Vercelli is a city in Piedmont. City of art, it is the eleventh city in the region by number of inhabitants, located on the right bank of the Sesia river, and has always been an important agricultural and commercial center, specifically for the rice trade throughout Europe, which is earned the title of European capital of rice.
The climate is semi-continental, of the Po Valley type, with cold, foggy winters and hot, very muggy summers (with peaks of 35°C and 60% average relative humidity in the hottest hours). The rains fall mainly in spring and autumn; the rainiest month is May, followed by November. Thunderstorms are common in the period from March to September. Vercelli has a very high humidity rate even in the summer due to the evaporation of the water from the rice fields and it is a city with very little wind.
The city retains a very intimate historic center, enclosed by imposing avenues that have taken the place of the ancient medieval walls. The ancient nucleus is cut in two from west to east by Corso della Libertà which represents the main shopping street and nightlife. Piazza Cavour, on the other hand, represents the heart of Vercelli to all intents and purposes and a characteristic market is held there every week.
By plane
The nearest airport is Milan-Malpensa. From the airport
regular bus service to Novara, then train; alternatively Malpensa
Express shuttle to Milan, then train.
From Turin-Caselle airport,
bus to Turin Porta Susa or Porta Nuova station, then train.
By
car
Vercelli can be reached according to the greatest convenience
based on the origin:
A4 motorway from Milan up to km 447, where
it is necessary to take the detour to the A26 Genova, then exit at the
Vercelli Est toll booth;
Take the A4 motorway from Turin to km 43,
where you need to take the detour to Alessandria-Genova, exiting at the
Vercelli Ovest tollbooth;
Take the A26 motorway from Genoa, taking
the Vercelli Est exit.
On the train
Vercelli station, located
on the Turin-Milan line.
By bus
Daily bus lines connect
Vercelli with Valsesia, Biella, Casale Monferrato, Chivasso, Ivrea and
Novara.
Possible connections also with Turin and Milan.
Vercelli is a very quiet city, which offers an excellent network of
avenues, cycle paths and pedestrian areas. An excellent means of getting
around is on foot. Arriving by train, for example, the city center can
be reached in just a few minutes, and you will have the opportunity to
observe and visit some great monuments and buildings.
Traveling
by car, it will often be difficult to find parking near places of
interest, unless you leave your car in the car park adjacent to the
basilica of Sant'Andrea, located in the centre, and worthy of a visit.
Vercelli offers an excellent bus network, thanks to which you can
travel around the city center, with numerous intermediate stops. There
are also various lines that lead to the most decentralized areas of the
city, where we can find shopping and entertainment venues.
The
city center is a restricted traffic zone.
Vercelli, after Turin and together with Asti, is one of the main art cities of Piedmont as guardian of a rich artistic and architectural heritage. Despite the presence of some heavy post-war alterations, churches, towers, squares and palaces characterize the medieval historic center of the city.
St Andrew's Abbey
The abbey is the symbol of Vercelli and its most
famous monument. The basilica, built in just nine years between 1219 and
1227 at the behest of Cardinal Guala Bicheri, occupies a prominent place
in the history of art as it is one of the very first examples of Gothic
beyond the Alps in Italy, splendidly fused with the style Lombard
Romanesque. The gabled façade is narrow at the end by two soaring
cuspidate bell towers and is covered in green stone from Varallo. The
same is crossed horizontally by two orders of loggias below which the
large rose window opens. Two of the three splayed entrance portals have
lunettes from the Antelamic school. The pure Gothic structures, on the
other hand, enhance the majestic interior with three naves and a very
high transept, while the octagonal tower of the lantern rises at the
crossroads. Among the buildings of the abbey, the cloister with
Renaissance decorations and the remarkable chapter house stand out.
Among the works of art, in addition to the inlaid choir from 1511, there
is the Tomb of the first abbot, the exegete Tommaso Gallo, with frescoes
from the 14th century.
Duomo (Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of
Sant'Eusebio)
The imposing neoclassical cathedral that can be admired
today is the final result of architectural vicissitudes that began at
the end of the 4th century at the behest of Sant'Eusebio, first bishop
of Vercelli and Piedmont. He had a church dedicated to the first local
Christian martyr, San Teonesto, built in a necropolis area on the edge
of the city, later replaced by a grandiose Paleo-Christian basilica (5th
century and following) on the model of ancient San Pietro in Rome,
equipped with a Chapter and site of an important scriptorium. What
remains of it are the severe Romanesque bell tower (12th century) but
above all the grandiose crucifix in silver foil, a masterpiece of
Ottonian art (10th century). During the Counter-Reformation it was
decided to demolish the ancient building starting from the apse which
was rebuilt in 1570 to a design by Pellegrino Tibaldi together with the
sacristies. The chapel of Blessed Amedeo IX was then built by
Michelangelo Garove, a pupil of Guarini and again under the supervision
of architects of the Savoy court, the works will continue with the
construction of the three naves, the side chapels and the neoclassical
atrium based on designs by Benedetto Alfieri. In 1860 the dome was
finally raised.
