THE MORAINE

Lengthen hills, generated by the transport and accumulation made by the Glacier Baltea. They circumscribe the amphitheater and they arise as a huge arc of hills (which the most famous is the Serra in Ivrea) the perimeter is about 100 km to the north bounded by Mombarone and Monte Gregorio, mountain towers that constitute the access to the Aosta Valley. In them you can distinguish different groups of circles, referring to three different glacial stages. Great is the variety of environments: many rivers (Chiusella, Elvo, Vione), the lake basins (Alice upper Meugliano) and wetlands (bogs San Giovanni, Vialfrè, Alice Superiore).

THE ROCKY HILLS

They are one of the rare basic rocky outcrops of the worldwide. Located in the Northwest of the amphitheater, in the north side of the town of Ivrea, or in isolated limbs emerging from the plains they have suffered the erosive action of the glacier Baltea, resulting in the creation of depressed areas where there are numerous lake basins (Lake Sirio, Pistono, Countryside, San Michele and Nero) and marsh (Chiaverano bogs, Terre Ballerine), alternating with rocky hillocks, where flora and fauna typical of dry environments grow.

THE PLAIN

Formed by ancient and recent alluvial deposit, and surrounded by morainic amphitheater circles, it is washed by the waters of the Dora Baltea , Chiusella river and other smaller rivers. It features a variable pattern altitude as a result of the various phenomena of accumulation and erosion suffered during the centuries .

GRAN PARADISO NATIONAL PARK

The history of Gran Paradiso National Park is linked to the protection of the ibex. In 1856 King Vittorio Emanuele II declared these mountains a royal hunting reserve, thus saving the ibex from extinction. Its population in those years had been reduced to an alarmingly low level.

The king set up a corps of specialized guards and ordered the laying down of paths and mule-tracks which are still today the best network path system for the protection of the fauna by the modern rangers and form the nucleus of the nature trails for tourist excursions.
In 1919, King Vittorio Emanuele III declared his intention to donate the 2100 hectares of the hunting reserve to the Italian State, for the creation of a national park. On 3 December 1922 the Gran Paradiso National Park was established, Italy's first national park.
The territory of the Park, between the Piedmont and Aosta Valley regions, extends itself for about 70,000 hectares in a mainly Alpine environment. The mountains of the Gran Paradiso group have been in the past carved and shaped by great glaciers and by streams, which led to the formation of the current valleys. In the bottom of the valley's woods the most frequent trees are: the larches, mixed with spruce firs, Swiss stone pines, and rarely silver firs. Going up along the slopes the trees are replaced by wide alpine pastures, which are rich in flowers in the late spring. Going higher again the landscape is characterized by rocks and glaciers, up to the highest peaks of the massif reaching the 4,061 meters with the Gran Paradiso peak.

The ibex, symbol species of Gran Paradiso National Park, lives in the plains at high altitude and on the rocky valley walls. The differences between the male and female are very clear; at the end of autumn, the average weight of adult males is about 90 kg, with an average length of 160 cm. Adult females weigh 35-49 kg and are on average about 135 cm long. This animal is characterized by permanent hollow horns, made up of a horny shell covering the bone. The horns of the male are long and thick and have an average maximum length of 92 cm. Those of the female are shorter and thinner and are on average 34 cm long. The diet of the ibex is made up exclusively of fresh grass in the summer months, supplemented by shrubs, shoots, lichen e conifer needles in the other seasons.
The alpine ibex was threatened with extinction at the end of the 19th century and it survived only in the valleys that today make up the Gran Paradiso National Park. Its presence in the park has been uninterrupted and, currently, its presence is spread evenly over all of the valleys in the protected area. In Val Soana and in the lower Valle Orco its distribution is erratic. The highest concentration is to be found, during the summer, in the Cogne e Savarenche valleys. The ibex is the object of particular attention and protection by the park and many research and conservation projects have been dedicated exclusively to it. Every year, many ibex are taken from Gran Paradiso in an attempt to reintroduce the species in other alpine regions.

Even though the ibex is the most important kind wildlife, the fauna of the Park is also rich of other animals: more than 7.000 chamois (smaller than the ibex and with typical hook horn), over 10.000 marmots, ermines, squirrels, weasels, martens, badger, white hares and foxes. The Birds are also very important: 10 couples of royal eagles and many other birds.
Also the flora of the Park is rich and interesting: on the territory an initial band of woods of beech tree and chestnut, then larch, red fir and pine. Broadly diffused the alpine pastures with rich summer flowerings that include some plant life driven from of the great glaciations.
At Valnontey (Cogne) you can visit the "Paradisia" botanical garden, which opened in 1955 and contains a variety of different environments - rocks, peat bogs, swamps, lakes and streams - and 2,000 species of Alpine flora from Europe and elsewhere.

This predominantly hilly area with a mild climate and fertile terrain is particularly interesting in terms of its geology, natural environment and fauna; these unique qualities have encouraged the co-existence over the centuries of numerous animal and vegetable species and man. In fact, a number of archeological finds show that there were settlements here in the pre-Roman era. The microclimate allows typical plants from cold zones to flourish alongside plants usually grown in warmer climates, forming an ideal habitat for some species of toads and butterflies that have disappeared from the rest of Italy.
The lake zones, that include the lake and its banks, are populated from a great deal of birds since the vegetation offers a sure shelter to the couples that nest ,and its open waters are a calm place of standstill and feeding.
The five lakes are inhabited from the grey heron, the moorhen and the coot, from the great crested grebe, the mallar, the shoveler, the tufted duck, the kingfisher and from the shag, this last present only in winter.
The fishes that live in these waters are the largemouth bass, the carp, the catfish and the lake trout .

LAKE SAN MICHELE

It is the smallest of the Five Lakes of the "Serra di Ivrea". The lake San Michele is located in a rocky dip of glacial origin. Next to the lake there is a scenic headland from which you can reach the wonderful little church of the "Tre Re" built in the XI century.

