Rorà | |
---|---|
Comune di Rorà | |
Coordinates: 44°48′N7°12′E / 44.800°N 7.200°E | |
Country | Italy |
Region | Piedmont |
Metropolitan city | Turin (TO) |
Frazioni | Ruà |
Government | |
• Mayor | Claudia Bertinat |
Area | |
• Total | 12.41 km2 (4.79 sq mi) |
Elevation | 967 m (3,173 ft) |
Population (31 December 2016) [2] | |
• Total | 251 |
• Density | 20/km2 (52/sq mi) |
Demonym | Rorenghi |
Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
Postal code | 10060 |
Dialing code | 0121 |
Rorà is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 km southwest of Turin
Situated 5 km from Luserna San Giovanni, the small center of Rorà lies at the foot of Mount Frioland in the upper valley of the river Luserna.
In its territory are the quarries that since antiquity were used to extract the renowned Luserna stone, and the houses of the village shows beautiful walls made with this stone.
It was the scene of several campaigns against the Waldensians and is historically linked to Joshua Janavel. [3] Nearby Torre Pellice is the center of the Waldensian church.
Rorà borders the following municipalities: Villar Pellice, Torre Pellice, Luserna San Giovanni, and Bagnolo Piemonte.
Rorà is the transcription of the ancient name of the village, which means oakwood (from rou, oak), alluding to the woods that once covered the valley. The existence of a municipal organization with delimitation of borders (still substantially unchanged) is attested by a document dated 1251. Its history is similar to all the mountain villages of Piedmont: initially was a fief of a noble family (Luserna), later a free community.
The history of Rorà is also characterized (as well as several surrounding municipalities, part of the so-called Waldensian valleys) by the presence of the Waldensians, a religious movement born in the twelfth century in Lyon from the story of Valdo (hence the name), a merchant who abandoned all their own belongings to follow the teaching of Christ. His movement, similar in some ways to the one of St. Francis, was however excommunicated by the Roman Church.
In the sixteenth century the Waldensians joined the Protestant Reformation, organizing their communities on the Calvinist model. So they were then victims of legal discrimination, incarcerations, violence, risking to disappear. On April 24(Easter Eve), in the morning, Savoy army led by the Marquis of Pianezza attacked the population without any warning, thus revealing his mission: to quickly and brutally erase Waldensian faith. Many people died in Pellice Valley in that massacre that is still known nowadays as “Piedmontese Easters”. Rorà was defended by Joshua Janavel and his fellows. [4] In 1686 there was a new persecution, many were deported and imprisoned, or exiled to Switzerland, and returned three years later (known as the Glorious Repatriation). Civil and political rights were recognized only on February 17, 1848.
As a mountain municipality, Rorà was touched by the phenomenon of emigration, in the second half of the nineteenth century (especially towards France and South America, founding the Argentinean town of Alejandra, with whom the Municipality is twinned), and depopulation; unlike other municipalities, however, it was able to combine a poor agricultural economy with a more profitable and industrial activity, until the nineteenth century with the production of lime, and later with the processing of the Luserna stone.
During the period of the Resistance, other painful events affected the town, as in general Val Pellice. The fact that at that time Rorà hosted a group of families from the Jewish community of Turin was quite particular. In this way they found accommodation for rent with families in the De Benedetti, Levi, Amar, Bachi and Terracini families. These 21 people, a number that is not very significant but significant considering that the population was slightly over 200 people, officially lived as displaced people, naturally with false documents, without being reported. [5]
In the economy of Rorà have always coexisted agriculture, livestock and mining. The oldest mining business is the one of iron, which remains in the toponym of the hamlet Fucine. Later the limestone was exploited for the production of a lime, made inside the furnaces (evidenced by the locality Fornaci, recently restored).
Since 1800 it has been established the processing of lamellar gneiss, or Luserna stone, which for decades has become an essential element of the local economy.
Among the resources of the country, in addition to stone and wood, it is very important the water of some springs, which is channeled and bottled, then also sold outside of Italy.
Finally, tourism has been an important industry since the beginning of the twentieth century, which has made Rorà a holiday resort: initially in villas and structures such as the Alpine Colony, a destination for groups of children and young people from Turin, then with the spread of second homes, campsites and farm stays. [6]
The municipality is located in Val Pellice, on the right bank of the Pellice stream.
The Rorà valley largely preserves its natural aspect and therefore offers the opportunity for interesting walks in the middle of beech and chestnut woods (particularly interesting that of the Montano Park). The ascent on the heights (Rocca Bera, on the border with Torre Pellice, easy walk for everyone, and Uvert-Valanza, accessible via a wide dirt road) offer sweeping views over the plain.
There are several naturalistic and historical routes, also for mountain bikes, which are part of the Pinerolese cycle touristic circuit.
Given the forest nature of the territory, however, it is good to make sure of their practicability before embarking on them.
