| Vercelli | ||
 | ||
Coat of arms  | ||
| State | Italy | |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Piedmont | |
| Territory | Vercellese | |
| Altitude | 130 m a.s.l. | |
| Surface | 79.78 km² | |
| Inhabitants | 46.618 (2016 census) | |
| Name inhabitants | Vercellesi | |
| Prefix tel | 39 0161 | |
| POSTAL CODE | 13100 | |
| Time zone | UTC 1 | |
| Patron | Sant'Eusebio | |
Position
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| Institutional website | ||
Vercelli is a city of Piedmont.
To know
City of art, it is the eleventh city in the region by number of inhabitants, located on the right bank of the Sesia river, and has always been an important agricultural and commercial center, specifically for the rice trade throughout Europe, which is earned the nickname of European capital of rice.
Geographical notes
The city of Vercelli is located in the Po valley, at an altitude of 130 meters above sea level, north-east of the Po and on the banks of the Sesia. The entire area surrounding the city is flat and is rich in waterways and canals, including the Cavour canal, which allow abundant irrigation of the land, which is essential for the cultivation of rice. The city is located halfway between the cities of Milan and Turin.
When to go
The climate is semi-continental, of the Po Valley type, with cold and foggy winters and hot and very sultry summers (with peaks of 35 ° C and 60% of average relative humidity in the hottest hours). The rains fall mainly in spring and autumn; the wettest month is May, followed by November. In the period from March to September, thunderstorms are common. Vercelli has a very high level of humidity even in the summer due to the evaporation of water from the rice fields and is a very windy city.
Background
The origins of Vercelli are unknown to us: some historians, however, believe it was founded by the Celts. Located along an important road axis of the economy, the city of Vercelli, renamed by the Romans Vercellae developed as an urban center from a pre-existing Celtic-Ligurian settlement following the Roman occupation dating back to the first decades of the 2nd century BC.
The Christian religion came in the Constantinian age, precisely in 313, through the emperor Constantius II. The first bishop, consecrated in 345 by Pope Julius I, and who later also became the patron saint of the city, was the well-known Sant'Eusebio, the first bishop in chronological order present in Piedmont. Strong personality, he soon became an esteemed pastor of the Vercelli Chapter, known throughout Piedmont (of which he later became patron), above all as a popularizer of the Marian cult of the Black Madonna, imported from the Holy Land, then founder of the Sanctuary of Oropa. The archdiocese of Vercelli thus became one of the most important among the suffragans of nearby Milan.
There is little and uncertain information about the late ancient and early medieval period. From the 6th to the 8th century the city remained under the Lombard dominion and subsequently passed under the guidance of the Franks. Vercelli then became a county and was actually administered by its bishops. After years of uncertainty, Vercelli allied himself with the Milanese and participated in the events of the Lombard League until the victorious Battle of Legnano.
In the thirteenth century the municipal regime progressively asserted itself which gave way to the most prosperous period in the entire history of the city that had obtained control over the territory between the Alps, the Po, the Sesia and the Dora Baltea, thanks also to the act of 24 April 1243 with which Cardinal Gregorio di Montelongo, papal legate, had ceded to the Municipality the jurisdiction over all the territories belonging to the Diocese of Vercelli, vacant at that time, keeping the latter the minor jurisdiction.
Following the long struggles between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, led by the Avogadro and the Bicheri-Tizzoni respectively, the town passed to foreign dominion and in 1335 Vercelli lost its political autonomy forever.
Under the dominion of the Visconti there was a period of relative tranquility until in 1427 the city went under the Duchy of Savoy and was rapidly enriched Vercelli was one of the major cultural centers of Renaissance Piedmont. At the end of the sixteenth century Vercelli still retained much of the early Christian, medieval and Renaissance artistic and historical heritage but the project of Carlo Emanuele I to make Vercelli a fortress city stopped the expansion of the city, blocking it for over a century in its mighty walls. In 1704 the last siege of Vercelli took place with the destruction of the walls and the citadel by the army of the Duke of Vendôme during the war of the Spanish succession but the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713 marked the return to the Savoy. In the second half of the eighteenth century, squares and avenues began to take shape, which still today give organic unity to the city, and buildings of considerable beauty were erected.