LAKE PISTONO

The lake Pistono is located among Ivrea, to north and Montalto Dora, to west, and its surface is 650 meters length and 250 meters breadth. Local rivers ,fountains water flow in the lake. The water of the effluent, situated on the west side of the lake , gave the motive power to the mill of the village. On the bank of the Lake Pistono you can admire a wonderful fairy-tail landscape. To the back the horizon is marked by the profile of the "Serra di Ivrea", considered the most beautiful morainic hill in Europe, whereas forehead a little island makes even more picturesque the small basin of water.

LAKE NERO

The lake Nero (black lake), the most solitary and uncontaminated of the lakes of the Canavese sets among steep wooden hills, recalls images of battles and ambushes in the style of the most classical Walter Scott's stories. Rain water and two little rivers flow into the lake in the north part, the effluent is situated in the west part in the direction of the village Borgofranco. From the water of lake Nero come up a little island. The Monbarone mountain is reflected in the lake. This lake is inserted in a rustic scenery enclosed by a very thick vegetation that give to the waters a particularly dark color. For that reason thera are a lot of legends about this lake: the happy love of Leonora and Gualfredo, of the Trovatore and the Castellana; the histories of the local witches that someone still swears to see today with flaming little finger, lurking among the old abandoned houses.

IVREA CASTLE

The castle of Ivrea was built in 1358 by the Amedeo Vi of Savoia the Green Count. The castle became the adobe of the Savoia that embellished it with tapestries, carpets, silvers, precious silks. The duchesse Jolanda of France, Luigi XI and Beatrice of Portugal ‘s sister, lived there, she gave the impulse to culture and art .In 1522 born the prince Adriano son of Adriano III. During the XVI century, in Canavese, begin the war between French and Spanish and the castle suffered a transformation from a rich adobe to a military garrison and in XVIII century the castle became a prison.
Today visitors can visit the courtyard and some rooms that preserve the characteristic of the last destination: cells of a jail. Entirely built in bricks, the imposing construction has squarely plan and great cylindrical towers to the angles (the red towers).
On the walls of the castle they are clearly visible the stone Catherine wheels on which there are little brick arches and the machicolations. The castle has may original windows, in particular the big double lanced window that rise up the Savia's cruciform armorial bearings.
Only three of the four original towers are undamaged ,the one in the north-west part of the castle has been cut at the height of the machicolations due to a violent explosion in 1676.
The 17th june of that year a flash of lighting fall the major tower that was used as ammunition deposit and contained 800 barrels of gun powder.The burst and the fire killed 50 persons and damaged over 100 houses.

MASINO CASTLE

The Masimo Castle built in the 11th century and the residence of the Valperga family for almost ten centuries, dominates the town of Caravino and the plains of Ivrea from on high. Once a fortress built on a rock with four angular towers and surrounded by a ravine, today, the structure is "L-shaped" and characterized by a large round tower decorated with the genealogical tree of its founding family. The second cylindrical tower - smaller and shorter - is placed at a diagonal from the main tower, while the remaining two towers have been lowered and readapted. In one of these, the military chapel with the remains of Re Arduino is located. Inside the castle, there are many frescoed halls -the dance hall, the red room, the arms hall, the billiards room, the atlas room, and the ambassador's hall - which have welcomed such illustrious guests as San Carlo Borromeo, Vittorio Alfieri, Massimo d'Azeglio, Gioacchino Rossini, and Silvio Pellico - even if the most illustrious was, without a doubt, Cristina di Francia better known as Madama Reale. The castle, the property of FAI (Italian Environmental Fund) since 1987, is called the "balcony of Canavese" and is surrounded by an English style park and a small Italian style garden. Inside the park, oftentimes the setting for floral exhibits, there is a small Neo-Gothic temple as well as a carriage house with a rich collection of 18th and 19th century carriages.
March - September: 10 am - 6 pm. October - middle of December and February: 10 am - 5 pm. Open every day, except Mondays (unless public holidays). LAST ENTRANCE TIME: half an hour before closing.

AGLIE' CASTLE

The Aglie' Ducal Castle is an imposing and elegant Savoy's residence, and it goes back to the 12th century . It rears up on the splendid Canavese hills in the ancient village. The original nucleus of the Castle most likely dates back to the 12th century, an era in which the San Martino of Agliè family began to dominate Canavese.
A prestigious park, with its splendid Italian-style gardens and magnificent English-style gardens, makes the Ducal Castle more precious. Plants, centenary trees, wonderful statues, artistic fountains, greenhouses, sculpture and too much other beauties can be found along the pathways 7 kilometers long inside this very charming place. The park is structured on three levels and it's the famous eighteen-century fountain representing the Dora Baltea getting into the Po by Ignazio and Filippo Collino. In other words, if you're going to have a lovely rest, the Aglie' Ducal Castle park is just what you need. In fact, the park will give you magical relax moments by surrounding you by its particular attractiveness in this very pleasant town of Aglie'. You'll be able to enter the charming Italian-style garden by crossing through a great double-sided staircase with marble balustrade. The garden still rears up on the left side of the main facade. Moreover, geometrical box hedges wind around an elliptical fountain. This is what you'll find together with too much other magnificence if you decide to go for a walk surrounded by various splendors such as red oaks and plane trees in addition to the prestigious sculptures that you can find along the magnificent winding pathways.
Nowadays, the Aglie' Ducal Castle, with an elegant facade with strong embattled towers, is a prestigious example of baroque architecture. It's been built in the 12th century, but its current appearance has been designed by the architect Amedeo of Castellamonte, who contributed to change the Duchy of Savoy's capital. That's why the Aglie' Ducal Castle is a very privileged touristic destination by those people who decide to spend his holidays in the Piedmont's capital. The castle has also 300 rooms inside such as the frescoed ballroom, long period furniture galleries, painting, sculptures, the theatre and a precious collection of archeological finds.

