HISTORY

Moncenisio (formerly named Ferrera) ) is the highest commune in the whole Cenischia Valley and one of the smallest throughout Italy.

The history of Ferrera, and in general the history of the whole Cenischia Valley, is closely linked to the history of the mountain pass of Moncenisio. In fact, this village became known during the years when the pass of Moncenisio represented the most important commercial link between Italy and France.

From 1500 Moncenisio became the most important pass in the west Alps and the wayfarers, before taking the rough mule tracks leading up to the pass and then down to Lanslebourg in France, needed to stop in Novalesa to spend the night, shoe their horses and remove their carriages.



In 1800 Ferrera had 4 hotels - "Sant'Antonio ", "Angelo ", "Croce Bianca" e "Montone " - and several were the guides and wayfarer-bearers from Ferrera taking the wayfarers through the pass of Moncenisio. The wayfarer-bearers were called "marrons ", and they were well-paid men who carried people and goods/material through the mountain pass of Moncenisio on mules or rudimentary litters called "ramasses" (i.e. sort of rough and robust sledges whose name derives from the fact that in the past they were made of several branches tied into a bunch).
In 1800 Ferrera had 300 inhabitants most of whom were either wayfarer-bearers or shepherds.

The decline of the Cenischia Valley began with the construction of the Napoleonic Road - today SS 25 (A-road). For a short time the villagers were employed in the construction of the road, but they soon had to fall back on cattle and sheep farming or, later, to move downhill.

From the end of the 60s, after the construction of the Moncenisio dam, the name of the commune changed from Ferrera to Moncenisio.

Comune di Moncenisio
P.zza Chiavanna, 1
CAP 10050
Tel / Fax 0122 653222
E-mail info@comune.moncenisio.to.it