After the restoration of the Savoy State, dating back to 1814, the Vercelli people participated in the liberal revolt of 1821 and in the struggles of the Risorgimento. After the unification of Italy the building activity stagnated, but saw the birth of piazza Torino (now Pajetta), the refurbishment of Porta Milano, the construction of the Jewish synagogue.
At the beginning of the twentieth century the city experienced a notable expansion. With the rebirth of the fifties and the most recent vicissitudes, Vercelli returned to tranquility and agriculture, the main resource of the territory, was transformed thanks to the growing mechanization of the means of processing. Even today, for the province of water lands, rice cultivation represents a real wealth that characterizes the rural landscape, typical for rice fields, and is a driving factor of the area's economy. However, precisely because of mechanization, agriculture no longer offers great job opportunities. Furthermore, the city has suffered from the recent crisis in the textile sector, with the consequent closure of some important industrial sites. The lack of great job opportunities has led many Vercelli to commute to nearby Turin and Milan.
How to orient yourself
Vercelli: full screen map.The city retains the very intimate historic center, enclosed by imposing avenues that have taken the place of the ancient medieval walls. The old town is cut in two from west to east by Corso della Libertà which is the main shopping and nightlife street. Piazza Cavour instead represents in all respects the heart of Vercelli and a characteristic market is held here every week.
How to get
By plane
The nearest airport is that of Milan-Malpensa. From the airport regular bus service to Novara, then train; alternatively Malpensa Express shuttle to Milan, then train.
From the airport of Turin-Caselle, bus to Turin Porta Susa or Porta Nuova station, then train.
By car
Vercelli can be reached according to the greater convenience based on the origin:
- A4 motorway from Milan up to Km 447, where it is necessary to take the deviation for the A26 Genoa, then exit at the Vercelli Est tollbooth;
- A4 motorway from Turin up to Km 43, where it is necessary to take the detour for Alessandria-Genoa, exiting at the Vercelli Ovest tollbooth;
- Motorway A26 from Genoa exiting at Vercelli Est.
On the train
- Vercelli station, located on the Turin-Milan line.
By bus
Daily bus lines connect Vercelli with Valsesia, Biella, Casale Monferrato, Chivasso, Ivrea is Novara.
Connections also possible with Turin is Milan.
How to get around
Vercelli is a very quiet city, which offers an excellent network of avenues, cycle paths and pedestrian areas. A great way to get around is on foot. Arriving by train, for example, the city center can be reached in a few minutes, and you will have the opportunity to observe and visit some great monuments and buildings.
Traveling by car, it will often be difficult to find parking near the places of interest, unless you leave your car in the parking lot adjacent to the basilica of Sant'Andrea, located in the center, and worth a visit.
Vercelli offers an excellent bus network, thanks to which you can travel the city center, with numerous intermediate stops. There are also various lines that lead to the more remote areas of the city, where we can find places for shopping and entertainment.
The city center is a Restricted Traffic Zone.
What see
1 Basilica of Sant'Andrea, Piazza Roma, 35. Perhaps the most important and famous building in the city. It is one of the Italian architectural works that best come close to French Gothic, in fact this basilica, built in 1227, is a combination of Romanesque elements of the Lombard tradition and Gothic elements such as the majestic rose window, the two towers that flank the facade and the inside the slender beam pillars. To the side of the basilica there are the ancient abbey rooms that develop around a characteristic cloister. 
- 2 Sant'Eusebio Cathedral (Duomo), Piazza S. Eusebio, 10.