MAZZE' CASTLE

Not one, but two Mazze Castles (Castello di Mazze). Nicknamed the "big castle" and the "small castle", they are united by a large park that encloses the fortified complex which the Counts Valperga had built in the 12th century. The smaller castle is also older and has a crenellated wall and a high, square tower with double lancet windows in terracotta. The square shape is reminiscent of the castle's larger central tower, which, for its part, is characterized by its rectangular layout, pointed windows, and perimeter walls that are crenellated and "closed" by towers. The castle is a two-storey structure: on the first floor is the Hall of the Throne (Salone del Trono) with frescos by Romolo Bernardi that finish on a lacunar ceiling; the Pink Room (Sala Rosa) is in a Baroque style and decorated with courtly themed medallions; the Gold Room (Sala d'Oro) has mosaic flooring and ceilings with 18th century frescos by the Galliari brothers; the Dining Room (Sala da Pranzo) in the Gothic style and is covered by a frescoed groin arch; and a bedroom (where Benito Mussolini slept) with several connecting rooms - including a library - with frescoed pavilion ceilings. In the medieval castle's ancient cellars, it is possible to visit the Museum of Torture with implements and methods from the Inquisition.
Opened every Sunday afternoon, times 14 -17.00 last entry.

MONTALTO CASTLE

The castle, risen to 405 meters on the Crovero Mountain, was built between the X and the XI century and its builder is unknown, nevertheless it is known that toward 1000's it was constituted from a tower, a connection surrounded and a chapel devoted to the Saints Efisio, Mark and Eusebio. Annexed to the castle there was also a church entitled to Sant'Egidio, tha destroyed with the Castle and a lot of near houses during the war between Savoia and Monferrato. The castle became a fortress in the XIV century, period in which it belonged to the Committee of Ivrea. In March 1344 the castle was sold to the count Amedeo of Savoia who already owned the other feuds of the valley of Montalto (Montestrutto, Settimo, Castelletto e Castruzzone). From that moment the castle has suffered a long series of passages of ownership suffering many structural changes due to destructions, attacks and sieges. In 1403 De Jordano of Bard became liege lord of Montalto castle. He and his Family made radical changes to the structure of the castle and built new parts of it. Among the many attacks suffered the most devastating happened during the siege of Ivrea in 1641 by D'Harcourt troupes: in facts the building was dismantled in its inside but remained the same in its outside. The castle in the following centuries suffered numerous transfers and investitures and it was destroyed and rebuilt many times as long as in 1700 it returned to the Vallesas, that held it in ownership up to the extinction of the family happened the last century. The count Severino Casana in 1890 renovated the Castle according to the project of the architect and archaeologist Alfredo of Andrate. The renovation didn't change the angle turrets, the double lanced windows, the terracotta tiles windows and the battlements. In 1957 the castle has been purchased by the Real estate Society "Castello di Montalto" to take care of the renovations and to make a good use of it. The actual architectural structure of the castle has a double surrounded wall even if there are only some trace of the first wall. The plant of the building is an irregular quad with tall boundaries around 14 meters for a upper perimeter of 150. A big square tower in the inside dominate the whole building. In the courtyard of the castle there are a low construction that presumably was a guard post and a chapel that preserve a fresco representing the Holy Mary with child of the XV century. Between those two structures there is the well.
The castle opens once a year in Spring during the F.A.I. days and in special occasions.

MALGRA' CASTLE (RIVAROLO CANAVESE)

In Rivarolo Canavese, on the right bank of the Orco River, the Castle of Malgrà was built between 1333 and 1336 as Martino di San Martino, lord of Rivarolo and Aglie and descendent of King Arduino, requested. Legend has it that the term "Malgra" is derived from the fact that the castle was built "malgrado" (notwithstanding) the opposition of the Valperga family, foes of the San Martino family, although the origin of the name probably comes from the site's place name. The setting of clashes between the two families, the castle was conquered by the marquises of Monferrato, allied with the Valperga, and only later sold to the Savoy who returned it to the San Martino family after an act of submission. In 1626, Ludovico Pievano di Pont, the last descendent of the San Martino family, ceded the fiefdom which became the primary property of the Cortina family, then of the Francesetti family, and finally of the Robilant family. After destructions and reconstructions, the castle was restructured by the architect Alfredo D'Andrade between the 19th century and the 20th century to whom we owe the exposure of the medieval structure. The Castle was acquired by the city in 1982.

The Via Francigena is a historical itinerary leading to Rome from Canterbury, a major route which in the past was used by thousands of pilgrims on their way to Rome. At the beginning of the 11th century mainly, a multitude of souls "looking for their Lost Heavenly Home" took the habit of travelling across Europe. This route bears witness to the importance of the practice of pilgrimage in medieval times; the pilgrim was to travel mostly on foot (for penitential reasons), covering about 20-25 Km a day,and was driven by a fundamentally devotional reason: the pilgrimage to the Holy Sites of Christianity.There were at the time three main centers of attraction for that journeying humanity:Rome, first of all, the site of the martyrdom of Saint Peter and Saint Paul; Santiago de Compostela, the place chosen by the apostle Saint James to rest in peace and obviously Jerusalem in the Holy Land. The pilgrim did not travel alone but in a group and he used to carry the pilgrimage emblems. Along these very same pilgrim routes, an intense trading activity was carried out and armies followed the same itineraries in the course of their movements. The original cities crossed by the via Francigena are: Canterbury, Calais, Bruay, Arras, Reims, Châlons-sur-Marne, Bar-sur-Aube, Besançon, Pontarlier, Losanna, Gran San Bernardo, Aosta, Ivrea, Santhià, Vercelli, Pavia, Piacenza, Fiorenzuola d'Arda, Fidenza, Parma, Fornovo di Taro, Pontremoli, Aulla, Luni, Lucca, Porcari, Altopascio, San Genesio, San Gimignano, Siena, San Quirico, Bolsena, Viterbo, Sutri, Rome.
Thanks to the work of the International Scientific Committee, we are today in a position to retrace this route on the basis of a document left to us by Sigeric, Archibishop of Canterbury. In 994, on his way back to Canterbury from Rome, he described the itinerary and the main stopping places along the way in his memories. Moreover, by agreeing to the requests of the local authorities involved,the Council of Europe has declared the Via Francigena a "European Cultural Itinerary.