The flora of the area includes the Lou Fraisi of Rouzéi, classified as a monumental tree of interest.
In 1973 in Rorà was founded the Società di Studi Rorenghi, an association that promotes the cultural life of the town through exhibitions, conferences, walks and projections. [7] Several shows were represented at the Museum of Rorà, that collects testimonies of the life of the village (the processing of stone and lime, the Waldesian history and everyday life). Other activities often take place in the Waldesian hall and in the library. In 1980 was born a craft workshop, that since 2004 started a project related the preservation of the use of local wool. The Municipality of Rorà is also member of the Musicainsieme association which belongs to the Music School of the Val Pellice; therefore contributes to the financing of the school and hosts on its territory the appointments that are part of the musical events organized by the school itself. [8] In 2017 in town was born another cultural project: Stone Oven House art residency curated by artists Sergey Balovin and Claudia Beccato, [9] attracted to Rorà many international artists that created and represented their artworks finding inspiration from nature and local life. [10] [11]
The Ecomuseum of Stone in Rorà consists of two sites, both greatly representative of community life. The first site can be located in the heart of the village: one of the most ancient buildings hosts the Waldensian museum, which, through artifacts and tools, testifies the rich and eventful life of the inhabitants of Rorà, peasants and quarrymen. The other site is in the open: it's the historical quarry of Tupinet, which is no longer operative and effectively represents the condition of the original 19th century quarries. The track, along which life-sized mannequins have been placed, unfolds through the mountains, depicting the various phases of the work inside the quarry. The visitor explores and rediscovers in a “material” fashion techniques and tools - both ancient and modern, working and operational needs, working conditions and atavistic daily gestures. [12] [13]
Pinerolo is a town and comune in the Metropolitan City of Turin, Piedmont, northwestern Italy, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) southwest of Turin on the river Chisone. The Lemina torrent has its source at the boundary between Pinerolo and San Pietro Val di Lemina.
Henri Arnaud was a pastor of the Waldensians in Piedmont, who turned soldier in order to protect his co-religionists from persecution at the hands of Victor Amadeus II the Duke of Savoy. When the Waldensians were exiled a second time, Arnaud accompanied them in their exile to Schönenberg, and continued to act as their pastor until his death.
Angrogna is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) southwest of Turin.
Bibiana is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) southwest of Turin.
Bobbio Pellice is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) southwest of Turin, on the border with France and at the end of the Val Pellice
Bricherasio is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 40 kilometres (25 mi) southwest of Turin.
Luserna San Giovanni is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located in the Val Pellice about 45 kilometres (28 mi) southwest of Turin.
Lusernetta is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) southwest of Turin.
Perrero is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 40 kilometres (25 mi) southwest of Turin.
Prali is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 kilometres (37 mi) southwest of Turin, on the border with France. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 322 and an area of 72.6 square kilometres (28.0 sq mi).
Prarostino is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 40 kilometres southwest of Turin, at the confluence of Val Chisone and Val Pellice.
Torre Pellice is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) southwest of Turin. It is crossed by the Pellice river.
Villar Pellice is a comune (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 50 kilometres (31 mi) southwest of Turin. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,213 and an area of 60.9 square kilometres (23.5 sq mi).
Bagnolo Piemonte is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Cuneo in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 45 kilometres (28 mi) southwest of Turin and about 45 kilometres (28 mi) northwest of Cuneo. The ski resort and village Rucas is within the commune.
The Waldensian Evangelical Church is a Protestant denomination active in Italy and Switzerland that was independent until it united with the Methodist Evangelical Church in Italy in the Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches. Founded in the 12th century by Peter Waldo as a proto-Protestant group, since the 16th century Reformation it has adopted Calvinist theology and blended into the wider Calvinist tradition. It is one of several Protestant denominations with pre-Reformation roots, and is appraised by various denominations of Protestantism as its major successor.
The Occitan Valleys are the part of Occitania within the borders of Italy. It is a mountainous region in the southern Alps. Most of its valleys are oriented eastward and descend toward the plains of Piedmont.
John Charles Beckwith (1789–1862) was a British army officer who was born in Nova Scotia. He is best remembered for being injured in the Battle of Waterloo and for his charity work and philanthropy among the Waldensians of northern Italy.
Protestantism in Italy comprises a minority of the country's religious population.
Joshua Janavel, also written Giosuè Gianavello was an Italian condottiero and defender of the Waldensian Evangelical Church. He was involved in the Piedmontese Easter of 1655, and in the Glorious Homecoming of 1689.
The Savoyard–Waldensian wars were a series of conflicts between the community of Waldensians and the Savoyard troops in the Duchy of Savoy from 1655 to 1690. The Piedmontese Easter in 1655 sparked the conflict. It was largely a period of persecution of the Waldensian Church, rather than a military conflict. Joshua Janavel (1617–1690) was one of the Waldensian military leaders against the Savoyard ducal troops.