|
These glorious past times left many evidences in Ivrea, such as
the beautiful remaining of the amphitheatre nearby C.so Vercelli,
a short portion of the sewerage system and some other pieces of
buildings visible under the Hotel La Serra in C.so Botta and under
the S.Paolo Bank in Piazza Balla.
Ivrea knew a flourishing period during the
Middle Ages, while it was an important bishop's seat with Warmondo,
bishop around the year 1000.
|
|
Thanks
to him the Cathedral
was built, and it still preserves a couple of Romanesque
bell towers very similar to the one of Santo Stefano, the
last testimonial of an ancient monastery once located in
the actual Public Garden's area. The Bishop's Palace
presents medieval evidences too, such as its red brick tower,
once embattled. Warmondo produced also some rare and precious
documents in the Scriptorium of the Cathedral, that are
now kept in the Diocesan Library.
The
"red towers Castle" of Ivrea dates back
to the year 1358, and was built nearby the Cathedral by
Amedeo VI of Savoy, the "Green Count". One of
the four red brick towers got damaged during an explosion
caused by a lightening in the year 1676.
Another public building of big relevancy for the ancient
Ivrea, was the Credenza Palace, seat of the town
council that ruled in the later middle age . The City Hospital
was later built close to it.
|
The
Church of San Bernardino has ancient origins too, it's
situated in the old outskirts of Ivrea, hidden by the modern Olivetti
buildings. It used to be a wing of a bigger Franciscan Covent,
built in the XV century. The small church is very important because
it preserves a series of frescoes painted around 1480 by Gianmartino
Spanzotti, main artist of the Piedmont's renaissance culture.
The frescoes include scenes from Jesus' life, painted with great
ability. The church is property of the Olivetti family and visitors
should contact directly +39-125-523721.
In Ivrea it is finally possible to visit fine examples of the
Baroque architecture, such as the church of San Nicola
of Tolentino, just beside the Cathedral, or the Church of San
Gaudenzio, in the homonymous street.
This century contributed copiously to the architectural enrichment
of the town. The enlightened Adriano Olivetti built, among the
others, the beautiful Palazzo Uffici of his own factory, in a
light pink Carrara marble and glass. Furthermore he built the
residential districts for his employees and managers, nursery-school
and more. The buildings of the sixties, when he managed the whole
Olivetti factory, were constructed according to the most advanced
architectural style of that time: the modernism.
But, in order to get a better understanding and an involving taste
of the past years of Ivrea, it is fundamental to assist to its
Carnival, whose roots are in the medieval life of the town (every
year in February).
The feast of San Savino, the patron Saint of the town from
the year 956, is also very important: from 1749 his feast takes
place every 7th of July. The main part of the feast is not only
of the citizens of Ivrea, but also of the horses. During this
important celebration they get a special blessing from the ecclesiastic
authorities and are later exposed in a big world-famous fair.
ART
AND CULTURE
The
Canavese is rich in very fine Monuments, and it is possible
to mention only a few of the very many that are really worth a
visit. There are very many Museums too, some of general culture,
some relates to peculiar aspects of the region.
The unquiet past times left in the Canavese an incredible
richness of castles, towers, manor houses and shelters:
there's no village, it doesn't matter how little, that does not
show something of ancient origin.
Some
castles are opened to visitors, and they're quite close one to
another.
Of special interest are some ancient villages that still preserve
the original structure with traces of ancient shelters, called
"Ricetti", such as the villages of Ozegna, Oglianico
and Pavone. The Canavese also hosts some important religious monuments.
Over
the hills of Settimo Vittone it's possible to admire a complex
of very ancient origins, formed by the parish's Church of San
Lorenzo (VIII century) and the annexed by Baptistery (IX century),
characterised by its rare octagonal plan. The Church is frescoed
in its interior with painting dating back to both Romanesque and
renaissance periods. This complex was recently restored.
In 1996 some very important religious monuments were opened to
visitors for the first time.
The Castle of Montanaro has
very ancient origins, and is today used as an old people
home. It is possible to visit it only from the outside, where
parts of the 16th century construction still can be seen.
The
Abbey Complex, nearby the castle, presents two fine examples
of ecclesiastical architecture: the parish church of San Nicolao
of Bari (renamed "of the Assunta"), built in 1644 by
project of architect Morello and enlarged in 1757 by Bernardo
Vittone, and the church of the Confraternita of Santa Marta, work
of the Vittone. The belltower at one side of the churches is attributed
to the Vittone too.
How to reach the site:
Highway A4 Milano-Torino, exit Chivasso. Highway A5 Torino-Aosta,
exit San Giorgio.
