rivera)..
A local tradition states that near the Musinè (and not during the Battle of Milvian Bridge
Battle of Milvian Bridge
The Battle of the Milvian Bridge took place between the Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius on 28 October 312. It takes its name from the Milvian Bridge, an important route over the Tiber. Constantine won the battle and started on the path that led him to end the Tetrarchy and become the...
) emperor Constantine I
Constantine I
Constantine the Great , also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337. Well known for being the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed religious tolerance of all...
would have seen a flaming cross and the In hoc signo vinces
In hoc signo vinces
In hoc signo vinces is a Latin rendering of the Greek phrase "" en touto nika, and means "in this sign you will conquer"....
motto a little before the Campi Taurinati battle
Battle of Turin (312)
The Battle of Turin was fought in 312 between Roman emperor Constantine and the troops of his rival augustus, Maxentius. Constantine won the battle, giving an impressive display of the tactical skill which was to characterise his whole military career...
, which he won against his rival Maxentius
Maxentius
Maxentius was a Roman Emperor from 306 to 312. He was the son of former Emperor Maximian, and the son-in-law of Emperor Galerius.-Birth and early life:Maxentius' exact date of birth is unknown; it was probably around 278...
.
A cross 15 metres high was built in 1901 on the top of the mountain using reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
.
On the north-eastern slopes of Musinè several magnesite
Magnesite
Magnesite is magnesium carbonate, MgCO3. Iron substitutes for magnesium with a complete solution series with siderite, FeCO3. Calcium, manganese, cobalt, and nickel may also occur in small amounts...
quarries have been active between 1875 and the second world war..
Nature conservation
The mountain and its surrounding area are included in a SIC (Site of Community ImportanceSite of Community Importance
A Site of Community Importance is defined in the European Commission Habitats Directive as a site which, in the biogeographical region or regions to which it belongs, contributes significantly to the maintenance or restoration at a favourable conservation status of a natural habitat type or of a...
) of 1.524,29 ha called Monte Musine' e Laghi di Caselette (code IT1110081).