Ivrea, Province of Torino, Piedmont

Info

• Altitude: 253 m a.s.l
• Surface area: sq km
• Population: about 25000 inhabitants
• Zip/postal code: 10015
• Dialing Area Code: +39 0125
• Patron Saint: St. Savino, celebrated on 7 July
• Frazioni & Localities: Torre Balfredo.

History

What to see

• The Castle, begun by Duke Amadeus VI Savoy in 1358, originally consisted of a square plan with four round towers at the corners, joined by walls that enclosed a wide inner courtyard; in the 17th century it was used as a prison;
• The Cathedral, built in the 10th century on the site of a previous Roman temple to Apollo. Of the original Romanesque Cathedral the only extant remains are a crypt and two of the bell towers of the apses. Under the porch there is the sarcophagus of quaestor Caius Atecius Valerius, of the 1st century BC, and inside 3 fine paintings: a "Madonna e Santi" by Beaumont, the "Adorazione del Bambino" (1521) and a Nativity (1519) both by Defendente Ferrari;
• The Seminary, designed by Filippo Juvarra in the early 18th century, preserving in the inner courtyard a fragment of the ancient mosaic floor of the Cathedral;
• The Remains of the Roman amphitheater, originally 97 m. long and 72 wide;
• The church of San Bernardino, of the latter half of the 15th century, built in honor of the Franciscan preacher from Siena, who stayed for a time in Ivrea, establishing also a monastery; inside it is possible to admire the 21 scenes of a fresco cycle on the Life of Jesus, a 15th century work by painter Martino Spanzotti;
• The Olivetti quarter, an interesting example of an architectural project that aimed at merging in harmony industrial buildings, road plan, housing blocks and services. The central 5-point-star directional center was built in the 1960's on a design by architects G.A. Bernasconi, a. Fiocchi and M. Nizzoli;
• In the vicinity, the Viverone lake,of glacial origin, 3500 m long and 2750 wide, is a favorite tourist destination for the local populace and also an archeological area with findings of the Bronze age.

Where to stay

• Hotels, Agritourism, Bed & Breakfast.

Useful Links

• Official Website of the Comune of Ivrea.