Tel.+39-11-9160102
In the village it rises the 1700's Sanctuary dedicated to the
Madonna of Loreto by Guarino Guarini and a Romanesque belltower,
annexed to the church of Santa Maria dell'Isola (it was once a
church part of the Via Francigena pathway).
The Valperga Castle, used as an old people home as well,
is a complex of buildings dating back to different times, beginning
from the X century.
Of
the Abbey Complex it is possible to visit San Giorgio's
Church; most part of the building is in late gothic style and
dates back to 1300, while the belltower is the only reminder of
a prior building, and the facade is due to a 1700's enlargement.
Inside it is completely frescoed with one of the most important
middle ages series of paintings of the higher Canavese, dating
back to 1400.
How to reach the site:
Highway A4 Milano-Torino, diversion to Santhià
(A5) then exit Ivrea.
Highway A5 Torino-Aosta, exit Ivrea.
Valperga Town Hall, tel.+39-124-617146.
It is possible to visit the castle every first Sunday of a month,
in the afternoon, tel.+39-124-617132. In the centre of Valperga
there is the parish church, drawn by the Michela.
On the hill of Belmonte it is possible to visit the Sanctuary,
surrounded by 14 small chapels forming the Via Crucis.
AGLIE':
The "VILLA IL MELETO"
It was the home of the Italian poet Guido Gozzano, that used to
spend here long periods of quiet meditation. The Villa preserves
the ancient liberty look and in the various rooms it is possible
to find the atmosphere rehearsed by the poet in some of his famous
poems. The entrance to the Villa is located between two apple-trees
rows, that gave the name to the Villa ("mela" means
"apple" in Italian!).
Times for visitors: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday,
10-12am and 3-7pm
Entrance fee: full ticket £8.000, groups £5.000,primary
schools free, other schools £4.000.
tel.+39-124-3300150
ALPETTE:
ASTRONOMIC OBSERVATORY
It is built over the higher part of the town's School building;
the Observatory is characterised by a metallic dome of 5,5 meters
of height. It has a telescope capable to perceive stars 3000 times
weaker than the ones man's eye can see, and it also allow the
observation of our galaxy and the astronomic photography.
Visits for school and groups (maximum 30 people), only on request.
Information and bookings: Secondary or higher schools tel.CSEDI,
+39-11-57561. Others tel. Observatory +39-124-819272 or tel. Town
Hall +39-124-809122.
CASTELLAMONTE
- CERAMICS MUSEUM
Botton Palace
There are exposed typical pottery pieces of the traditional production
of Castellamonte, included some models of the famous stoves, and
exemplars of the "historical" production of urban supply
of the past century. Most part of the exhibit is anyway constituted
by contemporary ceramist's masterpieces, some of whom were donated
to special guests of the Annual Ceramics Exhibit (that takes place
in august), such as Baj and Pomodoro.
The museum is opened to public visitors only on request and the
entrance is free.
Castellamonte Town Hall - Culture Office - Tel.+39-124-581581
CUORGNÈ
- THE CANAVESE ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
Town Hall square.
It was founded after the first researches developed in 1978 from
the CORSAC (Department of Researches and Studies in the Higher
Canavese), and it contains some important pieces dating back to
different historical periods. The museum begins with testimonials
of the upper Palaeolithic, then it goes on with some ancient vases'
exemplars and it arrives to the Roman period, with urns that remind
to very old funeral traditions and a variety of utensils among
which arms and more vases. The pieces were found in three main
places: the "Boira Fusca" cave, by Salto (Cuorgnè),
the Churches of S.Maria di Doblazio (Pont Canavese) and S.Apollonia
(Valperga).
Visiting hours: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday: 9.30am
to 12.00. Wednesday: 8.30pm to 10pm. Sunday: 10.00am to 12.00.Free
entrance; guided visits available.
Special reservation (to visit the museum during other daily hours):
Cuorgnè's Library, tel.+39-124-666058.
LOCANA: THE CHIMNEY-SWEEPER MUSEUM
The village of Locana, in the Orco Valley, is probably the centre
with the older chimney-sweepers tradition, a character once believed
to carry good luck and nowadays almost forsaken. To his image
(the good chimney-sweeper, also called "magnin") is
dedicated, in the Locana square, a monument. The museum brings
back to our minds objects that characterised this profession,
such as some tools, black and white pictures, and the typical
period's clothing.
The museum is visible only on week-ends.
Mr Alfredo Sola, tel.+39-11-3247593
MAGLIONE - MACAM OPEN-AIR CONTEMPORARY
ART MUSEUM
The seat of this unusual museum is the whole village of Maglione,
that is situated in the extreme southern part of the Canavese.
The village (about 500 inhabitants) used to live (until 1985)
merely on agriculture and in particular on peach trees cultivation.