THE CANAVESE AND THE VIA FRANCIGENA

The Romanesque architecture in the Canavese is represented by the traces of the most ancient religious buildings, as the cathedral of Ivrea and the Abbey of Fruttuaria, and, by an ample repertoire of churches of modest dimensions, as well, that suggestively rise in isolated country places or on the morainic hills that characterize the landscape of Canavese. The presence in Canavese of a rich patrimony of Romanesque (to XI and XII centuries) religious buildings arouse great interest in the collective imagination due to the historical events and the legends happened the Middle Ages in those buildings. There are the political and war stories of King Arduino of Ivrea around the year 1000,many buildings in Ivrea tell his deeds and legend: the cathedral of Ivrea that was the center of bad fights against the bishop Warmondo; the Abbey of Fruttuaria in San Benigno Canavese to whom in life Arduino was related by a political patronage and in which his mortal remain rested for a long time; the stronghold and the church of Santa Croce in Sparone where in 1004 he won the imperial troops of Henry II of Germany.
The Via Francigena that from the other slope of the Alps reach Italy through the pass of the Saint Bernard and crossing Aosta Valley reaches the Canavese in Carema and following the shore of the river Dora Baltea comes to Ivrea to continue toward the lake of Viverone, Roppolo, Cavaglià and Santhià.
Today special road signs show the way to pilgrims of the many Romanesque churches left through the long road followed by Archbishop Sigeric from Canterbury to Rome.

Put the ancient words epo, meaning "horse" , and reda , meaning "carriage" together and the world Eporedia is obtained, the place name chosen by the Romans when they founded what is now Ivrea. The name came naturally, as the inhabitants were for the most part horse trainers of quite extraordinary capabilities.
Seat of a Longobard duchy and then county of the French kingdom, Ivrea was at its most splendid under the rule of bishop Warmondo and the first king of Italy, Arduin. The following century Ivrea became a free commune, but succumbed in the first decades of the 13th century. In 1238 Emperor Frederick II put it under his domains. Later Ivrea was disputed between the bishops, the marquis of Monferrato and the House of Savoy. In 1356 Ivrea was acquired by Amadeus VI of Savoy. With the exception of the brief French conquest at the end of the 16th century, Ivrea remained under Savoy until 1800: on May 26 of that year Napoleon Bonaparte entered the city along with his victorious troops, establishing control that ended in 1814 after his fall.

Walking through the city the visitor meets precious evidence of medieval splendour dating back to when Ivrea was surrounded by walls and divided into the thirds of City, San Maurizio and Borgo. This division no longer exists but the observant visitor may still notice a trace of wall which separates the upper town from the lower. The first sight to see is the Palazzo Vescovile, residence of Warmondo , on which the medieval Torrione del Vescovo sits,with notable friezes and dovetail merlons with tails. Then there is the Duomo of Santa Maria, the Cathedral was probably erected in the 4th century AD over a Pagan temple. It was reconstructed around AD 1000 by Bishop Warmondus in Romanesque style: of that edifice the two bell towers, some columns and the elegant frescoed crypt remain. The latter houses an ancient Roman sarcophagus which, according to the tradition, preserved the relics of St. Bessus (co-patron of the city together with St. Sabinus). A substantially new edifice, in Baroque style, was built in 1785. The current neo-classical façade is from the 19th century. The main art piece of the interior is the Miraculous Resurrection of a Child (second half of 15th century), attributed to Nicolas Robert. The sacristy has two pales by Defendente Ferrari. The cathedral is also seat of the tomb of Blessed Thaddeus McCarthy.

Chiesa di San Bernardino. The small Gothic church of San Bernardino is situated in the old outskirts of Ivrea, hidden by the modern Olivetti buildings. It was built by the Orders of Friars Minor starting from 1455 with is joined cloister. The church houses notable cycle portraying the Life and Passion of Christ by Giovanni Martino Spanzotti painted among 1485 and 1490. It represents the top of his artistic production. There are also other late gothic frescos of smaller value, today attributed to the painter Cristoforo Moretti from Lombardia. The church is property of the Olivetti family.

Chiesa di San Gaudenzio. It is a small jewel of baroque architecture attributed to the architect Luigi Andrew Guibert. This elegant little church, built among 1716 and 1724 on a small high ground ( once it was country out of the inhabit of Ivrea ) , now it is surrounded by the urban redevelopment. Inside the church it is preserved a notable cycle of frescos by Luca Rossetti from Orta with scenes devoted to the life of St. Gaudenzio, saint of the IV century presumably born in Ivrea ).
The sanctuary of Monte Stella a devotion place situated on a green and quiet hill in the nearby of the market square, place where starts the Via Crucis. Continuing in the uphill visitors can reach the Chapel of the Three King in which is found the fresco (nativity and Saints Rocco and Sebastiano) paint by Giovanni Spansotti.

IVREA AND THE OLIVETTI

Ing. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A. - the "first Italian typewriter factory" was founded by Camillo Olivetti on 29 October 1908 .

