Canavese
To the north-east of Turin lies the Canavese area, rich in waterways, parks, archaeological and cultural routes. The name derives from Canava, an ancient city on the Orco river.
It is the obligatory passage to head to Valle d'Aosta, a region bordering Piedmont; not far from the Gran Paradiso National Park, a well-known tourist destination. The cultivation of the vine has very ancient origins, before the Romans, and is developed with the double pergola cultivation method, supported by the characteristic "topion", conical stone columns which also retain the daytime heat to mitigate the rigors of the night, particularly cold given the almost mountainous geographical position.
History and art
Ivrea is the capital of the Canavese area and has Roman origins as can be deduced from the name of its inhabitants, the Ivrea people. The modern city lies flat, occupying the two banks of the Dora Baltea, while its historic center climbs up a hill that leads to the Castle of the Four Towers, symbol of the city which was used as a prison since the 17th century, and the Duomo (267 meters above sea level). The basin was, in prehistoric times, occupied by an immense lake formed with the melting of the glaciers: this explains the numerous small residual lakes scattered around.
The “Naviglio di Ivrea” is an irrigation canal intended to supply water to the rice fields of the Vercelli area, built in 1468 at the behest of Jolanda of Savoy. La Serra is the moraine hill, the longest in Europe, which acts as an amphitheater for the city, full of cycle paths. On the western edge is Piverone which overlooks Lake Viverone, whose shores are rich in archaeological finds, an important hub for excursions, between the provinces of Biella, Vercelli and Turin, an obligatory passage for trips beyond the Alps. On the southern side of the moraine, however, is Caluso, home of the Piedmont Regional Enoteca. Lake Candia Canavese is home to a rowing club while Aglié, whose name Alladium derives from an ancient Roman city, hosts an important ducal castle dating back to the 12th century and which was remodeled in 1600, becoming a prestigious example of baroque architecture as well as to the summer residence of the House of Savoy.