In 1985, Maurizio Crognati, a famous producer born in Maglione,
began the creation of a Contemporary Art Museum with bizarre characteristics.
It started by frescoing the outer house walls, then the project
extended to acrylic paintings, sculptures, installations and public
space occupation. Every year, in occasion of the village's patron
saint feast S.Maurizio, many famous artists coming from and outside
Italy gather here to embellish the village of new masterpieces.
The MACAM is absolutely free, and there is no limited visitors'
time limit.
Sig.ra Letizia Corgnati, tel. +39-161-400113.
NOASCA
- VISITORS' CENTRE
Via Umberto I, 1
The Visitor's Centre presents a laboratory equiped with scientific
tools, a geological mobile plastic, a library, a conference room,
a projection room, and a permanent exhibit on "Landscape's
Shapes", dedicated to the surrounding environment, to the
geological and morphological phenomena that shaped it. This initiative
is addressed to scholars and students of primary and upper levels,
that with reference to on their age, will learn and discover nature
through perception games and will learn the correct methodologies
of naturalists researchers.
PIVERONE - "LA STEVA" MUSEUM
Via Torrione
The museum "La Steva" (word that in the local dialect
indicates the handle of the plough) is formed by a gathering of
evidences of countrymen life. The numerous objects exposed belong
to the period of time between the end of the 1700 and the beginning
of the 1900, although the most part of them dates back to the
second half of the 1800 (period of the important social and economic
transformation of the in the Canavese's country life, caused by
the growing industrialisation). In the museum we find the reconstruction
of domestic environments enriched with old looms, joiner's tools,
reaping tools, vineyards work and weaving. There are also some
working councils' flags, uniforms and commonly used clothes. The
museum is visible only with advanced reservation.
The entrance is free.
Mr Alfredo Samperi, tel.+39-125-727518 (evening only).
PONT CANAVESE - SANDRETTO MUSEUM OF
PLASTICS
State Villa of the Sandretto factory - Via Marconi 30.
The collection of the museum was created in 1985 on initiative
of the Sandretto firm. It was enriched and enlarged during these
years and is now one of the most important collections all over
the world (It was exposed, among the others, in Birmingham, Dusseldorf
and Rotterdam.). It boasts 250 objects, among which record players,
telephones, radios and clocks, all in ebonite, bakelite and celluloid,
to the more recent superpolymers. The exposition is organised
in two floors: the ground floor is dedicated to the history of
Pont Canavese, a leading centre since the first productive initiatives
during the industrial revolution in Italy. The first floor is
dedicated to the developement of plastics from the early discoveries
up to the most advanced technological application of our times.
The museum Sandretto is visible only on request.
tel.+39-124-862222.
RIVARA CASTLE - MUSEUM OF CONTEMPOARARY
ART
P.zza Sillano 2, Rivara.
The castle, that used to be a meeting point for affirmed painters
of the past century, maintained its tradition by proposing, together
with a permanent exhibit of contemporary artists (Italian and
not Italian), temporary exhibits of international profile. The
old castle is used as a seat of the first (and unique) Piedmont's
Contemporary Art Museum, and its collection includes pieces of
the last ten years.
Visits from Thursday to Sunday from 2.30pm to 6.30pm. It is also
possible to visit the museum during other daily hours, but only
on request.
Entrance fees: full ticket L.10.000, children (under 8yrs) L.5.000.
Guided visits available.
+39-124-31122.
TORRE
CANAVESE
Twenty-five Russian artists, together with six famous artist from
the Canavese, were invited to paint their masterpieces directly
over the houses' outer walls in the heart of the village. The
Russian artists are members of the pictorial current of Social
Realism; they brought in the centre of the Canavese the typical
characters of the people living in the ex URSS.
Torre
Canavese Town Hall, tel.+39-124-501070.
|
The
Five Lakes
are part of the territory of the municipalities of: Borgofranco,
Cascinette, Chiaverano, Ivrea e Montalto Dora.
The Dora Baltea River, as well as the smaller streams
that cross the Canavese valleys, is really fit for canoeing:
events of international rilevancy where held in Ivrea itself.
Ivrea Canoe Club tel.+39-125-40186 - Ivrea
|
|
The
"Green Canavese",
where nature is the real and only protagonist, comprehends one
of the most important Italian protected areas: the Gran Paradiso
National Park.
The municipalities of Valprato Soana, Ronco Canavese, Ribordone,
Locana, Noasca, Ceresole Reale in the Orco and Soana Valleys,
belong to the Canavese. The National Park is unique for its fauna
and really gives the chance to meet chamois, steinbocks, marmots,
ermines and royal eagle. In order to preserve the Park's richness
and beauty, special care and regard are requested to visitors.
