Gaudenzio Sella

The archive preserves the papers of Gaudenzio Sella (1860-1934) of Giuseppe Venanzio and Clementina Mosca Riatel. The collection is divided into the following series: Personal papers, Family papers, Mountaineering, Patrimonial papers, Agriculture, Letters received, Letter books, Companies and organisations of which he was administrator or consultant.

After graduating in civil engineering in Turin and being summoned to Rome by his uncle Quintino, he attended a course in pure maths. In his youth and following the example of Quintino Sella, he was a keen mountaineer and with his brothers and cousins was one of the pioneers of winter mountaineering in Italy. In 1892/93 he organised and personally directed   for the Club Alpino Italiano, the construction of the Observatory Hut “Regina Margherita” on the Gnifetti peak of Monte Rosa. In 1886, with the assistance of his brothers and cousins, he founded the “Gaudenzio Sella & C.” bank which he managed until his death. He supported   and was the key mover in the foundation of the S.A. “Filatura di Tollegno”. He managed the agricultural lands he owned together with his brothers in the Biellese, especially those in Lessona, Villa del Bosco and Roasio where he developed and improved the production of wine.

Documentary archive

Chronological details: 1861 – 1934

Contents: 150 bundles