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Sanctuary of Oropa. First Square and Porta Regia

Pubblicato : Saturday, 10 February, 2024 - 15:59

 

The first impact with the monumental complex of Oropa is stunning. Once through the gate, one finds oneself jolted from the mountain atmosphere to the great splendour of the First Square. Two elegant pavilions, enriched by an almost infinite series of porticoes, inside which are housed bars, restaurants, shops and even a hall for opera performances. This square, the antipasto of Oropa, ends with the Porta Regia. Raised above the ground and coloured in dark stone, it stands out among the simple, light geometries of the building.

 

 

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Gattinara. Gattinara vineyards

Pubblicato : Friday, 9 February, 2024 - 15:40

 

Gattinara, a small town in the Vercelli area on the banks of the Sesia River, is the land of the homonymous DOCG vine, one of the most renowned Nebbiolos of Upper Piedmont. A not too demanding walk allows you to admire the panorama of its vineyards on one side and the town centre, dominated by the dome of its church, on the other. At the top of this walk, culminating in a panoramic viewpoint, we can find the 11th-century Torre delle Castelle, an ancient defensive fortification. More recently, a Big Bench, a giant bench from which to enjoy the view, as well as an impressive giant chalice made of iron, have also found their place here. From here, a series of cycling and walking paths run alongside or through the vineyards.

 

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Alagna Valsesia

Pubblicato : Thursday, 8 February, 2024 - 15:27

 

Alagna Valsesia lies at the foot of the Monte Rosa massif, at an altitude of 1,154 metres, and is included in the Alta Valsesia Natural Park. Alagna traces its ancient origins back to 1200 when some communities of German origin, the Walser, settled in the area. Today it is made up of numerous villages aggregated to the town centre. Walking along the central via dei Walser, one breathes in an atmosphere that smells of ancient traditions. The small, picturesque streets of the village are dotted with the typical dwellings of the Walser people, houses built in wood and stone that make the town a real historical and cultural jewel. A true paradise for all sports enthusiasts, especially thanks to the Monterosa Sky, but also for summer sports such as trekking, MTB but also paragliding and rafting.

 

 

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Varallo Sesia. Sacro Monte

Pubblicato : Thursday, 8 February, 2024 - 11:13

 

The oldest of the nine Sacred Mounts built in the Alps of Piedmont and Lombardy, it rises on the summit of a rocky spur immersed in the green woods surrounding the elegant town of Varallo Sesia. It was the Franciscan friar Bernardino Caimi who, towards the end of the 15th century, planned the construction of a 'New Jerusalem', which at that time was definitively in Arab hands, to allow the faithful to experience the spirituality of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land by faithfully retracing its symbolic places. Sacro Monte consists of a basilica and 44 chapels inside which the stages of Jesus' life and Passion are depicted with life-size sculptures and numerous paintings.

 

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Varallo Sesia

Pubblicato : Wednesday, 7 February, 2024 - 11:10

 

This town at the entrance to Valsesia is best known for its Sacro Monte and its festival, the Alpàa. Despite this, it would be a pity to underestimate the pleasantness of its largely pedestrianised town centre, where you can stroll leisurely through the narrow streets of the centre, dotted with lively little squares and historic buildings, typical shops, small churches and the bridge over the Mastellone river. All in the natural setting of the surrounding Valsesia mountains.

 

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Vercelli. Synagogue

Pubblicato : Wednesday, 7 February, 2024 - 10:13

 

The Vercelli Synagogue was the first in Italy after the 1848 emancipation by Carlo Alberto. Inspired by the building model of the Leopoldstädter Tempel in Vienna in 1858, the synagogue is in Moorish style. Erected between 1875 and 1878, it has a beautiful façade of white and blue-grey sandstone that makes it stand out from the surrounding buildings. The temple was closed for a long time, the downward trend stopped in 2003 after a series of major restorations.

 

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Vercelli. Duomo

Pubblicato : Tuesday, 6 February, 2024 - 10:31

 

Although the Cathedral of St Eusebius stands a short distance from the Basilica of St Andrew, it is quite different from the latter. Over the centuries, the cathedral has been destroyed and rebuilt several times; the current structure dates back to the 16th century, although some of its parts date back to the 19th century. The altar is not located in the apse but in the middle of the nave and is surmounted by the monumental wooden crucifix in silver foil, dating back to the Romanesque period.

 

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Vercelli. Broletto and Piazza Cavour

Pubblicato : Monday, 5 February, 2024 - 13:07

 

Seat of the Municipality from 1200 until the early 19th century, the Broletto was where town assemblies were held and justice administered. The Torre Comunale (Municipal Tower), which dates back to the 13th century, remains as a testimony to this. The square is characterised by the typical porticos of northern cities, which entirely surround it. Its peculiarity is that it has two types of porticoes: those with pointed arches dating back to the 13th-14th centuries and the others, in terracotta, from the Renaissance period.

 

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