St Christopher's Church
Built in 1515, this
church boasts splendid masterpieces by Gaudenzio Ferrari, the most
illustrious exponent of Piedmontese Renaissance painting. In addition to
the altarpiece of the Madonna degli Aranci, the Valsesian artist created
a vast cycle of frescoes representing the Stories of Mary Magdalene, the
Stories of the Virgin Mary, the Crucifixion, the Assumption of the
Virgin as well as an elegant grotesque frieze. In the altarpiece there
is painted one of the first pictorial representations of the violin. The
sacred building preserves the sixteenth-century structure with a
Renaissance-style facade, the division into three naves with a lantern,
transept and vast presbytery. This is separated from the hall by an
elegant balustrade designed by Filippo Juvarra (1730), while the vault
and walls were frescoed between 1742 and 1746 in trompe l'oeil by the
Giovannini brothers from Varese. Also from the same period date the
pulpit, the choir stalls, the confessionals and the wardrobes of the
sacristy, refined Baroque carvings. Also noteworthy is the valuable
wooden crucifix on the main altar, a Gaudenzian crucifix from the 16th
century, the side chapel of the right aisle faithfully reproducing the
Holy House of Loreto and the paintings by Mayerle kept in the sacristy.
Church of San Giuliano
Tradition has it that the church is very
old and that St. Eusebius found refuge there when he was persecuted by
the Arians. As a reminder of this fact, by custom, the bishops, before
taking possession of their office, once they arrived in the city dressed
in pontifical clothes in this church and then reached in procession
first Santa Maria Maggiore and finally the Cathedral. Located on Corso
Libertà, it maintains the traditional east-west orientation. Remodeled
over the centuries, the interior on the columns has interesting frescoes
by Girolamo Giovenone and Bernardino Lanino. Always the same author
painted in 1547 the Deposition present in copy (the original is in the
Archiepiscopal Art Gallery). There are also an Adoration of the Magi and
a Resurrection by the Gaudentian school. Walled in the bell tower is a
head from a Roman statue.
Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria
Maggiore
Under the same title, located about 100 meters away, stood
the first Christian church of the city (4th century) as well as the
first cathedral. Rebuilt in the XII century. it housed works of art of
great value. Demolished in 1777, only fragments of the floor mosaic and
the Romanesque portal remain. The construction of the current building
instead began in 1741 on behalf of the Jesuits and on designs by Filippo
Juvarra. Following the dissolution of the order, it assumed the title
and rank of Basilica and Co-Cathedral of the previous church.
St
Paul's Church
The construction of the church began in 1260 at the
behest of the Dominican fathers. The brick gabled facade with rose
window and the first three bays of Gothic style remain of the original
building. In the 18th century the remaining two bays and the apse were
rebuilt in late Baroque style. Inside there are two works by Bernardino
Lanino, a Nativity and the altarpiece, the Madonna delle Grazie. Painted
in 1568, it is enclosed in a gilded frame surmounted by the civic coat
of arms since the painting was commissioned by the city as a votive
offering for the liberation from French troops. In a passageway towards
the sacristy there is a fresco of a Theory of Saints from the 14th
century. The fifteenth-century bell tower is impressive with elegant
mullioned windows and surmounted by an octagonal spire.
Church of
San Bernardo
The church is the oldest existing ecclesiastical
monument in Vercelli, erected in Romanesque style between 1151 and 1168.
The characteristic gabled facade in brick, the sculptures of the same
and the internal capitals constitute an important testimony of the local
sculpture of the XII century. It is home to an important center of
popular Marian devotion, the Diocesan Sanctuary of the Madonna degli
Infermi which according to tradition freed the population from the
plague in 1630. To contain the growing flow of faithful, it was enlarged
during the 19th century, unfortunately demolishing its lantern and apse.
Finally, in 1896 there was a second much larger expansion based on a
project by Giuseppe Locarni in a neo-Romanesque style.
Church of
Santa Chiara
Designed by Bernardo Antonio Vittone in 1754 in pure
Baroque style, it is now used as an exhibition space. The elegant and
slender facade has refined curvilinear motifs that make the internal
movements of the plant appear on the outside. The interior is extremely
bright with a harmonious vertical development. The layout is hexagonal
with rounded convex corners, decorated by lively frescoes and stuccos.
The monastic complex built by the Poor Clares consists of a courtyard
where you can admire the apse ambulatory designed by Ignazio Galletti,
the monastery now home to the Vallotti Municipal School of Music and the
medieval wing now home to the Archaeological Museum of the City of
Vercelli "Luigi Bruzza ". Attached to the church there is also the
Gothic cloister of San Graziano.
Former Church of San Marco ARCA
Exhibition Center
Once one of the most important and vast churches in
the city, seat of the burials of the most illustrious families after
enormous alterations, it is now home to an important exhibition space.
Begun in 1266, it has an interior with three naves supported by
cylindrical pillars. With the Napoleonic suppression of the monastic
orders it experienced various uses until it became a covered market, for
this purpose the facade was distorted and the floor raised. In the 2000s
the recovery of the building began which led to the discovery of a vast
cycle of frescoes which are being restored.
Archbishop's Seminary
Founded in 1572-87 by the will of Bishop Francesco Bonomi, it consists
of a series of buildings whose oldest part was designed by Filippo
Juvarra. Namely the elegant internal courtyard and the terracotta rear
facade. In the hall of Sant'Eusebio there are also frescoes by
Bernardino Lanino with Scenes from the Aeneid. The Seminary also houses
the Agnesiana and Diocesana Libraries which house a rich heritage of
parchments and ancient books.
Archbishop's Palace
It stands
against the Cathedral in Piazza D'Angennes and has been the
archiepiscopal residence for at least seven centuries. Large portions of
large Renaissance terracotta windows are visible on the façade, while
walled mullioned windows and mullioned windows can be seen in the
internal courtyards. Many rooms are decorated with grotesque frescoes
and coffered ceilings and in the Throne Room there is the updated
Cronotassi of the Archbishops. Due to its importance, it has hosted many
Dukes of Savoy during their periods of stay in the city. Currently the
museum of the treasure of the Cathedral and the archive and the
Capitulary Library are located there.
