Sanctuary of Vicoforte
A Baroque sanctuary in open countryside below the hills around Mondovì, with a gigantic dome.
The story
The sanctuary was begun in 1596 at the wish of Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy, who wanted it as his family's mausoleum. The dome, completed in 1733 by Francesco Gallo, is the largest elliptical dome in the world, with a fresco covering more than six thousand square metres. A guided route takes you up to the cornice and the lantern.
Why go
Walking above the dome, tens of metres off the ground, is a rare experience.
In the itineraries
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Weather forecast
The forecast for the next 7 days at this spot: sky, temperatures, rain and wind.
Forecast by Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), from the models of national weather services. Your browser downloads it directly from Open-Meteo, and only when you ask. In the mountains and at sea the weather changes quickly: check the official forecast as well before you set off.
Getting there
- By train. The nearest station is Vicoforte-San Michele station, 2.8 km away. Alternatively: Mondovì station, 5.3 km away.
- By air. The nearest airport is Cuneo-Levaldigi Airport (CUF), about 28 km away; with more flights, Turin Airport (TRN) is about 94 km away.
- Parking. There are many signposted car parks within a kilometre; the nearest is 100 m away.
Stations, ports, airports and car parks from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); distances as the crow flies. Timetables and connections change: check them before you travel.
Climate month by month
The most pleasant months for weather are from May to June and from September to October, with average highs between 18 and 29 °C. In July it is hot: average highs exceed 30 °C. In January night-time temperatures drop below freezing on average. The wettest month is November (about 100 mm), the driest January.
| Month | Temperature | High / low | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | from -1 to 7 °C | 7° -1° | 38 |
| Feb | from 1 to 10 °C | 10° 1° | 57 |
| Mar | from 3 to 13 °C | 13° 3° | 59 |
| Apr | from 6 to 17 °C | 17° 6° | 52 |
| May | from 10 to 20 °C | 20° 10° | 85 |
| Jun | from 15 to 26 °C | 26° 15° | 54 |
| Jul | from 19 to 31 °C | 31° 19° | 43 |
| Aug | from 18 to 30 °C | 30° 18° | 45 |
| Sep | from 14 to 25 °C | 25° 14° | 54 |
| Oct | from 9 to 19 °C | 19° 9° | 91 |
| Nov | from 4 to 12 °C | 12° 4° | 100 |
| Dec | from 1 to 8 °C | 8° 1° | 54 |
Averages for 2015–2024, estimated for an altitude of 520 m. Air: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis), corrected for the altitude of the place; rain: average monthly total. These are indicative values: the weather on any given day can be very different, so always check the forecast before you go.