It had 20 employees and a 500 sq.m production workshop with a weekly output of about 20 machines. The company's first typewriter , the M1, was presented at the Universal Fair in Turin in 1911. Olivetti grew rapidly, building up a diversified product offer and opening subsidiaries in Europe and the rest of the world. In 1920 , the company presented the M20 typewriter; by the end of the 1920s, thanks to new forms of labour organisation and the introduction of mass production, it reached an annual output of 13,000 machines. While the number of sales branches multiplied in Italy, the company began its international growth, opening its first overseas subsidiary in 1929, in Spain, which was followed by operations in Belgium, Argentina and a number of other European and South American countries. Typewriter production expanded with the introduction of new models, including the first portable typewriter, the MP1, launched in 1932. During the 1930s and 1940s , Olivetti moved into teleprinters, calculators, office furniture and fittings. It also manufactured electric typewriters and calculators and began production of numerical controls. New manufacturing facilities were opened in Italy and, as from 1930, in other countries.
One of the key figures behind the company's rapid expansion was Adriano Olivetti , Camillo's son.
Appointed to the post of General Manager in 1932 and Chairman in 1938, Adriano established a corporate style and culture that won Olivetti a unique place in Italian and European industrial history.
Under Adriano Olivetti's leadership, the 1950s was a time of extraordinary growth, during which the company established itself as the undisputed leader in mechanical office product technology : its flagship products were the Lexikon 80 office typewriter introduced in 1948, the celebrated Lettera 22 portable typewriter launched in 1950 and the Divisumma calculator designed by Natale Capellaro in 1948 and renewed in 1956. In 1958, 50 years after its foundation, Olivetti had more than 24,000 employees, of whom approximately 10,000 in its 17 overseas subsidiaries.

THE MAAM MUSEUM

The museum was opened in 2001 and develops around a mile and a half long walk along Via Jervis and the adjoined streets, an area in which the most significant Olivetti buildings stand.
Along the public footpaths connecting the different buildings there are seven information points that constitute a possible itinerary for a tour in the museum. The information points are strongly integrated into the urban texture of the city. The subjects of the information panels is Olivetti's unrelenting commitment in the field of architecture, town planning, industrial and graphic design and the cultural context in which these activities took place. The heart of the museum is the Rception and Information Centre: here visitors can acquire further information on the topics outlined on the information panels by consulting technical documentation, photographic material end films.
The Villa Girelli Centre is part of the MAAM and offers guided tours specifically animed at schools and groups of children. The tour include creative workshops that are held in the Centre's ateliers and in which different artistic techniques are used.

The cuisine of the Canavese does not break with its ancient origins. Some may call it "poor" but it is in fact rich in wholesome ingredients of intense flavors. The soups, cured meats, cheeses and vegetables are exceptional.
Imagine an earthenware pot on a slow flame on a wood oven in which vegetables and wild herbs, gathered during a walk in the Canavese mountains, are stewing: this is the image which best describes the cuisine of the area, made up of traditional flavors and historic recipes which provide for the exclusive use of local products. The gastronomic tradition of the Canavese and the Lanzo Valleys is a solid one, in the many dishes on the most noted restaurants' menus are the same as those served up generations ago and which today, just as they did then, preserve all the flavors of the past. What may be termed poor cuisine is in fact the most typical dishes is Fat BEANS cooked with herbs, cured meats and pork rind, eaten at Carnival. Much reverence is paid to soups prepared with a base of bread and cheese and made with seasonal vegetables, and above all cabbage in winter and ajuche, delicate aromatics herbs from the Canavese Alps, in spring. CAPONIT, cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and vegetables, and STUFFED ONIONS (with a mince in which sultanas may be discerned) should be tasted. Of the numerous types of sausages, the lanzo Valleys are famous for SALAME DI TURGIA, made of beef from cows which are no longer productive and seasoned with lard, salt and pepper. To accompany these mouth-watering dishes are the classic BREADSTICKS (grissini) which, invented by a doctor and a baker of Lanzo, had the great fortune of immediately becoming the bread favoured by the court. Yet the Canavese is also famous for their cheeses, in particular the extraordinary round cheese of the valleys, of whici should be mentioned the TUMA'D LANS, and the fresh cheeses such as the TOMINI of Chiaverano or SALIGNUN, with chilly and mountains herbs and accompanied by the so called MIASSE, thin maize-based pastries cooked on a special hot plate.
The patisserie deserves a chapter to itself. The patisseries of the Canavese are true artists, repositories of secrets which draw on ancient local traditions. MARTIN SEC, small pears cooked in wine and sugar, the CANAVESANI with rum and the EPOREDIESI with cocoa should be sampled. There are also the crunchy TORCETTI of Agliè, Andrate and Lanzo, the PASTE'D MELIA with a base of corn flour, the soft AMARETTI of Castellamonte and the GRAPPINI of Chiaverano, chocolates filled with the best grappa (marc brandy) produced locally. Then there are CANESTRELLI with vanilla, chocolate, nut flavors. The BISCOTTI DELLA DUCHESSA typical of San Giorgio. Last but not least are the NOCCIOLINI (little nuts) of Chivasso created at the beginning of the 19th C ehich are composed of Piedmontese hazelnuts, sugar and egg whites; and the PAN DOUSS'D MALGRA'. This latter is said to have been the favorite dessert of the lord of San Martino, owner of the Castle of Malgrà at Rivarolo at the beginning of the 16th C. the sweet prepared by his cooks required 48 hours of working and left to rise for 24 hours. Today the local bakers require less time to prepare it and, moreover, offer various versions such as the simple, rustic and rich ones.

THE TORTA 900

Only found in Ivrea, and only at Balla, the Torta 900 is a symbol of Ivrea. One that no one who finds themselves in this part of the world should miss.
The 900 is an ultra-chocolaty confection dreamt up in the 19th century to welcome the new century. Two thin cake slice sandwich the rich mousse, making a flat mud pie that is decorated with icing sugar. You can buy whole cakes to take away or stay and eat a slice in the shop. A slice was more than enough in one go even for this chocolate fanatic. The recipe has been a closely guarded secret for over a century.

The wines of the Canavese have for some time transcended local boundaries and become known and appreciated in the whole of Italy and, indeed, abroad. They are virtually all products of wine growers' cooperatives: this scheme allows them to have access to the best wine-making techniques and the most modern equipment and methods.

THE CAREMA D.O.C.

