UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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Location | Piedmont and Lombardy in Italy |
Includes | nine calvaries or similar devotional ensembles |
Criteria | Cultural: (ii), (iv) |
Reference | 1068rev |
Inscription | 2003 (27th Session) |
Area | 90.5 ha (224 acres) |
Buffer zone | 721.9 ha (1,784 acres) |
Website | www |
Coordinates | 45°58′28.4″N 9°10′10.4″E / 45.974556°N 9.169556°E |
The Sacri Monti (plural of Sacro Monte, Italian for "Sacred Mountain") of Piedmont and Lombardy are a series of nine calvaries or groups of chapels and other architectural features created in northern Italy during the late sixteenth century and the seventeenth century. They are dedicated to various aspects of the Christian faith and are considered of great beauty by virtue of the skill with which they have been integrated into the surrounding natural landscape of hills, forests and lakes. They also house important artistic materials in the form of wall paintings and statuary. In 2003, they were named as a World Heritage Site.