| • Science | • People | • Locations | • Timeline |
| Contents | ||
It lies in the foothills of the Alps, in the Bo mountain range near Mt. Mucrone and Camino, an area rich in springs and lakes, the heart of the Biellese Alps irrigated by several mountain torrents: the Elvo river to the west of the town, the Oropa river and the Cervo river to the east. Nearby natural beauties, and notable tourist attractions, include the outlook at Zegna with the ski resort of Bielmonte; Burcina Natural Reserve; and the moors to the south of town. Religious pilgrims make their way to the Sanctuary of Oropa.
Biella is an important wool processing and textile center. There is a small airport in the nearby comune of Verrone .
That the first inhabitants of the area were Ligurians and Celts has been ascertained from archaeological finds: they lived near streams and lakes, at first fishermen and hunters, and later, herders.
A Ligurian people, the Victimuli , fanned out in the plain of Biella (the Bessa) and exploited gold veins near the Elvo, an activity which continued thru the early Middle Ages, and even today panning for gold continues as a local hobby.
In the late 1950s Bronze Age — or, according to some, Iron Age — tools and necklaces, attesting to Biella's antiquity, were found in the Burcina Reserve.
The city's name appears for the first time as Bugella in a document of 826 recording to the donation of Bugella to Count Busone by Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne), Holy Roman Emperor; a further document of 882 records some land transactions of Charles the Fat in favor of the church of VercelliCommune Vercelli Province Vercelli Region Piemonte State Italy Coordinates 45 °19 N φ 8 °25 E λ Population 44,950 ( 2001 Census) Altitude ? Area 79 km² Subdivisions ? Postal code 13100 Area code 0161 ISTAT code 002''158 Tax ID prefix ? Adjascen.
In the 10th century9th century 10th century 11th century other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. Events The beginning of the Medieval Warm Period Viking groups settle in northern France N the town was inhabited by Alemanni, LombardsThe Lombards ( Latin Langobardi from which the alternative name Longobards found in older English texts), were a Germanic people originally from Scandinavia that entered the late Roman Empire. They were known to the Romans from as early as AD 98, when the and FranksCharlemagne or Karl der Grosse ( Charles the Great) in Frankfurt The Franks formed one of several west Germanic tribes who entered the late Roman Empire from Frisia as foederati and established a lasting realm in an area that covers part of today's France, who built the first walls as a defense against barbarian invasions. Extant remains from this period include the Lombard Romanesque Baptistry and the adjacent church of S. Stefano, around which the town grew: it is today's cathedral, although the original 5th century4th century 5th century 6th century other centuries) Events Rome sacked by Visigoths in 410. Attila the Hun conquers large parts of Europe, threatens to attack Rome in 452 Vandals conquer Carthage in 439, sack Rome in 455 At some point after 440, the Angl building was demolished in 1872Events January 2 Brigham Young, is arrested for bigamy (25 wives). February 20 In New York City the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens. March 1 Yellowstone National Park is established as the world's first national park March 5 George Westinghouse patents t.
On April 12April 12 is the 102nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (103rd in leap years). There are 263 days remaining. Events 467 Anthemius is elevated to Emperor of the Western Roman Empire 1204 The Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople 1606 The Union Jack i, 1160, Uguccione, bishop of Vercelli, granted important trade privileges to anyone residing on Piazzo hill, as an incentive to the estt of a place of refuge against the warfare between the Guelphs and Ghibellines of Vercelli: this was the birth of the Borgo del Piazzo, site of the handsome public square, the Piazza Cisterna, and a Palace fronting on it, the doors of which have stone capitals and terracotta ornaments.
Bishop Uguccione's castle was destroyed in a revolt in 1377 that led to the subjection of Biella, along with its dependent comuni, to the yoke of the house of Savoy.