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45°45'22.8"N 8°33'36.9"E
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45.756331, 8.560237
Distance
Highlights
Bronze Age Biella
Continuing your great quest along European Touring Route, in the foothills of the Alps you'll find Biella, resting in the Bo mountain range near Mt. Mucrone and Camino. In an area rich in springs and lakes fed by the glaciers, the heart of the Biellese Alps is irrigated by several mountain streams: the Elvo to the west of the town, the Oropa river and the Cervo to the east. Nearby natural tourist attractions include the Zegna Viewpoint, the Bielmonte Ski Resort, Burcina Natural Reserve, and the moors to the south of town. The Sanctuary of Oropa is a site of religious pilgrimages, and in 2003, the Sanctuary of Oropa Sacred Mountain of Oropa became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The first inhabitants of the area were Ligurians and Celts, ascertained from archaeological finds - they lived near streams and lakes, at first as fishermen and hunters, and later, herders. As proof of Biella's antiquity, tools and necklaces dating from the Bronze Age and/or The Iron Age were found in the Burcina Reserve.
Ivrea Industrial City of the 20th Century
Ivrea and its surroundings have been inhabited since the Neolithic era and the Celts are believed to have had a village in Ivrea from around the 5th century BC. However, the town first officially appears in history as an outpost of the Roman Republic founded in 100 BC, probably built to guard one of the traditional invasion routes into northern Italy over the Alps. Its Latin name was Eporedia.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Ivrea became the seat of a duchy under the Lombards (6th-8th centuries). Under the Franks (9th century), Ivrea was a county capital. In the year 1001, after a period of disputes with bishop Warmund, ruler of the city, Arduin conquered the March of Ivrea. Later he became King of Italy and began a dynasty that lasted until the 11th century, when the city fell again under the bishops' sovereignty. On July 1, 2018, Ivrea, known as "Industrial City of the 20th Century" was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue south, Cuneo awaits!
Catching up in Cuneo
Cuneo, in Piemonte rests on a plateau in the wedge (cuneo) formed by the confluence of the Stura di Demonte and Gesso rivers, south of Turin. Founded in 1198 by fugitives from baronial feuds and Lombard refugees after the destruction of Milan by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, it later became the seat of a countship held by the house of Anjou, from 1259 until it was bought by the house of Savoy in 1382. Strongly fortified, Cuneo withstood seven sieges between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was ceded to France by the Armistice of Cherasco (1796) but was returned to Savoy in 1814.
The old and modern cities are linked by the great Soleri viaduct over the Stura di Demonte. Landmarks you should visit include the Gothic cathedral (10th century), the Church of San Francesco (1227), the 18th-century town hall, and the 18th-century Audiffredi Palazzo, with the civic museum.
