The Spinning Rock of the Three Kings

In Alpignano (a town near Turin), by an ancient three-arch bridge rebuilt in 1740 that spans the Dora River, there once stood a large boulder. According to local folklore, every year on the night of the Epiphany, this rock would spin around on itself three times. The story goes that in the year of Jesus's birth, the Three Kings set out on a long journey to bring their gifts to the newborn. Due to bad, cloudy weather, they lost their way and, after walking for a long time, ended up near the large erratic boulder on the banks of the Dora River in Alpignano. Thinking they might spot a light and find their bearings, they climbed on top of it and began looking left and right. But fate was mocking them, and they were always looking in the wrong direction.
Down below, hidden among the stones of the Dora River, three benevolent fairies saw that the Magi would never find their way on their own and decided to help them with a spell. Working together, they took hold of the boulder and gave it a good turn, so that the Three Kings found themselves facing the direction from which they had come. Realizing their mistake, they climbed down, retraced their steps, and finally spotted the comet that guided them to Bethlehem and the baby Jesus, just in time for the night of the Epiphany.
In remembrance and to thank the fairies for their help, every year as the Three Kings repeated their journey to Bethlehem, they would pass by the boulder in Alpignano. The kind-hearted, playful, and mischievous fairies, delighted, would always give the rock a good spin with them on top. And so it was that every year thereafter, on the eve of the Epiphany, the boulder would spin around on itself three times.
The rock at the heart of this legend was an erratic boulder, carried down to the valley floor by the glacier that once covered the Susa Valley. Its unusual position captivated the local residents and, over time, inspired the creation of this tale. Unfortunately, the boulder of Alpignano no longer exists. It was destroyed in 1919 to make room for the construction of a new hydroelectric power plant. Despite its disappearance, however, the legend of the boulder lives on in people's memories, fueling their curiosity and sense of wonder.

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This page was last edited on 21 March 2026