On the slopes of the mountains where the Piedmont ends and begins the Aosta Valley, a special wine is born: the Carema.
It deals with a great red Doc produced in small quantities, with the typical characteristics of the wine of the mountain.
An intense taste, the result of the hard work for the intensive farming of this grape.
The range borders on the Aostatal, the viticulture is in this gebirgigen area on a height of 300 - 650 m height possible, but difficult. The vineyards were put on in the form of terraces at the steep slopes. The wine becomes already in 16. Century as one of the best wines Piemonts described. The red wine consists of 100% Nebbiolo, is however easier and had more acid than a Barolo or Barbaresco. With the winegrower the wine must 4 years mature before it into the sales arrived. With the buyer the wine can be stored still 8 - 12 years.
The Carema wine is ruby red tended to the garnet-red.. When it is ready to be tasted it reaches the 12 alcoholic degrees. Its intense bouquet remembers the rose; the taste is soft, velvety and full-bodied.
It is perfect with main dishes : roast meat, game, red meats and mature cheeses, or it can be sipped in front of the fireplace talking with friends nibbling nuts and cakes.

THE ERBALUCE OF CALUSO D.O.C.

Strictly doc, a dry wine from the very intense flavor, to be samples chilled with fresh appetizers or with fish. It is produced in 35 villages of which the majority (31) are in Canavese, 3 in province of Biella and 1 in the province of Vercelli.
The Erbaluce of Caluso is produced on the namesake vineyards, whose growing on the morainic hills of the Canavese, continues from so long ago.
The isolated vineyards of Caluso hills ,finding the best environmental conditions for its developments and a favourable climate, produce a unique and unmistakable white wine.
This particular wine has a delicate flavouring, a pleasant freshness and proper alcoholic degree reached naturally. The excellent and sophisticated wine technologies enable to obtain a genuine and natural product.
The recommended temperature to enjoy this wine is 8-10°, the color is pale-yellow and it is characterized by an elegant perfume, that remembers the wild flowers; the taste is dry, fresh and slightly acid.

CALUSO PASSITO D.O.C.

Erbaluce di Caluso Passito Wine or Caluso Passito Wine is obtained with dried Erbaluce grapes. It is a luxury wine.
Caluso passito is obtained from Erbaluce grapes, eventually adding local Bonarda (maximum 5%), after a drying process lasting until the first February after the grape harvest. It is the result of the wine process of accurately selected sound bunches of grapes undergoing a natural drying process by hanging or placing them on wooden hurdles in order to favor the evaporation of the water contained in the grape and the consequent concentration of sugars. This grape nectar will come old in precious oak barrels for at least 4 years, during which flavourings and tastes are naturally developed.
The Caluso Passito is perfect with sweets, above all pies, zabaglione, and dry pastries.
Its color is from golden yellow to dark amber, the scent is ethereal, delicate, characteristic ant the teste of this noble wine is sweet, delicate, balanced, full-bodied, velvety.

CANAVESE D.O.C. BARBERA

The Canavese Barbera is appreciated with red meats, cold cuts and matured cheeses while, the Nebbiolo is excellent with the game and medium-mature cheese; both served to 12-14° in goblets for young red wines. The White is served with main course dishes of fish to 9-11° in flared wine glass for young white wines; the Red matches with grilled red meats, stews and cold cuts, served to 12-14° in wine glasses for young red wines, finally, the Rosé matches with appetizers, first dishes as vegetables soups, with middle-mature dairy cheeses , served to 10-12° in big goblets.
All those wines are perfect with all the typical Piedmont dishes and the typical food from the Canavese: soups, vegetables, beans, cheeses, juicy meats and delicious starters.

THE HISTORIC CARNIVAL OF IVREA

If you should hear pipers accompanied by the chasing rhythm of the drums coming through the streets and squares of Ivrea, you have no need to check the calendar to realize that Carnival time has arrived. The unmistakable notes of ancient marches and sonatas guardedly handed down from father to son caese to ring out only on Ash Wednesday, the last day for taking part in this moment of collective joy. The world-famous Ivrea Carnival is the most interesting and famous show of folklore in the Canavese, and its origins must be sought in ancient popular traditions.
This great festival in which history and medieval legend mix to give life to a big show, in which the absolute are the Mugnaia (miller's girl), soul of the Carnival, the General with his General Staff, the Deputy Grand Chancellor, the Podestà, the procession with the flags of the Ivrea districts with the Abbà ( the little priors of the districts) and the Pipes and Drums.

To fill with colors and perfumes the city there is the famous and spectacular Battle of the Oranges, moment of great involvement and strong emotions.The traditional orange throwing has its roots in the middle of the XIXth century. Earlier and more precisely in the middle ages, beans were used in this battle. We are told that twice a year the feudal lord gave a pot of beans to the poor families who, out of disrespect, threw them into the streets. The same pulses were also used at carnival as fun ammunition to be thrown at the backs of unsuspecting adversaries. Around the thirties and sixties of last century, girls started to throw some oranges from their balconies onto the parade carriages together with confetti, lupins and flowers.
The targets of these were the boys by whom the girls wanted to be noticed. From the carriages the boys started to answer in kind and little by little, the gesture of homage became first a duel and then a real fight between the throwers on the balconies and those in the streets. Only after the Second World War did the battle become the present contest following fixed rules.
Today the contest is still enacted in the main squares of the town where teams in carriages (symbolizing the tyrant's guards) battle against the orange thrower teams on foot (the rebellious commoners) which consist of hundreds of throwers.
Undoubtedly this is the most spectacular event of the festivities representing the fight for liberty, the symbol of the Ivrea Carnival.
The orange battle is an incredible cultural and goliardic heritage putting the festival on a national and international level.
The orange throwing is also the event with the greatest collective participation: anybody can take part by enlisting in one of the nine teams on foot or becoming a member of a carriage crew.

