The name certainly has Roman origins; for some historians it derives from the Latin word "casellae" (small houses), while for another school of thought, it derives from "casellum" (tax tool) as there was one located in the area. It is a town near Turin, not far from the regional capital, on the left side of the river Stura di Lanzo. The municipality, which includes the district of Mappano, has boundaries between Venaria Reale and Settimo Torinese. It is known worldwide as the seat of the International Airport of Turin, entitled to one most esteemed and loved Presidents of the Republic of Italy, Sandro Pertini.
Founded by the Romans, nearby its centre passed the ancient road that led to the Valleys of Lanzo. Caselle was a tax toll for all the merchants that sheltered in the centre and even for those that passed through the area. During the Middle Ages, an epidemic plague had a heavy impact on the lives and the whole history of the town. According to the traditions in that dramatic period only four families survived. The fate and the history of the town were strongly related to the those of the Marquis of Monferrato and the Dukes of Savoy.
Not to miss:
- the Church of St. John the Evangelist, the oldest of the area, probably built where pre-existing Roman building was located. The first documented reports of its existence date back to 1174 and now houses the venerated statue of Our Lady of Sorrows;
- the new Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta;
- the Church of the Battuti, built in Baroque style, dates back to 1721;
- the Chapel of the Madonna;
- the X century Castle, situated near to the main square. Originally inhabited by the Ducco Family, it was later ceded by Frederick Barbarossa to the Marquis of Monferrato and then to the Savoy. It is decorated with exquisite frescoes;
- Palazzo Mosca, which is located on Via Nazionale and was built between the late XVIII and the early XIX centuries. It features red brick walls and present an arcade entrance, today it is the seat of the City Council;
- the Town Hall, an ancient convent, built in 1689 next to the church of San Giovanni, which preserves a valuable work of the artist Defendente Ferraris;
- the XVI century arcades, present in the old centre, home of the local craftsmen ateliers and shops.