| Biella | ||
 | ||
| State | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Piedmont | |
| Altitude | 420 m a.s.l. | |
| Inhabitants | 45.581 (2012) | |
| Name inhabitants | Biellesi | |
| Prefix tel | 39 015 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 13900 | |
| Time zone | UTC 1 | |
Position
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| Tourism site | ||
| Institutional website | ||
Biella is a city of Piedmont.
To know
The city is located at the foot of the Biellese Alps, and its existence has been attested since the early Middle Ages. Subsequently dominated by the bishops of Vercelli, in 1379 it passed to the Savoy family. During the nineteenth century Biella experienced a great urban and industrial development, soon becoming known for its textile industries. There are numerous historical and artistic testimonies of its past; among the most important are the Baptistery, the Cathedral, the Campanile of Santo Stefano and numerous villas and palaces. For 2021 it was Alpine town of the year.
Geographical notes
Biella is located at the foot of the Biellese Alps, a section of the Pennine Alps, in the middle of mountain ranges rich in springs (Massiccio del Bo, Monti Mucrone - with the homonymous lake - and Camino, the heart of this section) which feed the Elvo streams to the west. of the city, Oropa and Cervo to the east.
It is 72 km from Turin, 86 from Aosta, 100 from Milan and 115 from Lugano.
Distance from other Piedmontese provinces: 42 km from Vercelli, 56 km from Novara, 97 km from Alexandria is Verbania, 92 km from Asti and 158 km from Wedge.
When to go
The climate of Biella is typical of the pre-Alpine areas. In winter, the thermometer often drops below freezing, with frequent snowfalls and frosts. Spring and autumn are the wettest seasons, with the highest concentrations in May and November. Summer is hot and often sultry; sometimes temperatures reach or even exceed 30 ° C. Thunderstorms are also frequent this season.
How to orient yourself
Located at the foot of the Alps, Biella develops on three levels: the old one industrial area along the Cervo stream which delimits the historic center to the east; Biella Piano, flat, with the pedestrian Via Italia, the main artery of the city and the heart of the historic center, dotted with cafes with dehors, historic shops, churches and monuments; is Biella Piazzo, an intact medieval village in a dominant position on the hill west of the center, full of period buildings and splendid panoramic points.
Biella: full screen map.Places of tourist interest are in the Biellese, in Val Cervo, the Oasi Zegna and the ski center of Bielmonte (near Trivero), reached by the state road 232 Panoramica Zegna); the Burcina Park, natural reserve with protected flora, the territory of the Bessa and the Oriented Natural Reserve of the Baragge, a green area that surrounds the south-eastern part of the city; the Ricetto of Candelo, an ancient medieval village.
How to get
By plane
The nearest airports are:
By car
- From Turin: A4 motorway, Santhià exit, pass on the provincial road 143, direction Biella.
- From Milan is Novara: A4 motorway, Carisio exit, pass on the provincial road 230, direction Biella.
- From Genoa: highway A26, exit Vercelli, pass on the provincial road 230, direction Biella.
On the train
Along the line Turin-Milan, from the stations of Novara is Santhià Two lines depart respectively which reach Biella and touch the main localities in the area.
How to get around
The city is not large and most of the tourist attractions can be seen comfortably on foot. Getting to Biella Piazzo (the upper town) can be quite tiring on foot, but there is a funicular (a kind of tram) that connects the two parts of the city.
By public transport
There are bus lines that cross the city and connect Biella with nearby cities (timetables on the website atap)
What see
- 1 Sanctuary of Oropa, Via Santuario di Oropa, 480, ☎ 39 015 25551200. World Heritage ofUNESCO, is located in a picturesque valley and is dedicated to the Black Madonna (Black Virgin of Oropa). According to popular tradition it is believed that Sant'Eusebio, bishop of Vercelli in the 4th century AD, started this Christian site and transported the wooden statue of the Black Virgin, made by San Luca, from Jerusalem in Oropa. From a single building, the devotional complex now has the cloister with the Old Basilica, a new Basilica and its side buildings, where more than 300 rooms host pilgrims and tourists.
- 2 Historical nucleus of the Piazzo. Rich in medieval atmospheres and fine 15th and 16th century palaces, the medieval village of Piazzo, built on top of a hill, differs from the rest of the city for its very old buildings, arcades and cobbled streets. It is still possible to see the ancient gates once used to close the village. The Piazzo is home to a beautifully restored small synagogue, located at the top of a medieval house in the historic Jewish quarter. On rare occasions it is open to the public.
- 3 Lower town. Here you can see some good examples of Renaissance architecture: the Basilica and the cloister of San Sebastiano, the baroque church of the Holy Trinity (facing the busy pedestrian street), not far from the Romanesque Baptistery with 13th century frescoes inside. Along the Cervo river there are some imposing structures, testimony of the industrial era of the 1800s that started the textile industry of Biella.
- 4 Church of San Sebastiano. Renaissance church (1504), still intact inside, preserves excellent paintings by Piedmontese artists, including Rodolfo Morgari (The prophet Daniel, fresco of the spandrels of the dome, dating back to 1866). The cloister of San Sebastiano houses the Museum of the Territory, which displays finds from a Roman necropolis, ceramics and paintings, especially from the last two centuries.
- 5 Boglietti Palace. Home to a cultural center.
- 6 Territory Museum, Via Quintino Sella, 54-56, ☎ 39 015 2529345, @[email protected]. Collection of art and historical artifacts of the Biellese.