Synagogue
Vercelli is
home to an important Jewish community in Italy. The presence of Jews in
the city has been documented since 1446, but reached its maximum
expansion in 1848, when it had over 600 members. Precisely in the 19th
century a vast Synagogue by the architect Giuseppe Locarni was
inaugurated, characterized by a particular facade with two-tone bands in
sandstone. In addition to the Jewish temple, there is also the
nineteenth-century cemetery, enlarged in 1914 and recently restored.
Centori palace
Built in the 15th century, it is considered the
most beautiful secular monument of the Vercelli Renaissance. Home of the
Centori patrician family, it has preserved the extraordinary
Bramante-style internal courtyard, the only example in Piedmont. The
rectangular courtyard is made up of ten columns supporting round arches,
the loggia above has twice the number of columns and the same arches.
The pillars supporting the vault rest on these. The decorative apparatus
is interesting: the fresco decoration placed between the soffits and the
tympanums is an expression of the humanistic culture of the time. The
arches are outlined by terracotta ridges and under the parapet there is
a terracotta cornice. Between one arch and another there are frescoed
heads of emperors while the two friezes between one floor and the other
have mythological motifs. After centuries of decline, the building was
purchased by the Municipality and completely restored between 1929 and
1934. It was Carlo Nigra who designed the façade in the
fifteenth-century style while Carlo Cussetti restored the frescoed
surfaces with a reconstructive method. After the restoration completed
in 2017 it will be used for cultural purposes.
Dugentil Hall
Preceded by a portico with ogival arches, the Dugentesco was founded in
1223. Originally it was the hospital that welcomed pilgrims. The
entrance is surmounted by a painted lunette from the 13th century. The
large room, divided lengthwise into three naves with late Gothic vaults
and cruciform pillars, preserves a 16th century fresco. Today the hall
is used for cultural and musical events.
Civic Theater
The
idea of building a theater for the Vercelli aristocracy was born during
the period of French domination. The birth of the theater is to be
linked to the birth of a society of noble Vercelli citizens who
entrusted the architect Nicola Nervi with the design of what would
constitute the theater in use until the 1920s. The opening in 1872 of
another city theatre, the Fachinetti (future Teatro Verdi) caused a
progressive decline in the activity of the Civic Theater until its
destruction in 1923 caused by an arson. It was then decided to rebuild
it on the same site, in via Monte di Pietà. The current theater designed
by Guido Allorio, Paolo Verzone and Giuseppe Rosso is an Italian-style
theater with a large audience and a single tier of boxes dominated by
the gallery for a total of about 800 seats. It was inaugurated on 28
October 1931 with Giuseppe Verdi's Aida.
As far as the musical
offer is concerned, the famous G. B. Viotti International Competition
and the Viotti Festival should be underlined, which every month hosts
the most famous musicians together with the Orchestra of the Camerata
Ducale.
Palazzo Avogadro della Motta
Next to Palazzo Mella
stands Palazzo Avogadro della Motta, built in its current form by Count
Eusebio in 1781 to a design by Michele Richiardi from Turin. The coat of
arms of the Avogadros, one of the most illustrious local families,
stands out on the central pediment. Various illustrious personalities
stayed in this palace, including Napoleon in 1800 and 1805, King Carlo
Felice in 1828 and 1831, Vittorio Emanuele II in 1859 and the Count of
Turin in 1902. As reported on a plaque placed on the facade, right
during Napoleon's stay, thanks to the intercession of Bishop Carlo
Filippa of Martiniana, the negotiations that led to the Concordat
between the Holy See and the French Empire began right here.
Palazzo Bartolomeo of Gattinara
The Palace, located in via Camillo
Leone, retains a facade with pure Renaissance lines. On the first floor
there are seven large windows framed by Guelph cross scores while on the
portal we read that Bartolomeo da Gattinara had it built for himself,
his friends and posterity in 1541. Bartolomeo (1480-1544) belonging to
the patrician Gattinara family, cousin of Mercurino, grand chancellor of
Charles V, he had an adventurous life. He was a jurisconsult, chancellor
of the Kingdom of Naples, advisor to Charles II of Savoy and even
witnessed the Sack of Rome in 1527.
Murazzano Palace
In Piazza
D'Angennes, on the site where the medieval hospital of Santa Brigida
degli Scoti once stood, an institution created to welcome pilgrims
traveling on the Via Francigena from the British Isles, Palazzo
Murazzano now stands. The vast seventeenth-century building has a
terracotta façade and is divided by ten pilasters with the entrance door
surmounted by a balcony supported by four columns. The grand staircase
is remarkable. Now it is the headquarters of the mother house of the
Sisters of Loreto.
Palazzo Montanaro in Viancino
It stands in
the central via Verdi and is an elegant example of Piedmontese Baroque,
built in 1753 and has an exposed brick facade. Some critics have
attributed the design to Benedetto Alfieri.
Angel Tower
It rises in the central Piazza Cavour which it
dominates with its size. Due to its characteristic shape it is one of
the emblems of the city[40]. On the Romanesque square base, the
octagonal body was erected between the end of the 14th and 15th
centuries, ending with long machicolations that form a small terrace.
Above these there was a wooden turret which was later replaced in 1875
by the current elevation with large windows and battlements. On the
origin of the curious name, attested since the eighteenth century,
various hypotheses have been elaborated over the centuries,
traditionally connected to a miracle performed by San Mauro in the city.
