To create the elevator shaft inside the Sacra di San Michele, it was necessary to cut into the rock. It was therefore not merely a matter of installing a new elevator system in a historic building: the construction of the new elevator—which now ensures full accessibility to the spectacular sacred complex—required a vertical excavation eight meters deep and a horizontal cut of another six meters, involving the removal of a total of 55 cubic meters of rock and fill material. The result is a new vertical connection within an existing tower of the Monastero Vecchio, designed to make four levels of the complex accessible. This project has ushered in a new phase in the accessibility of the Sacra di San Michele, the monument that overlooks the Val di Susa and is one of the symbols of Piedmont. The elevator connects the spaces of the Museo del Quotidiano, the Library, and the Carlo Alberto Hall with the Refectory andthe Ancient Workshop, making it easier to reach areas that were previously accessible only via less convenient routes.
The new elevator system was built with a total investment of 400,000 euros, funded by the CRT Foundation and the Turin Council for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Heritage. But it is above all the nature of the construction site that illustrates the difficulty of the project: to install the elevator in an existing structure, it was necessary to work directly on the bedrock, in confined spaces, and with procedures that required a high degree of precision. The vertical section of the excavation, eight meters deep, was carried out using a disc cutter. For the six-meter horizontal cut, a diamond wire was used instead. In total, as mentioned, 55 cubic meters of rock and fill material were removed. Work began in March 2025 and involved three contractors and approximately fifteen skilled workers.
The project focused on an existing tower of the Old Monastery, rather than being limited to the construction of a new external structure. The goal was to integrate the new connection into the existing complex, thereby allowing access to the monastery’s various levels via a single vertical route.
“Today we are returning a Sacra di San Michele that is even more accessible and inclusive to the community. Thanks to the new elevator, an ever-increasing number of people will be able to fully experience this place—a symbol of Piedmont—by reaching its very heart,” stated Anna Maria Poggi, president of the CRT Foundation. Poggi herself emphasized that the project was carried out without altering the monument’s identity and with the involvement of local craftsmen. The project is part of the CRT Foundation’s “Santuari e Comunità” (Shrines and Communities) program.
Accessibility, in this case, however, is not limited to the new elevator. The installation of the elevator was accompanied by a broader overhaul of the pathways within the Sacra. Before construction began, visitor and staff flow patterns were redesigned, introducing new routes and a dedicated staircase. The reception areas have also been modified: the ticket office was moved inside the Porta di Ferro to expand the space available for visitor entry, while the café and bookshop were renovated and are now located near the Monks’ Tomb.
The complexity of the work was also due to the need to operate in particularly confined spaces and to maintain constant attention to safety. “It was an honor to work on improving the accessibility of the Sacra,” stated Licia Mattioli, president of the Turin Council for the Promotion of Artistic and Cultural Heritage, who recalled the very difficulties encountered during the construction project. In this way, the project tangibly changes how visitors can navigate a section of the Sacra di San Michele: the innovation, therefore, lies not only in the presence of a new technological system but also in the ability to make spaces spread across different levels of a complex—which has been built and modified over time—more easily accessible.
The construction of the elevator took nearly a year and a half, starting in March 2025, and involved direct work on the bedrock. As a result, the Sacra di San Michele now features a new connection between some of the spaces in the Old Monastery, while the access route has been redesigned along with the placement of restroom facilities. This change remains largely unobtrusive in terms of the monument’s appearance but alters the practical conditions under which the public can navigate its spaces.
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| At the Sacra di San Michele, a new elevator makes the heart of the monument accessible |
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