Besides the exhibition of the horses and the shows of equestrian art there are also stalls that sell the most varied goods, farm tractors and agricultural machines are exposed.
The horse tradition dates back to the foundation of Ivrea, the ancient word Eporedia comes from "epo", meaning horse, and "reda", meaning carriage, the place name chosen by the Romans when they founded what is now Ivrea.
In fact Ivrea was situated on the road for the Gallia (the French kingdom) that connected Vercelli to Aosta and it was a coaching house. According to some historian theory in Ivrea there was a military academy where the soldiers were trained to the handling of the horses and to ride the horse-car.
In the history of Ivrea the horses have continued to have an important role and so the Fair of the Horses of St. Savino that grows every year.
San Savino's story is quite interesting. He lived between the end of the 3rd century and the beginning of the 4th, and was the bishop of Spoleto. Because the Christian faith was not approved by the Roman Empire, he was arrested, put in prison and his hands were cut. His followers kept coming in to visit and support him, and a noble woman in particular received a miracle for his nephew, who regained sight after Savino touched his eyes with his stumps. he person responsible for the imprisonment of the Saint came to know about this miracle and since he himself had a severe eye disease he came to the Saint asking for his help. When Savino repeated the miracle he converted him and his entire family to the Christian faith and was freed. The emperor Massimiliano though, who could not tolerate the Christian Faith sent a member of his guards to kill Savino, and so he did. A woman who had already kept Savino's hands, buried the saint a couple of miles outside of the city. In the year 313, after Constantino gave his blessing to the Christian faith, the body of Savino was exhumed and put in a church that the people of Spoleto dedicated to him.
His body remained there for 6 centuries, until the son of the marquis of Ivrea Berengario II decided to give Ivrea a patron Saint to free the city from a plague that was infesting the town. As soon as the remains of the Saint entered the town the plague ended. The saint was then proclaimed Patron of Ivrea and his remains were put in a cathedral.

Turin was the first capital of modern Italy, and was the host of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. You will be astonished by the daring lines of a style that, from the late 17th century, transformed Turin into one of the capitals of Baroque art. Magnificent Royal Residences and imposing church domes bear witness to the greatness of architects such as Guarino Guarini, Filippo Juvarra and Ascanio Vitozzi.

Turin is a city that became, from Roman camp and medieval town, the first capital of Italy, in 1861. Immerse yourself in the history of the period in a visit to Palazzo Carignano, where the magnificent chamber of the First Subalpine Parliament is still intact.
With its 40 museums, Turin can satisfy everyone's curiosity. The Museo Nazionale del Cinema housed in the truly astounding Mole Antonelliana, proposes an unforgettable adventure in the fascinating world of film, from shadow theatre to the latest of Hollywood's special effects. Then there is the GAM - Galleria Civica di Arte Moderna e Contemporanea, which exhibits paintings by Chagall, Modigliani and Picasso among others. The Museo Egizio, the third in the world after the one in Cairo and the British Museum for the quantity and importance of the objects conserved: more than 30,000 pieces narrate 5000 years of history through art, religion and daily life in the time of the great pharahos. Located in the same building is the Galleria Sabauda which houses the work of Piedmontese Artists, together with Tuscan and Venetian masterpieces and precious Flemish and Dutch paintings.
Inside the Cathedral, Turin conserves one of the most important items for the Christian religion, the Holy Shroud, or sheet that is thought to have been wound around the body of Christ. The whole city is starred with churches and religious monuments: from the Sanctuary of the Consolata, a place of Marian worship that conserves endless ex-votos, to the Church of Corpus Domini built in memory of the so-called 'Miracle of Turin' which happened in 1453; from the Church of Maria Ausiliatrice, a large Salesian complex founded by Don Giovanni Bosco, to the Basilica of Superga, built to fulfill a vow expressed by Prince Eugene of Savoy.
Turin is the capital of the wines, both red and white, that perfectly match its traditional dishes. Do not miss the rich flavour of agnolotti, bollito [boiled meats] and the exquisite desserts a and for those with a sweet tooth, the city's special chocolates, giandujotti, are a must.
Discover the pleasure of coffee in all its forms - cappuccino, marocchino and above all the bicerin, a characteristic Turinese drink- while comfortably enveloped in the warm atmosphere of the city's historic cafés.
The aperitif ritual should not be missed either; it is not just a glass of vermouth, but also a moment for relaxing with friends while nibbling delicious savoury titbits.
Turin boasts 18 kilometers of arcades that criss-cross the city centre. They offer protection from both rain and hot summer sun, allowing you to admire in all comfort the windows of designer fashion and Italian design.
Wander through the stalls in Piazza della Repubblica, where the biggest open-air market in Europe is held; if you like antiques, do not miss the Gran Bal'n, the biggest flea market in the city; if, instead, you are keen on second-hand and antiquarian books, a walk down Via Po is a must.
Turin will surprise you with its millions of proposals both for day and night; each corner of the city is alive with a variety of meetings and initiatives: theatre, dance, shows of every kind, from the classical to the contemporary: not only big events, but also the pleasure of listening to live music in the city's many nightspots.
Turin will delight you with its romantic corners and evocative angles, so special for passing unforgettable moments, together with the lights of the city night: the lights of the moon and the lights of the candles illuminating restaurant tables on the hill or along the river.

Five centuries under the Roman influence have left impressive marks in this town. After the defeat of the Salassi (the local population), in 25 B.C. Augustus founded a city. He gave it his name and stationed there three thousand soldiers of the praetorian cohorts: hence the name Augusta Praetoria Salassorum. It was the mark of Roman military colonization: a strategic centre to establish control over a newly conquered territory and over the way to Gaul. Born at the peak of an extraordinary town-planning experimentation, Aosta holds and summarizes the best architectural aspects of the Roman empire; it constitutes a sort of ideal city, a model which is still visible today in the preservation of the original layout and this most significant structures. The city is a rectangle bound by the city walls, that is subdivided into blocks crossed through with perpendicular roads. To prove its Roman past there are: the Augustian Arch (the entry to the town since the beginning of time) that was probably constructed in the same year as the foundation of the city, in honor of Augustus, the victor over Salassi; the City walls and the Towers which show the military and strategic function of Aosta. The Walls, in travertine rock, have a perimeter of 728 x 574 meters. At their four corners and far about every 20 meters stood the towers: some of these are still preserved; of the four city gates, the only one remaining is the eastern Porta Praetoria. It is considered one of the most beautiful and best preserved city gateways of the Roman World; The remains of the Amphitheatre are contained in the monastery of Santa Caterina and it could hold up to twenty thousand people, more than the entire population of Aosta.
Between the IV and V Century Aosta became a dioceses. Aosta is rich in Early-Christian evidences: beneath the Cathedral of Aosta foundations, paving, baptismal fonts, mosaics, stairways and tombs have been discovered. Together with the monumental complex of Sant'Orso, the contemporary one of the Cathedral represents the main expression of the Chiristian Art and Architecture in Aosta.

