Biella
Biella is a town with 43 675 inhabitants ( 31 December 2012) and capital of the eponymous Italian province of Biella, Piedmont.
Patron saint of the town is Santo Stefano.
Geography
The city lies at an altitude of 420 m above sea level at the foot of the Alps. The municipality covers an area of 46 km ².
The neighboring municipalities are Andorno Micca, Candelo, Fontaine More ( AO), Gaglianico, Occhieppo Inferiore Occhieppo Superiore, Pettinengo, Pollone, Ponderano, Pralungo, Ronco Biellese, Sagliano Micca, San Paolo Cervo, Sordevolo, Tollegno, Vigliano Biellese and Zumaglia.
History
The ancient name of the city is Bugella Civitas. In a document from the year 826 it is stated that Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne, the place offers a certain Count Busone. In the 10th century, the city of Alemanni, Lombards and Franks was inhabited, which also built the first city wall to defend against the invasion of barbarians. The current cathedral of the city, Santo Stefano, was also built in this period.
During World War II the city and the surrounding hills scene of fierce partisan battles were.
Culture and sights
The Sacro Monte di Oropa was built from 1617 onwards in addition to the already existing Marian pilgrimage church, which is one of the oldest places of worship in Piedmont and is of the utmost importance for the believers. He is a famous pilgrimage site and has been recognized since 2003 by UNESCO as one of the Sacri Monti as a World Heritage Site.
Economy and Transport
The city is the seat of the Italian wool industry, as well as cotton, hat, paper and furniture industries.
It lies on the national road No. 135 Vercelli and the A4 (Turin -Milan ), A5 ( Torino- Aosta), and A26 (Genoa -Grave Toce ). In the nearby town of Verrone, there is a small airport.
Sports
On 4 June 1996, the 17th stage of the Giro d' Italia ended in the place. It won the Dane Nicolai Bo Larsen. The basketball club Pallacanestro Biella was from 2001 to 2013, represented in the Lega Basket Serie A, the top division in Italy and has performed since then in the Legadue.
Twinning
Biella is connected by twinning with
- Arequipa in Peru
- Kiryu in Japan
- Tourcoing in France
- Weihai in China
Sons and daughters of the town
- Valeria CAUCINO (born 1966 ), musician and singer
- Silvia Avallone ( born 1984 ), author and poet
- Giovanni Bracco (1908-1968), racing driver
- Stefano Beltrame (* 1993), football player
- Giancarlo Cori ( born 1933), painter
- Giacomo Debenedetti (1901-1967), literary critic
- Alberto Gilardino ( b. 1982 ), football player
- Federico Hindermann (1921-2012), linguist, poet, translator, editor and publishing director
- Piero Liatti (* 1962), rally driver
- Mattia Pozzo (* 1989), cyclist
- Vittorio Sella (1859-1943), Mountain photographer and mountaineer
- Carlo Felice Trossi (1908-1949), racing driver