Tourist information: Biellese

Historical Outline: Biella and outside

The majority of towns in Piedmont boast very old origins. Santhià, for example, was a Roman village, as demonstrated by an altar dedicated to Jove and various tombs which came to light during recent excavations. Due to its position on the Vercelli-Ivrea road, it was already of remarkable importance. Such a position was advantageous due to its proximity to Vittumulo, the classical town of italic gold. Biella was also a flourishing town in the Roman period. Its name derives from Bruticella, after Brutus, conspirator against Julius Caesar, who lived there. The origin of the town is uncertain, but ancient. In 1959, archaeological finds brought to light the remains of a Gaulish walled hill town which dates back to the Second Iron Age. Over the centuries the town was occupied several times, including by the French and the Austro-Russians, until it became part of the Kingdom of Savoy. The origins of Cavaglià, a small town on the border with Santhià, at the foot of the hills of Serra, are linked to Celtic history as linguistic studies of the place's name suggest.

Visit Biella

The Baptistery is undoubtedly the most characteristic and important monument in Biella. This Romanesque-Lombard building was erected in the middle of the 10th century on the remains of a Roman sepulchre. To the right of the Baptistery lies the 15th century Duomo by Giovanni Bori. It is Gothic in style with pointed arches, vaults with veil borders and an octagonal cupola. To the left, there is the eight-floor high Romanesque campanile with its two and three columned windows. The Gothic church of San Giacomo was built at the beginning of the 13th century and remodelled several times. Inside there are various interesting works of art, including a triptych by Daniele de Bosis depicting the Virgin with Baby Jesus, and the choir-stalls by local craftsmen of the 17th century. The church of San Sebastiano was built in the 17th century and later restored in 1866. In one of the chapels there is a wood painting of Our Lady of the Assumption, a masterpiece by Bernardino Lanino. In Cavaglià little remains of the old buildings. Nevertheless, on the road towards Santhià, visit the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Babilone, a late Renaissance construction built on the ruins of a Lombard church. In Santhià it is worth visiting the Cripta di Santo Stefano, the Parrocchiale di Sant'Agata, and the city's modern art gallery, the Galleria Civica di Arte Moderna.

Events

There are various festivals and town fairs in both Cavaglià and Santhià. Both towns also have lively Carnival celebrations, with processions of allegorical floats and typical gastronomic events such as the traditional bean festival, the fagiolata in Cavaglià. Other characteristic events in Cavaglià include the theatre festival Luglio in Piazza, the festival of youth - Festa dei Giovani and the horse race between the various districts, the Palio dei Rioni.