AOSTA VALLEY

The Aosta Valley is a mountainous autonomous region in north-western Italy. With an area of 3,263 km2 it is the smallest, least populous, and least densely populated region of Italy. It is the only Italian region which has no provinces Provincial administrative functions are provided by the regional government. The region is divided into 74 communes.Some communes, concentrated in the valley bottomlands, speak a form of Gallo-Romance as their first language, while in the Lys Valley there is a Walser German speaking minority. The regional capital is Aosta.
It is the most mountainous region of Italy, entirely surrounded by the best known, splendid peaks of the Alps: the Monte Bianco, the Matterhorn, the Monte Rosa and the Gran Paradiso. The latter is at the center of a magnificent National Park, populated by beautiful specimens of ibex, chamois and eagle. Numerous glaciers feed a rich web of streams, which at the bottom of the respective valleys flow in the basin of the Dora Baltea. The distinctly Alpine character of this region can be seen in the pine forests, up to rather high altitudes, where they give place to large pasturelands. The small Alpine lakes, little jewels set in majestic mountain landscapes, are numerous. Thanks to the Monte Bianco's and the Gran San Bernardo's tunnels, the great historic passes are today important lines of communication.
It is a region where breathtaking nature preserved Roman and medieval monuments, castles, churches, artistic heritage and local traditions. It is a region where one can enjoy the life in open air with infinite opportunities for trekking, hiking, skiing, and other sport activities.
The valleys of Cogne, Valsavarenche and Rhêmes, which form the Gran Paradiso National Park and the valley of Valgrisenche. At about 14km from Aosta at 880m on a dominant terrace of the valley you meet Introd with its castle of the 13th century, a big round building dominated by a square tower standing in the central inner court (closed to the public). Near the castle there is an old farmhouse called l'Ola, one of the best examples of rural buildings in Aosta Valley .
Valsavarenche in the heart of Gran Paradiso national park is the best area for excursions to Gran Paradiso, the only mountain over 4000 m situated completely in Italy, and to the Grivola mountain.
The Rhêmes Valley is parallel to Valsavarenche. Driving upwards you first meet the quiet village of Rhêmes-Saint-Georges at 1218 m, starting point of several excursions during which you can see marmots, chamois, ibexes and also the lammergeyer, a recently arrival in the Region.
The other beautiful valley present in the area is Valgrisenche, which can be reached from Leverogne (Arvier) on a road climbing near a peak on which stands the sanctuary of Rochefort (once a medieval castle) near the village of the same name.
The wild landscape is dominated by Montmayeur tower.
At 1664m is the little village of Valgrisenche, with its parish church of the 14th cent. and its medieval bell tower.
The Ayas Valley should be mentioned for the handicraft production of sabots, wooden clogs used by farmers and today sought-after souvenirs; the production is "semi-industrial" as well as by hand (made by artisans called "sabotiers" followingtradition).
In the area you can admire several ancient devotional images painted on the walls and some sundials.
Gressoney Saint-Jean, at 1385m. an elegant summer and winter resort rich in culture and traditions; you can visit the Savoy .
At 1624m Gressoney La Trinité is a well-known alpine equipped village and frequented for winter sports and climbs on the Monte Rosa massif. With the nearby valleys of Ayas and Alagna, the valley of Gressoney is one of the largest skiing areas in the Alps, the "Monterosaski" In Gressoney valley several picturesque Walser typical houses are scattered, called "rascard" in all Aosta Valley, wooden hay lofts raised up on stone and wood pillars in the shape of mushrooms, to keep mice and damp at bay.

The predominant architecture of the area is Gothic, with touches of Romanesque. Roman artifacts are numerous, but it is the unique wooden and marble statuary created by local artists, much of which is exhibited in the Treasury Museum at the Cathedral in Aosta, that exemplifies Aostan art.

The craft tradition is deeply rooted in the history of our valleys. Today, it has become an art that is able to express an aesthetic language which goes well beyond our mountains. The true Aosta talent for craft activities (wood working, lace making and wrought iron) originates out of the age-old need to produce objects for everyday life, using raw materials that are available in that area. Today, the craft sector is an important means of attracting tourism as well as encouraging regional investment in production. Over a thousand people work exclusively in this sector. The thousand year old Saint Orso Fair, originally created as a winter market for the valley folk, is a real showcase for the artistic and craft production of the Aosta Valley. It takes place every year on the 30th and 31st January, together with an additional summer event, held in mid-August. But there are a large number of other fairs in many other Valley areas.

Known for its simple and genuine ingredients, but with centuries of tradition and elaborate preparation, gastronomy plays an important role in the regional culture. The cheeses, such as Toma and the famous and original Fontina, accompany the local specialties: polenta concia, carbonada, Valdosatana steak, and chamois meat and they are the main ingredients of the Fonduta alla valdostana, a mix of fontina, eggs, milk, and butter melted together to enjoy with bread. Other regional products are honey, all-bran bread, Arnad lard, Bosses ham and mocetta, a chamois dried meat. Val'Aosta produces numerous wines, with the official seal of denomination of origin. Donnas, Pinot Noir and Fumin are excellent reds, while one should try the Chardonnay, Morgex and Chambave Muscat which are three of the valley's best white wines. Grappa and genepi are local liquors to warm one up after a cold day of skiing or during a breezy summer night.