8:00 - 19:00. Built on the ruins of the ancient early Christian church of Vercelli, today it presents itself with the majestic aspect of a neoclassical cathedral. Inside, above the recently rebuilt altar, there is a splendid one crucifix in silver foil dating back to around the year one thousand. - 3 Synagogue. Vercelli is home to an important Jewish community in Italy. The Jewish community in the city has been documented since 1446, but peaked in 1848, when it had over 600 members. In the 19th century, a vast synagogue was inaugurated by the architect Giuseppe Locarni, characterized by a particular facade with two-colored bands in sandstone.
- 4 Piazza Cavour. Piazza Cavour, located in the heart of the historic center is the most important square in Vercelli. For at least eight centuries it has represented the main meeting place where the most important moments of city life take place. Paved with cobblestones, it is surrounded by arcades on all four sides and has a characteristic trapezoidal shape, it also preserves appreciable historical vestiges among which the Torre dell'Angelo stands out, one of the emblems of the city. Home to the twice-weekly market, the square is a restricted traffic area.
- 5 Visconteo Castle. The castle, with a quadrangular plan, was built in 1290 by the will of Matteo I Visconti and subsequently became the Savoy residence. The military governor of the city later resided there and was severely damaged in the Spanish siege of 1638. It was adapted during the nineteenth century to house the prisons and from 1838 to the court which is still housed within its walls.
- The towers. Vercelli is characterized by a large number of towers, evidence of its ancient medieval origin. The most famous is the Torre dell'Angelo which rises above Piazza Cavour.
- 6 Francesco Burgundy Museum, @[email protected]. The Francesco Borgogna Museum houses a vast collection of painting, sculpture, decorative arts, photographic plates. His painting collection represents the second largest art gallery in Piedmont after the Sabauda Gallery in Turin in terms of importance, quality and quantity of works. Founded in 1907 by bequest of Francesco Borgogna, philanthropist and collector of works of art, it is located in his home, Palazzo Ferrero, built in neoclassical style in 1836. The works cover a chronological period ranging from the 15th to the 21st century. There are kept very important paintings by the major painters of the Italian Renaissance such as Domenico Ghirlandaio is Ludovico Carracci.
- 7 Church of San Cristoforo. Built in 1515, this church boasts splendid masterpieces of Gaudenzio Ferrari, the most illustrious exponent of Piedmontese Renaissance painting. In addition to the altarpiece of the Madonna degli Aranci, the Valsesian artist has created a vast cycle of frescoes representing the Stories of Mary Magdalene, the Stories of the Virgin Mary, the Crucifixion, the Assumption of the Virgin as well as an elegant grotesque frieze. The sacred building retains the sixteenth-century structure with a Renaissance-style facade.
8:00 - 19:00. Built on the ruins of the ancient early Christian church of Vercelli, today it presents itself with the majestic aspect of a neoclassical cathedral. Inside, above the recently rebuilt altar, there is a splendid one Events and parties
What to do
Shopping
How to have fun
Where to eat
Average prices
- 1 The Garden, Via L. Sereno, 3, ☎ 39 0161 257230, @[email protected]. Rooms located in an elegant nineteenth-century villa.
- 2 The Cauldron, Viale Garibaldi, ☎ 39 0161 250577. Traditional cuisine in a rustic building.
- 3 Christian and Manuel, Corso Magenta, 71, ☎ 39 0161 253585, @[email protected]. Closed on Sunday evening and Monday. Typical cuisine in a modern way.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- 1 Modo Hotel, Gold Medals Square, 21, ☎ 39 0161 217300, @[email protected]. There is a conference room available.
Average prices
- 2 Matteotti, Corso G. Matteotti, 35 (In the historic center), ☎ 39 0161 211840.
Safety
How to keep in touch
Around
Itineraries
- Via Francigena - Vercelli is one of the most famous cities of the Via Francigena. The most illustrious pilgrims passed through it and often left precious gifts to the bishop of Vercelli. An example is the Book of Vercelli one of the most precious testimonies of the language English.