The Orco and Soana Valleys can be easily reached either
from Rivarolo and Castellamonte with the state road S.S.460 direction
Ceresole Reale, or by railway, with the "Canavesana"
line from Torino Porta Susa to Pont Canavese, and finally by bus
(Satti bus service).
Gran Paradiso National Park Board, Via della Rocca 47, Torino.
Tel.+39-11-8171187
Park's Visitor Centres:
Noasca Via Umberto I 1, Tel. +39-124-901070;
Ronco Canavese, P.zza del Municipio 1 - Ceresole Reale, Loc. Pian
della Balma.
IAT (Information Tourism Board) in Ceresole Reale, tel.+39-124-953186
Ceresole Reale Town Hall, tel.+39-124-953121/953200
State Forest Corps, Noasca, tel.+39-124-901025
Mountain Community of the Soana and Orco Valleys - Locana, tel.+39-124-83136/83363
Associazione "Amici del Gran Paradiso", "Ca' dal
Meist Borgata Capoluogo, 3 Ceresole Reale, tel. 0124 - 26047/
953255.
The
Gran Paradiso is a real paradise for every-level excursions
and very many itineraries are traced for excursion and trekking
throughout mule-tracks and paths. It's excellent for mountaineering
and skiing, and it offers some special pathways that bring throughout
the ancient and traditional alpine civilisation. It is possible
to accede to classical as well as to modern rock-climbing itineraries.
Several refuges and mountain huts give the hikers hospitality
at every height.
The National Park is also ideal for the practice of many other
sports: from horse-riding, with departures from Ceresole and Campiglia,
to wind-surfing, over the artificial lake of Ceresole Reale (1582
m.) and mountain-biking, through numerous attractive paths.
Various
and abundant are also the possibilities to practice
the different ski-related specialities.
Ceresole
Reale (m.1630): four long distance ski-rings, from 1 to 5
kilometres of length in Ghirai and Pian della Balma.
There is also a small ski-lift in Chiapili Inferiore with
the possibility of out-rack skiing.
Alpine Guides Group, tel.+39-124-953118
Valprato Soana (m.1350): ski-lift in Piamprato, long distance
ski-ring of 5 km of lenght.
Valprato Soana Town Hall, tel.+39-124-812908
Ceresole Reale, Ronco Canavese, Valprato Soana.
Just
beside the Orco and Soana valleys, not included in the National
Park, stands out the green Valchiusella that offers, not far from
the cities, the possibility to reach nature and woods, small lakes,
slopes cultivated with vineyards, tiny villages and lonely farm
houses. The choice of excursions is wide: the most famous is the
"Sentiero delle Anime", that runs through places of
special beauty and brings up to some interesting primitive-man
rock engravings.
Furthermore
it is possible to reach a few alpine refuges.
For the ones fond of minerals and industrial archaeology it's
worth a visit to the "Miniere di Brosso" (Brosso's Mines),
now abandoned.
Further information: Brosso Town Hall, tel.+39-125-74322
The
main villages and holiday resort in the Valchiusella Valley are
Brosso (m.797), Traversella (m.827) and Vico Canavese (m.738).
In the Valchiusella there is Palit (m.1300), the most important
ski resort in Canavese. Its installations run for 15 kilometres
with a difference of level from 1267 to 1850 metres of height.
SER.CO.VAL. Sooc.Coop.r.l., offices tel.+39-125-74480, ski-lift
tel.+39-125-749126.
It is also possible to practice long distance skiing over two
rings of 3 and 5 kilometres in Inverso and Fondo.
Inverso, tel.+39-125-749033; Fondo, tel.+39-125-749124.
In Traversella it is also possible to reach an equipped rock training
wall, where is possible to climb even during the winter because
of its good exposition.
Traversella Town Hall, tel.+39-125-749006/749178
The Valle Sacra completes the group of the Canavese valleys,
it goes from Castellamonte to Cuorgnè and in its territory
(mostly mountainious ) it's easy to find suggestive small towns
and villages, where one can discover the close relationship of
nature and man's humble labour. The town of Castellamonte is the
ideal entrance of the Valley, doorway to the villages of
Colleretto, Castelnuovo, Cintano, Borgiallo, Castelnuovo Nigra
and many other smaller villages. The incredible landscape attractions
make of Valle Sacra the ideal place for wonderful excursions.
S.Elisabetta (m.1211), in the Valle Sacra, offers the possibilities
to practice mountain ski and excursion:
Coop.S.Elisabetta, tel.+39-124-699919/6999779
Close to Alpette, there is a rising installation (m.1000) in Nero:
Town Hall and Pro Loco, +39-124-809122
Ski-lift Nero: tel.+39-124-809124
|
