Piazzo is a historic district of the city of Biella , in Piedmont . Make up the part medieval of the city; it is placed on a hill (480 m asl ) to one quote higher than the more modern part called Biella Piano.
Located on a hill west of the city center - to which it is joined by a picturesque funicular opened in 1885 - the Piazzo is still the historic heart of the city, with its ancient shops and numerous bars with dehors. It can be reached via the road that climbs towards the Vandorno district and is connected to the plain by roads (asphalted or pedestrian) called coasts.
It was the home of the family of Ferrero della Marmora and of the medieval feudal lord Sebastiano Ferrero who built the high octagonal tower of Palazzo La Marmora here, which dominates the city near the ancient Vernato district and the Renaissance complex of San Sebastiano, now home to the Biellese Territory Museum.
The village was once surrounded by walls and closed by monumental doors (the one still best preserved is the Porta d'Andorno located in the direction of Andorno Micca and of Valle Cervo ) and connected to the lower part of the city by a series of steep alleys called coasts, still maintained in their almost original state.
The main ones were: the Vernato coast, the Ghiara coast (today the San Sebastiano coast), the Noci coast and the Andorno coast (now the Piazzo coast).
The history of the Piazzo [1] it is ancient and articulated. It begins in XII century when Uguccione, bishop from Vercelli , whose diocese had Lordship over the area, granted - on 12 April 1160 - three important privileges (administration of justice, slaughter of meat, the possibility of holding a weekly market) to anyone willing to live on the hill called Piazzo overlooking the city (in the language of the time: de monte uno qui nominatur Plaç) [2] .
The purpose of this decision - which opened the doors to the birth of the Municipality - was actually to create a safe refuge for the bishopric from the open struggles between Ghibellines Vercelli and the Guelphs Biella.
There funicular which connects Biella Piano to the Piazzo. It is managed by the Public Transport Company.
Thus was born the village of Piazzo, still characterized by the scenographic Cisterna square (with the relative Cisterna palace and other noble palaces), the arcades with the capitals stone and terracotta decorations.
Not far away, at the beginning of the Piazzo course, you can see what in the eighteenth century were the ancient city prisons, formerly Casa Coda, recently restored and used as a Youth Hostel. He was born in this building, in 1614 , the historian Carlo Antonio Coda .
The Castle of the bishop Uguccione was destroyed during the revolt of 1377 led by canon Codecapra, a riot that led Biella to the subjection of House of Savoy , with the consequent passage of all Biella municipalities under the Savoy dominion.
Piazza Cisterna - fulcrum of the village, until the second half of the nineteenth century it hosted the Town Hall and was the seat of the market. It is surrounded by medieval arcades that flank two or three storey buildings
Piazzetta di San Giacomo - stands next to the ancient Town Hall and houses the main façade and the bell tower of the parish church dedicated to St. James and the Palazzo Gromo di Ternengo
Corso del Piazzo - is the main street that crosses the village longitudinally. An ancient is visible sundial . The Ferrero della Marmora Palace overlooks it
Via Avogadro - is named after the physicist Amedeo Avogadro who stayed here for short periods
Piazza Cucco, seen from via Avogadro
Piazza Cucco - is one of the panoramic points of the village. It overlooks the suburbs of Vandorno and Barazzetto and the valley of Pollone where the Burcina Park
Palazzo Ferrero - see page up La Marmora Palace .
Palazzo Cisterna (or Palazzo Dal Pozzo della Cisterna) - is located in Piazza Cisterna. The prospectus dates back to the end of XVI century and is enriched by numerous terracotta decorations; on the main floor they are kept frescoes celebrations of the second half of the sixteenth century with episodes from the history of ancient Rome . Now owned by the municipality, it hosts cultural events. It was built on the site of the houses of their ancestors by the Dal Pozzo brothers: Lodovico, Giacomo, Fabrizio (count of Ponderano ) and Carlo Antonio, archbishop of Pisa . The palace was stripped of all furniture and furnishings in 1821 following the sentence inflicted on Prince Emanuele Dal Pozzo involved in riots.
Palazzo Gromo di Ternengo - overlooks the square of San Giacomo.
Palazzo Scaglia - next to the Casa degli Antoniani, it was the home of the family of the same name. It dates back to the 16th century and retains, on the north side, an elegant terracotta band with drawings on a blue background.
Casa Antoniani - located along the arcades, it is the closest building to the funicular station.
Casa Avogadro - in reality it is a group of houses located at the beginning of the street of the same name, which hosted the physicist Avogadro for a short stay.
Casa Teccio - is the oldest building in Piazza Cisterna.
Casa Vercellone - is characterized by the classic portico that defines piazza Cisterna from an architectural and urban point of view.
Casa Vialardi - of the noble family of the same name, was built in 14th century . A portico with pointed arches and windows decorated with terracotta characterize the architectural structure. Donated to the seminary of Biella, it was then sold to the Municipality. Give it sixties it is used as an elementary school. It overlooks piazza Cucco.
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Parish Church of San Giacomo - located in the homonymous square, it was consecrated in 1227 ; preserves works by Daniele De Bosis and houses the relics of the blessed Agostino de Fango . On the square there is also the Palazzo Gromo di Ternengo whose façade is characterized by precious frames in terracotta .
Church of the Confraternity of Sant'Anna - Located in via Avogadro, it is the first church of this brotherhood built in Biella. It dates back to an unspecified year between 1600 and 1700. Certainly from 1753 it is the raising of the bell tower, begun in the seventeenth century.
Church of the Confraternity of the Holy Shroud - its construction began in 1667 and was completed in 1765 . Closed for worship in 1807 , it was reopened in 1834 by Carlo Ferrero della Marmora. It is located between the palaces of the Ferrero della Marmora and the Ferrero Fieschi princes.
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Porta d'Andorno - was built in the first half of 14th century with the fortification arranged by the Lombard bishop della Torre. The side facing the Piazzo reproduced the Scaglia's weapon and the Holy Shroud .
Porta di Ghiara - erected like the Porta d'Andorno in 1300, it is the only one that preserves, on the left side, the remains of battlements . The traditional medieval drawbridge was replaced by sliding gates which guaranteed its inaccessibility.
Porta della Torrazza - also known as "Porta d'Oropa" in medieval times was a fortified door today replaced by a decorative door built by the Municipality in 1780 to commemorate the visit of Vittorio Amedeo III and his wife Maria Antonia Ferdinanda of Spain to the city and to the Sanctuary of Oropa . At the top of the door is the inscription Victorii Amedei III Sardiniae Regis. The door is made of exposed brick; has a structure ad arch with a trapezoidal plant in order to appear in axis with the road in the curve. It is surmounted by coat of arms Savoyard.