Centuri Tower
The simple turret, octagonal in shape, with brick
festoons, is visible only from Volto dei Centori, a characteristic,
partly covered medieval alley that crosses the block which belonged to
the noble family of the same name. It has late Gothic features that date
it to the 15th century while the courtyard where it stands has portions
of porticoes and loggias from the 16th century, although walled.
Municipal Tower
Built in the 12th century, it has been assumed that
it belonged to the noble Vialardi family and was purchased by the
municipality in the 13th century. From that moment it became the Tower
of the City, seat of the Municipal Archives and an integral part of the
Broletto complex. 38 meters high, the highest among the noble towers, it
has an unadorned, severe and austere appearance evoking the glorious
past of the Free Municipality. As early as 1377 there is news of a clock
installed on it, most likely the first in Piedmont, an expensive novelty
for the time. There were also three bells, used not only to strike the
hours but also to warn citizens in case of danger or of assemblies.
After the Municipality moved its headquarters (1802) it still remained a
point of reference for the city, so much so that in 1924 the large
plaque dedicated to the numerous gold medals of the Province of Vercelli
was placed at the base towards via Gioberti. Also in the 20th century
consolidation works were necessary as the overhang towards Piazza
Palazzo Vecchio reached almost one meter and the clock and bells were
removed. Until 1821 it was characterized by a very high spire of 20
meters which was destroyed by lightning and never rebuilt.
San
Marco Tower
Long believed to be the surviving tower of a castle
belonging to the Avogadro family, it is the bell tower of the former
church of San Marco, with its Gothic apse forming a suggestive glimpse
of via Verdi. Datable to the XIII century, it is octagonal in shape and
has not undergone alterations. Decorated by a single row of intertwined
hanging arches and a simple reinforcing pilaster at the corners, it ends
in an incomplete trunk. More recent criticism has highlighted
similarities with the bell tower of the Lucedio Abbey.
Clock
tower
The turret located in Piazza Cavour was originally the bell
tower of the church of San Tommaso, a church deconsecrated in 1820. In
1856 the clock was installed and the tower was decorated with cornices
and surmounted by a small terrace with a wrought iron balustrade.
Tizzoni Tower
Dating back to the 15th century, it takes its name
from the Tizzoni family and forms a single complex with the adjacent
building. The tower has a square base and an octagonal development, with
machicolations and a floor above with mullioned windows decorated with
terracotta arches. Two heavy restorations in 1874 and 1935 altered its
original appearance. The palace has large portions of windows and
terracotta decorations as well as a courtyard with a 16th century
portico and loggia. In the large hall on the lower floor there is a
cycle of frescoes painted around 1605 attributed to Guglielmo Caccia
called il Moncalvo with the theme "The gods and the muses in Parnassus".
Tower of the Vialardis
The tower of the Vialardi family, a
patrician family who moved to the locality where it stands after 1204,
has strong similarities with the other octagonal towers in the city. In
brick with an octagonal plan, it closes at the top with slightly
protruding machicolations on which a plane characterized by pointed
windows with terracotta arches is inserted. Elegant and simple, it is
the one that best preserves the original characteristics of the building
as it has not been tampered with subsequently. The underlying internal
courtyard of the building of the same name contains evident traces of a
Renaissance portico with deteriorated frescoes.
The Visconti Castle
The castle, with a quadrangular plan, was
built in 1290 by order of Matteo I Visconti[57] and later became a
Savoyard residence. In 1472 the blessed Amedeo IX died in the left tower
of the facade and was later buried in the chapel of the same name in the
cathedral. In a second time the military governor of the city resided
there and it was seriously damaged in the Spanish siege of 1638. During
the 19th century it was adapted as the seat of the prisons and from 1838
of the court which is still housed within its walls today.
Piazza Cavour
The ancient Piazza Maggiore, located in the heart of
the historical centre, is the most important square in Vercelli. For at
least eight centuries it has been the main meeting place where the most
important moments of city life take place. Among the most notable events
that took place there, there was a solemn Exposition of the Shroud in
1560. Paved with cobblestones, it is surrounded by porticoes on all four
sides and has a characteristic trapezoidal shape, it also preserves
appreciable historical vestiges among which the the Torre dell'Angelo,
one of the emblems of the city. This tower forms a characteristic
glimpse with the underlying portico, whose elegant terracotta
decorations aroused the attention of John Ruskin. The current
appearance, albeit with subsequent alterations, dates to 1496, when the
Duchess Bianca di Savoia had the square embellished and renovated at her
expense. In 1864 it took on its current name and the monument to Camillo
Cavour, a statesman very close to the city, was erected. In fact, he
himself was involved in the cultivation of rice, he promoted the rice
cultivation of the Vercelli area through the creation of the Canale
Cavour and the establishment of the Ovest Sesia. Placed on a high base,
the statue of the count is the work of Ercole Villa, while the
underlying allegories of Agriculture and Commerce are the work of
Giuseppe Argenti. Two other personalities have been remembered with
monuments: Sodoma, a Mannerist painter who was born and trained in the
city and then undertook an important career in Siena and Rome is
remembered with the stone bust by Francesco Porzio; Vibio Crispo, from
Vercelli famous in the 1st century for his eloquence and his riches with
a bas-relief. Home to the twice-weekly market, the square is a
restricted traffic area.
