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Piedmont
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums

After Sicily, Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian) is Italy’s second largest region, mostly mountainous and surrounded on three sides by the Alps. On the northern slopes of Monviso, the highest point in the Cottian Alps, the river Po rises, and then flows east across northern Italy and into the Adriatic sea near Venice. The fertile lowland plains of Piedmont provide the region with a substantial agricultural economy. The region shares international borders with France and Switzerland. The Provinces in Piedmont are: Alessandria, Asti, Biella, Cuneo, Novara, Turin, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola and Vercelli.

Archaeology & History Sites in Piedmont

Aerial shot of star Citadel or Cittadella of Alessandria

Alessandria

Officially founded in 1168, in the middle of the Tànaro and Bormida rivers, as an act of defiance to Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. The city owes its name to Pope Alexander III, who received it as a feud. Its position between Milan, Genoa and Turin made it an important centre for the freight exchange. A short distance away, the French, led by Napoleon, and the Austrians faced each other in the Battle of Marengo, now the site of the Marengo Museum. Other highlights include the Citadel of Alexandria, an 18th-century fortification, one of the last remaining in Europe.

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A panorama of Turin at twilight with Mole Antonelliana and Alps in the background.

Turin

As well as being the first capital of the Kingdom of Italy, Turin is also a powerful symbol of Italian-made products. Instant coffee, giandujotti, Vermouth and Fiat originated here. Turin is also known for extensive tree-lined  avenues and parks, some of the highest expressions of Baroque architecture and the UNESCO listed Royal Savoy residences. And the city is home to the Egyptian Museum of Turin, the oldest museum dedicated exclusively to the ancient Egyptians.

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Museums & Art Galleries in Piedmont

A sphinx statue on display in the Egyptian Museum, Turin.

Egyptian Museum of Turin

Jean-François Champollion, the French linguist who was the first to decipher Egyptian hieroglyphs, wrote “The road to Memphis and Thebes passes through Turin”. One of the reasons for this reputation is because the Egyptian Museum of Turin has the second largest collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world (after the museum in Cairo). The first object from Egypt arrived in 1630, after which there were many campaigns to Egypt. The museum has the oldest known example of the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

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Gothic style palazzo.

Museum of Archaeology & Art History, Palazzo Traversa, Bra

Housed in the 15th century Gothic style Palazzo, this local archaeology museum has extensive displays of the history of the area from the Bronze and Iron Ages to the Medieval period and more recent history. Of particular note is a large collection of artefacts from the nearby Roman town of Pollentia. Besides the usual examples of marble sculpture, the displays include a fascinating variety of everyday objects. The museum also houses works by local artists, dating from the 17th to 20th century.