The volume is dedicated to the Sacri Monti, the 'Sacred Mountains', of Piedmont and Lombardy - Varallo, Orta, Crea, Varese, Oropa, Ossuccio, Ghiffa, Domodossola and Belmonte - which have all been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2003. Made up of a complex of chapels in which episodes of sacred history are represented through paintings and life-size sculptures, the Sacri Monti are a complete expression of the Counter-Reformation age. Built between the end of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth century with the intent to educate and strengthen the religious sentiment of the faithful, they still fascinate for the decorative richness and the remarkable realism of the setting, as well as for the way in which they have been integrated into their surroundings. The texts and the rich iconographic collection highlight the extraordinary beauty and value of these jewels of history, art and nature.

Text in English and Italian.