Palazzo Vecchio square
Popularly
known as Piazza dei Pesci, from the name of the market that was located
there, it is a closed square with a trapezoidal shape, the courtyard of
the ancient Palazzo Comunale or Broletto. The Town Hall was located here
from the 13th century until 1801, but of the original town hall all that
remains are the porticoed building with pointed arches dating back to
the 13th century, the Civic Tower which dominates it from above, albeit
without the ancient clock and the three entrance halls input; while the
other buildings were modified during the 19th century. Once the central
circular fountain was restored in 1998 and the terracotta flooring was
made a pedestrian area. From the entrance hall under the Broletto
arcades one reaches Via dei Mercati, a characteristic medieval street,
in Piazza Cavour, from another one reaches Via Gioberti, formerly
Contrada degli Spadari while the third entrance hall connects it to
Piazza Massimo D'Azeglio, originally headquarters of the Arengo. It
already became the seat of the market in the 15th century and is still
used as a market area today.
Piazza S. Eusebio
Commonly called
Piazza del Duomo, it is rectangular in shape surrounded by centuries-old
trees and green spaces. The square constitutes a stupendous
introduction, due to the skilful use of the spaces, to the spectacular
atrium of the Cathedral, the work of Alfieri. On the right, looking at
the Cathedral, it is surrounded by the neoclassical facade of the
seminary and on the left by the neo-Romanesque former Collegio degli
Orfanelli, now used as a university seat. In the central gardens, in
addition to a fountain, we find the monument erected in 1909 which
celebrates Carlo Alberto, the work of Guido Bianconi of Siena. It is an
obelisk with a medallion and four bas-reliefs representing four salient
moments in the life of the King: The hero on the battlefield, The cry of
freedom, the abdication and the soul in exile. The gardens were
dedicated to the memory of Secondo Pollo from Vercelli, beatified in
this square by John Paul II on 23 May 1998.
Peter Pajetta Square
Once Piazza Torino, named after the partisan Pietro Pajetta in 1945, it
was originally a vast open space that stood in front of the gate that
opened into the city walls: Porta Torino. The elegant palaces that
surround it were built during the second half of the 19th century. In
the center stands the monument dedicated to Vittorio Emanuele II
inaugurated in 1887, based on a sketch by Ercole Rosa, later created
with some variations by Ercole Villa. The bronze statue of the Sovereign
in general's uniform is placed on a 9-meter-high granite column ending
in a capital adorned with eagles and stars. On the sides of the base, on
the other hand, three different moments of the Risorgimento are depicted
with three statues: Sorrowful Italy (1849), Rising Italy (1859), Italy
in the Campidoglio (1870). In the square, the oldest still operating
cinema in the city opened in 1913, originally called Kulmann now Italia.
Alexander D'Angennes Square
This charming little square stands
next to the right side of the Cathedral, of which the mighty bulk of the
Romanesque bell tower (12th century) stands flanked by the Baroque
chapel of Blessed Amedeo IX, by Garove. The Archbishop's Palace, home to
the museum and the Chapter Library, and the seventeenth-century Palazzo
Berzetti di Murazzano frame it.
Rome Square
The vast square,
commonly called Piazza della Stazione due to the railway station that
has stood there since 1855, was arranged as it currently is in 1937 by
Giuseppe Momo. Looking from the station, the mass of the Basilica of
Sant' Andrea rises in the background, offering a suggestive view. On the
side, in a depression that was once the moat of the city walls, stands
Kennedy Park. On the sidelines of the same is the statue of the Mondina,
a bronze work by Agenore Fabbri from 1983. The work, inaugurated by the
president Sandro Pertini, symbolizes the suffering of the rice mondari.
In the center of the square, on the other hand, is the fountain with the
bronze group by Attilio Gartmann (Vercelli 1877-1928) depicting the
Sower: the work created in 1909 does not have its original base.
Ernesto Zumaglini Square
The square was created from the
demolition of the ancient Rione Furia, a medieval district dominated by
the Gothic church of Carmine, demolished in 1921 even though it had
already been declared a national monument. The commercial center of the
city, home to various bank branches as well as the Rice Commodity
Exchange, is an example of fascist monumental architecture, as the
construction of the porticoed buildings that compose it began in 1930
and continued until 1951. The Casa dell' Farmer and the INA Palace and
Tower, designed by the architect Armando Melis and the engineer Giovanni
Bernocco, represent a significant example of cultural Piacentinism.
The Roman amphitheater
Dating back to the 1st-2nd century AD, and
partly demolished due to urbanisation, it is located between viale
Rimembranza and Corso de Rege. With an elliptical plan with a diameter
greater than 120-130 metres, it partially came to light as early as 1565
during the expansion works of the Citadel commissioned by Emanuele
Filiberto.
From the estimates of the still intact portions it
would have been one of the largest amphitheatres in the world: its
ellipse would exceed that of Verona by 50 meters.
The center of Vercelli (especially the main streets such as Corso
Libertà, Corso Italia and Corso Prestinari) is the ideal place for
shopping. Shops for clothing, shoes, electronics, telephones,
accessories, perfumeries, jewelers and much more are present here, in
the historic area of the city. And between a shirt and a pair of shoes,
we can take refuge in numerous bars, snack areas and why not,
restaurants. Piazza Cavour and Corso Libertà, respectively the "heart"
and "main artery" of the city, host most of the shop windows. We can
also find some shops in Via XX Settembre, and in the streets or squares
adjacent to Piazza Cavour and Corso Libertà.
However, Vercelli
does not only offer shops and bars, but also a fair amount of shopping
centres.
The largest is the "City Commercial Park" where we find
the "Carrefour" hypermarket, which houses 47 shops inside. Outside, a
large car park separates the main building from the others, where we
will find: - Electronics and computer shops (Euronics, Unieuro);
DIY (Self);
Clothing and shoes (Conbipel, Longoni Sport, Oviesse,
Facit, Pittarello, Biella Scarpe, Scarpe&Scarpe, Valleverde);
Home
accessories (PuntoCasa);
Free Time (Il Delfino, Toys Center);
Snack Points (Spizzico)
Headquarters of the "Mokaor", a company
specialized in the production of fine coffee, which can also be
purchased here on site.
