Abbadia Alpina


Abbadia Alpina is a former commune of the Province of Turin in north-west Italy's Piedmont region, located between the torrents Lemina and Cusone.
Before 1864, it was named Abbadia.
Annexed in 1928 to Pinerolo, it is now considered a frazione of that commune.

Administrative divisions

Abbadia Alpina comprises five borghi :
The Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria ad Abbadia Alpina was founded in 1064 by Adelaide, Princess of Susa. In 1078, the Territorial Abbacy nullius of Santa Maria ad Abbadia Alpina was established. It vested in its abbot the privileges of a diocesan prelate: that is, territoriality was not assigned to a bishopric. Instead, the abbey was directly subject to the Holy See. From 1443, its residential abbots were replaced by commendatory abbots, often secular, mainly interested in cashing the abbey's proceeds and earnings.
On December 23, 1748, it lost territory in order to establish the Diocese of Pinerolo.
In 1805 it was suppressed. Its remaining territory was merged into the Diocese of Saluzzo, as per the wish of French emperor Napoleon I Bonaparte.

Residential abbots