Barge
Barge is a municipality in the Province of Cuneo. In the hamlet of Gabiola stands the so-called «spinning house» (casa che gira), a mushroom-shaped home built between 1983 and 1986 by hydraulic craftsman Michele Beltramone, which over the years became a destination for curious visitors from all over Italy [1][3].
The spinning house
The house was designed and built by hand by Beltramone, who had only completed primary school and was neither an engineer nor an architect. The building stands on a rocky spur and is about 8 metres tall and 16 metres wide. The idea for the mushroom shape came from a surveyor friend, while according to ANSA's account the idea for the rotation came from watching a circular stage used for traditional ballroom dancing; according to CronacaQui, however, the inspiration for the mushroom shape instead came from a food typical of the Cuneo area [1][3]. The house rests on a bearing made of 98 balls, and a 2-horsepower electric motor allows it to complete a full rotation in 56 minutes, or over 24 hours, depending on the speed set by the owner [1].
According to ANSA the house was built between 1983 and 1986, while according to CronacaQui Torino the building dates to 1986 and had recently turned 40 years old [1][2]. Because of his unusual home, Beltramone had become well known in newspapers and on television [1].
Life of the town
The spinning house in Gabiola was the main destination of a visit organised during a motorhome rally, led by Beltramone himself, who was proud of his creation. The craftsman had also helped organise a vintage tractor rally as part of one of the editions of Barge's Ottobrata festival [3]. The town belongs to the parish of San Giovanni Battista [1][2][3].
Death of Michele Beltramone
Michele Beltramone, the creator and builder of the house, died on 7 October 2026 at the age of 91, after an illness, according to CronacaQui Torino [2]. The funeral was held on Friday 9 October at 3pm in the parish of San Giovanni Battista in Barge [1][2][3]. Beltramone is survived by his wife Maria, his son Roberto and his brother Antonio [2][3].
Timeline
- — In Barge, in the Province of Cuneo, Michele Beltramone dies at 91. In the 1980s he built with his own hands the «spinning house», a mushroom-shaped home capable of rotating to follow the sun. → ANSA Piemonte CronacaQui Torino
- — On 15 October 2026, «Cinema & Montagna. Storie di resistenza e resilienza» is presented, a film season that from 26 October to 2 December offers six evenings with filmmakers in attendance between the Cinema Comunale in Barge and the Cinema delle Valli in Villar Perosa, opening with a documentary about Walter Bonatti. → Eco del Chisone
Related articles: Death of Michele Beltramone, builder of the «spinning house» of Barge (October 2026), Michele Beltramone
Sources
- Morto a Barge l'ideatore della "Casa che gira" — ANSA Piemonte, 7 October 2026
- Morto Michele, l'ex idraulico che 40 anni fa ha costruito la "casa rotante" — CronacaQui Torino, 7 October 2026
- Barge, addio a Michele Beltramone: costruì la casa che gira — Eco del Chisone, 7 October 2026