Ivrea, a city overflowing with history

The geographical position of Ivrea was decisive in characterizing its historical centrality, as it stands in the center of the so-called morainic amphitheater and is bathed by the Dora Baltea, a tributary of the Po. When it still had the name of Eporedia, Ivrea was an important Roman center , almost an outpost close to the Alps. Nevertheless, it was in the medieval period that the city really blossomed, assuming a role of absolute importance: it first became the seat of a Lombard duchy, then the capital of the homonymous marquisate over which the famous Arduino reigned, the man who in 1002 proclaimed himself the first king of Italy. This historical ferment translates into a center overflowing with monuments: the Castle of Ivrea, built in the fourteenth century by the Savoy, dominates the rest of the city and impresses with its red color and its high towers. It is home to historical re-enactment events and is open to visits. On the square in front of the castle we find two other key buildings: the Bishop's Palace and the Cathedral. The latter appears on the outside as a neoclassical building, but has a late-baroque interior; it also houses a complex of crypts containing remains, frescoes and relics. Not far away we find the Seminary, which houses the Chapter Library with its ancient illuminated manuscripts (some dating back to the 7th century AD). The arcades of perhaps the most beautiful square in Ivrea, Piazza Ottinetti, lead to the “Pier Alessandro Garda” Civic Museum, with ethnographic, archaeological and artistic collections. Ivrea is world famous for its historic carnival, with the famous 'battle of the oranges'; for those wishing to attend, the recurring dates are Sunday, Monday and Shrove Tuesday.