In short, a really not bad commercial
area.
On the other side of the city, a few minutes from the
centre, and a few minutes from Caresanblot, we will find the "Bennet"
shopping centre, which with its 14 shops, a large car park and a wide
choice of products and a very attractive, it offers a quiet and pleasant
place to spend.
As for shopping, we will find numerous discount
stores and supermarkets, such as "Famila", "IN's", "Eurospin" and many
others.
A few minutes from Vercelli, about twenty-five by car, we
can visit the Vicolungo outlet, which offers customers 131 clothing,
accessories and much more shops.
Average prices
1 Il Giardinetto, Via L. Sereno, 3, ☎ +39 0161
257230, giardi.dan@libero.it. Rooms located in an elegant 19th century
villa.
2 Il Paiolo, Viale Garibaldi, ☎ +39 0161 250577. Traditional
cuisine in a rustic building.
3 Christian and Manuel, Corso Magenta,
71, ☎ +39 0161 253585, reservations@christianemanuel.it. Closed Sunday
evening and Monday. Typical cuisine in a modern key.
Modest prices
1 Modo Hotel, Piazza Medaglie d'Oro, 21, ☎ +39 0161
217300, modohotel@virgilio.it. A conference room is available.
Average prices
2 Matteotti, Corso G. Matteotti, 35 (In the historical
centre), ☎ +39 0161 211840.
Location and Regional Context
Coordinates: 45°19′32″N 8°25′23″E.
Elevation: Approximately 130–137 m (430–450 ft) above sea level.
Municipal area: 79.77 km² (about 30.8 sq mi).
The city lies directly
on the Sesia River, roughly 65–80 km east of Turin and 70–80 km west of
Milan, in the eastern part of Piedmont near the Lombardy border.
The broader Province of Vercelli covers 2,088 km² and spans dramatic
contrasts: the flat, rice-dominated southern plains around the city
transition northward into the hilly pre-Alps and then the high Alpine
valleys of Valsesia (including parts of the Sesia-Val Grande UNESCO
Global Geopark and views of Monte Rosa). This north-south gradient
shapes the city’s immediate flatland setting while placing it at the
edge of Italy’s northern mountain barrier.
Topography and
Physical Setting
Vercelli occupies an extremely flat section of the
western Po Plain. Within a 2-mile radius of the city center, the terrain
is nearly level, with a maximum elevation change of only about 29 m (95
ft) and an average elevation of roughly 126 m (415 ft).
The landscape
consists of thick Quaternary alluvial deposits—layers of gravel, sand,
silt, and clay carried down from the Alps by rivers like the Sesia.
These create highly fertile, water-retentive soils that have been
heavily modified for agriculture over centuries.
To the south and
east, the plain stretches toward the Po River; northward, subtle rises
eventually give way to the Alpine foothills. The city itself feels
embedded in a vast, open checkerboard of fields, with distant
snow-capped Alps (including Monte Rosa) often visible on clear days.
Hydrology and Water Systems
The Sesia River is Vercelli’s
defining waterway. It originates from glaciers on Monte Rosa, flows
south through the city, and eventually joins the Po River. Its flow is
torrential in the upper valley but calmer and more manageable in the
plain.
The surrounding countryside is crisscrossed by an extensive
network of irrigation canals, the most important being the Canale Cavour
(completed in the 1860s). This 85-km engineering marvel diverts water
from the Po system, passes under the Sesia via large siphons, and
sustains the region’s rice cultivation.
Seasonal flooding of rice
paddies transforms the landscape into a shimmering “sea of mirrors” each
spring and summer, creating a temporary wetland ecosystem. The plain
also sits atop a complex multi-layered aquifer system; groundwater
levels fluctuate significantly (sometimes >4 m seasonally) due to
precipitation, irrigation, and rice-field management.
Climate
Vercelli has a humid subtropical to moderately continental climate
typical of the Po Valley: cold, damp, and foggy winters contrasted with
hot, muggy summers. High humidity and the flat terrain promote frequent
winter fog (often called “nebbia padana”), while rice paddies add extra
moisture to the air.
Key climate data (1991–2020 averages):
Annual
mean temperature: 13.1 °C (55.7 °F)
January: daily mean 2.7 °C (36.9
°F); high 7.2 °C (45.0 °F); low –1.9 °C (28.6 °F)
July: daily mean
23.5 °C (74.3 °F); high 29.4 °C (84.9 °F); low 17.6 °C (63.7 °F)
Annual precipitation: 841 mm (33.1 in), with peaks in spring and autumn
(November is wettest at ~116 mm); summer brings frequent thunderstorms.
The rice fields help moderate summer heat slightly compared with
drier parts of Italy, but the overall climate feels damp year-round.
Land Use, Agriculture, and Landscape Character
Vercelli is
universally known as Italy’s (and Europe’s) rice capital. Roughly 96% of
the flat plain immediately surrounding the city is devoted to rice
cultivation—about 220,000 acres across the broader Vercellese plain.
Italy produces around 1.3 million tons of rice annually, with over half
coming from Piedmont, much of it from the paddies here (notable
varieties include Arborio, Carnaroli, and Sant’Andrea).
The
agricultural landscape is highly engineered and seasonal:
Spring/summer — flooded paddies create a reflective, aquatic
checkerboard.
Autumn — golden ripening fields ready for harvest.
Winter — bare, muddy stubble often shrouded in fog.
This
intensive rice monoculture dominates land use, with scattered
farmsteads, irrigation ditches, and occasional remnant woodlands (such
as near Trino). The paddies also function as a biodiversity hotspot,
supporting birds like herons and other wetland species.
The origins of Vercelli are unknown to us: some historians, however,
believe it was founded by the Celts. Wehr-Celt or Rocca dei Celti is the
denomination that leads us to ascribe the foundation of the ancient city
to the Gauls. Located along an important economic road axis, the city of
Vercelli, renamed Vercellae by the Romans, developed as an urban center
from a pre-existing Celtic-Ligurian settlement following the Roman
occupation dating back to the first decades of the 2nd century BC. The
definitive victory of the Romans over the other peoples of the area was
sanctioned in 101 BC, when the army led by Gaius Mario defeated the
powerful Germanic tribe of the Cimbri in battle at the Campi Raudii.
In 49 BC. the inhabitants of Vercelli obtained full Roman
citizenship and the centre, having become a municipium, was enriched
with streets, monuments, public baths, an aqueduct, a theater and an
amphitheater. Between the 1st and 2nd century AD the flowering of the
urban center continued unabated. Subsequently however, in the 3rd and
4th centuries, the importance it acquired gradually declined and the
fortunes linked to Vercelli declined in conjunction with those of the
Roman Empire.
Saint Eusebius of Vercelli
The Christian
religion arrived in the Constantinian age, precisely in 313, through the
Emperor Constantius II. The first bishop, consecrated in 345 by Pope
Julius I, and who later also became the patron saint of the city, was
the well-known Sant'Eusebio, the first bishop in chronological order
present in Piedmont. Sardinian by birth, strong personality, he soon
became an esteemed pastor of the Vercelli Chapter, known throughout
Piedmont (of which he later became patron), above all as a popularizer
of the Marian cult of the Black Madonna, imported from the Holy Land,
therefore founder of the Sanctuary of Oropa. The archdiocese of Vercelli
therefore became one of the most important suffragans in nearby Milan.
Of the late antiquity and early medieval period there is little and
uncertain information. From the 6th to the 8th century the city remained
under Lombard rule and subsequently passed under the guidance of the
Franks. Vercelli then became a county and in fact was administered by
its bishops. After years of uncertainty, Vercelli allied itself with the
Milanese and participated in the events of the Lombard League up to the
victorious Battle of Legnano.
In the 13th century the municipal
regime progressively asserted itself which gave way to the most
prosperous period in the entire history of the city which had obtained
control over the territory between the Alps, the Po, the Sesia and the
Dora Baltea, thanks also to the act of 24 April 1243 with which Cardinal
Gregorio di Montelongo, papal legate, had ceded jurisdiction over all
the territories belonging to the Diocese of Vercelli, vacant at that
time, to the Municipality, keeping the minor jurisdiction to the latter;
the transfer, of considerable size, was challenged by successive
bishops, with mixed success. In 1219, at the behest of Cardinal Guala
Bicheri, work began on the construction of the Abbey of Sant'Andrea and
five years later the adjoining hospital was born. At the same time the
municipality promoted the establishment of the first university of
Piedmont and on 10 July 1243, Vercelli was the first city in the entire
peninsula to abolish serfdom.
Following the long struggles
between the Guelphs and Ghibellines, headed respectively by the
Avogadros and the Bicheri-Tizzonis, the municipality passed under
foreign rule and in 1335 Vercelli lost its political autonomy forever.
Under the rule of the Visconti there was a period of relative tranquility until in 1427 the city fell under the Duchy of Savoy and rapidly enriched itself. Vercelli was one of the major cultural centers of Renaissance Piedmont. At the end of the sixteenth century Vercelli still retained a large part of the early Christian, medieval and Renaissance artistic and historical heritage but the project of Carlo Emanuele I to make Vercelli a fortress city stopped the expansion of the city, blocking it for over a century in its mighty walls, as clearly appears from the paper published in the Theatrum Sabaudiae of 1682. In the 1600s wars, plagues and the dominion of the Spaniards did not give the city a breather. In 1704 the last siege of Vercelli took place with the destruction of the walls and the citadel by the army of the Duke of Vendôme during the war of the Spanish succession but the 1713 treaty of Utrecht marked the return to the Savoys. During the Napoleonic period Vercelli conquered the title of capital of the Department of Sesia and was united to the French State. In the second half of the eighteenth century squares and avenues began to take shape which still today give organic unity to the city, palaces of remarkable beauty were erected.
After the restoration of the Savoy state, dating back to 1814, the
Vercelli people took part in the movements of the liberal revolt of 1821
and in the struggles of the Risorgimento. In the first thirty years of
the nineteenth century there were various constructions such as the new
Theater, which later became the Civic Theater inaugurated in 1815, and
the public slaughterhouse. Then it was the turn of the Independence Wars
which brought serious damage to the city. After the unification of
Italy, building activity stagnated, but it saw the birth of piazza
Torino (now Pajetta), the reorganization of Porta Milano, the
construction of the Jewish synagogue. In the 20th century, the partisan
struggle and the disastrous situation after the Liberation were among
the noteworthy facts.
At the beginning of the twentieth century
the city experienced a remarkable expansion. With the rebirth of the
fifties and the more recent vicissitudes, Vercelli returned to
tranquility and agriculture, the main resource of the territory, was
transformed thanks to the growing mechanization of the means of
processing. Even today, for the province of the water lands, rice
cultivation represents a real wealth that characterizes the rural
landscape, typical for rice fields, and acts as a driving factor in the
economy of the area. However, precisely because of mechanization,
agriculture no longer offers great job opportunities. Furthermore, the
city has been affected by the recent crisis in the textile sector, with
the consequent closure of some important industrial sites. The lack of
great job opportunities has pushed many Vercelli to commute to nearby
Turin and Milan.
Historical Foundations and Identity
Vercelli (known anciently as
Vercellae) traces its roots to pre-Roman times, founded around the 6th
century BC by Ligurian and Celtic tribes before becoming a key Roman
municipium at the crossroads of trade routes between the Po Valley and
the Alps. It rose to prominence in the Middle Ages as a vital stop on
the Via Francigena pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, fostering a
cosmopolitan exchange of ideas and faith. The city's early Christian
heritage is tied to St. Eusebius, its 4th-century bishop and patron
saint, who founded a monastic community and resisted Arianism—his legacy
lives on in the Cathedral of Sant’Eusebio.
In the 19th–20th
centuries, Vercelli became Italy's (and Europe's) rice powerhouse thanks
to irrigation innovations like the Cavour Canal. This transformed the
economy and landscape, drawing seasonal workers and cementing rice as
the region's "white gold." The surrounding Baraggia area produces
PDO-protected rice varieties (Riso di Baraggia Biellese e Vercellese),
with over 100 types grown here, including historic strains like Gigante
Vercelli (tall, spindle-shaped grains ideal for risotto) and premium
Carnaroli.
A defining chapter in local social history is the
mondine—female rice weeders (often from poorer southern regions) who
toiled waist-deep in flooded fields from the late 19th to mid-20th
century. Their grueling labor, folk songs, and labor strikes (including
fights for an 8-hour workday) became symbols of resilience and
working-class culture, commemorated in museums, literature, and even the
1949 film Riso Amaro (Bitter Rice).
Architectural and Artistic
Heritage
Vercelli's skyline is dominated by medieval towers,
churches, and the iconic Basilica of Sant'Andrea (built 1219–1227), one
of the earliest examples of Gothic architecture in Italy. Commissioned
by Cardinal Guala Bicchieri, it fuses Romanesque solidity with soaring
Gothic elements like pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and polychrome
marble inspired by Cistercian models. Its cloister, portals (with
Antelami-school sculptures), and frescoes make it a
masterpiece—celebrating its 800th anniversary in 2019.
Other gems
include the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sant’Eusebio (with a 1000-year-old
crucifix), the Renaissance Church of San Cristoforo (the "Sistine Chapel
of Vercelli," filled with expressive frescoes by Gaudenzio Ferrari), and
the Visconti Castle. Museums like the Museo Francesco Borgogna (an art
gallery with Renaissance to 19th-century works, including Van Dyck and
Tiepolo) and the Museo Leone showcase the city's artistic depth. The
Capitular Library holds the Vercelli Book (late 10th century), a rare
Old English manuscript of religious poetry and homilies—linking Vercelli
to Anglo-Saxon pilgrims and European literary history.
Culinary
Culture: Rice at the Heart
Food in Vercelli is rustic,
Piedmontese-Lombard influenced, and rice-centric—reflecting the fields'
bounty. Signature dishes revolve around local varieties:
Panissa
Vercellese: A hearty risotto with borlotti beans, salam d'la duja (pork
salami preserved in fat), lard, pork rind, and often Barbera wine. It's
the ultimate comfort food, symbolizing rural tradition.
Other
risottos use Carnaroli or Arborio, paired with local DOP/DOCG products
like cheeses, wines, and sometimes frogs (a historic local ingredient).
Desserts include torta Vercellese (hazelnut-chocolate cake).
Local markets, trattorias, and events like the Sagra d’la Panissa (a
multi-day festival in the Porta Casale district with music, dance, and
tastings) keep these alive. Rice is celebrated as heritage and future
resource—sustainable, nutritious, and versatile. (Note: The image shows
a steaming pan of panissa with visible beans and meats.)
Festivals, Traditions, and Community Life
Vercelli's calendar pulses
with events blending faith, agriculture, food, and revelry:
Risò –
International Rice Festival (September): A major modern celebration in
the city center (near the Basilica), with food zones for rice dishes,
kid-friendly "Young Farmers" areas, exhibitions on rice varieties and
sustainability, guided tours of rice fields/granges/castles, talks, and
tributes to Riso Amaro. It positions rice as cultural identity and
global excellence.
Processione delle Macchine (Good Friday): A solemn
highlight since 1833, where confraternities carry large wooden
"machines" (sculptural groups depicting the Passion of Christ) by
torchlight through the streets to Sant'Andrea, accompanied by a Holy
Cross relic. It unites the community in deep religious devotion.
Carnival (Carnevale di Vercelli): Features traditional masks like
Bicciolano and Bela Majin, parades, district bean-soup dinners
(fagiolate), parties, and floats—full of satire and joy.
Agricultural
fairs like Fiera in Campo (March), Fiera di Sant'Andrea (November), and
Risotto Days highlight produce and crafts.
Cultural standouts: The
International G.B. Viotti Music Competition (since 1950, launching
careers like Pavarotti's), the Festival of Civil Poetry, and theatrical
events in historic venues.
Daily life revolves around the
seasons—rice planting/harvest, markets in Piazza Cavour, and
family-oriented events. Locals speak Italian with a Piedmontese dialect
flavor (Vercellese variant), though younger generations blend it with
standard Italian. The city maintains a slower pace, with strong
neighborhood ties and pride in its "towered" medieval core.