Biella

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title: "Biella" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["biella", "cities-and-towns-in-piedmont"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biella" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox Italian comune"]

FieldValue
nameBiella
official_nameComune di Biella
native_namepms
image_skylineBiella Piano panorama.jpg
image_flagBiella-Bandiera.svg
image_captionView of Biella
image_shieldBiella-Stemma.svg
coordinates
regionPiedmont
provinceBiella (BI)
frazioniBarazzetto, Chiavazza, Colma, Cossila, Favaro, Lago del Mucrone, Oropa, Pavignano, Vaglio, Vandorno
mayorClaudio Corradino
area_footnotes
area_total_km246.69
population_footnotes
population_total43181
population_as_of2025
population_demonymBiellese(i)
elevation_m420
saintSt. Stephen
dayDecember 1 al January 30
postal_code13900
area_code015
website
::

| name = Biella | official_name = Comune di Biella | native_name = pms | image_skyline = Biella Piano panorama.jpg | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_flag = Biella-Bandiera.svg | image_caption = View of Biella | image_shield = Biella-Stemma.svg | shield_alt = | image_map = | map_alt = | map_caption = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | coordinates = | coordinates_footnotes = | region = Piedmont | province = Biella (BI) | frazioni = Barazzetto, Chiavazza, Colma, Cossila, Favaro, Lago del Mucrone, Oropa, Pavignano, Vaglio, Vandorno | mayor = Claudio Corradino | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 46.69 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 43181 | population_as_of = 2025 | pop_density_footnotes = | population_demonym = Biellese(i) | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 420

| twin1 = | twin1_country = | istat = | saint = St. Stephen | day = December 1 al January 30 | postal_code = 13900 | area_code = 015 | website = | footnotes = Biella (; ; ) is a city and comune (municipality) in the northern Italian region of Piedmont, the capital of the province of the same name. With a population of 43,181, it is the 12th-largest city in Piedmont. It is located about 80 km northeast of Turin and at about the same distance west-northwest of Milan.

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 fed by the glaciers, the heart of the Biellese Alps irrigated by several mountain streams: the Elvo to the west of the town, the Oropa river and the Cervo to the east. Nearby natural and notable tourist attractions include the Zegna Viewpoint, the Bielmonte Ski Resort, Burcina Natural Reserve, and the moors to the south of town. The Sanctuary of Oropa is a site of religious pilgrimages. In 2003, the Sanctuary of Oropa Sacred Mountain of Oropa became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Biella is an important wool processing and textile centre. There is a small airport in the nearby comune of Cerrione.

History

The first inhabitants of the area were Ligurians and Celts. This has been ascertained from archaeological finds: they lived near streams and lakes, at first as 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 through the early Middle Ages, and even today panning for gold continues as a local hobby.

Tools and necklaces dating from the Bronze Age—or, according to some, Iron Age— attesting to Biella's antiquity, were found in the Burcina Reserve.

Middle Ages

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/BiellaDuomo.jpg" caption="The interior of the [[cathedral]] in Biella is a masterpiece of [[trompe-l'œil"] ::

The city's name appears for the first time as Bugella in a document of 826AD, recording the donation of Bugella to Count Busone by Louis the Pious, son of Charlemagne), Holy Roman Emperor; a further document of 882AD records some land transactions of Charles the Fat in favour of the church of Vercelli.

In the 10th century the town was inhabited by Alemanni, Lombards and Franks, who built the first walls as a defence 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-century building was demolished in 1872.

On April 12, 1160, Uguccione, bishop of Vercelli, granted important trade privileges to anyone residing on Piazzo hill (elevated section of the city) as an incentive to the establishment 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 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.

Modern times

In the 14th and 15th centuries, the Visconti family competed with Savoy for the possession of the Biella region. The 17th century saw a similar competition between French and Spanish forces, and Biella was actually occupied in 1704; in 1706 Pietro Micca, a Biellese soldier, saved nearby Turin from a siege that would have meant the invasion of Biella by the French as well—but paid for it with his own life.

In 1798 Biella was once again occupied by the French, and after the Battle of Marengo, Biella was formally annexed by France. The Congress of Vienna returned it to Savoy.

In 1859 Biella was besieged by the Austrians but Garibaldi forced an end to the siege, and the town became part of the province of Novara, losing its status as regional capital that it had received in the 17th century from Charles Emmanuel I of Savoy; it was transferred to the province of Vercelli in 1927.

In World War II Biella was the scene of armed resistance.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Sacro_Monte_di_Oropa._Cappelle.JPG" caption="Sacred Mount of Oropa"] ::

In 1992, the new province of Biella was formed, separating the territory from the north-western sector of the province of Vercelli.

Wool industry

In 1245 the statutes of Biella were already referring to the wool workers' and weavers' guilds: hardly surprising given the region's high mountain pastures and copious water supply needed for washing fleece and powering mills. In the 17th and 18th centuries, as elsewhere in Italy, silk was an important industry, and a silk factory was built in the town in 1695. In 1835, however, the town's textile history came round full circle when the same building was put to use as a wool factory with the introduction of mechanical looms, putting Biella at the forefront of modern improvements in the industry. Around 1999/2000, a progressively worse economic crisis in the wool sector forced many local wool mills to close since they could not compete with the prices of imported fabrics and clothing.

Climate

| width = auto | metric first = y | single line = y | collapsed = Y | location = Biella (2002–2020) | Jan high C = 8.0 | Feb high C = 9.7 | Mar high C = 14.5 | Apr high C = 18.5 | May high C = 22.6 | Jun high C = 27.5 | Jul high C = 29.6 | Aug high C = 28.6 | Sep high C = 24.2 | Oct high C = 17.9 | Nov high C = 12.3 | Dec high C = 8.6 | year high C = | Jan mean C = 4.5 | Feb mean C = 5.8 | Mar mean C = 10.0 | Apr mean C = 13.9 | May mean C = 17.7 | Jun mean C = 22.5 | Jul mean C = 24.4 | Aug mean C = 23.7 | Sep mean C = 19.7 | Oct mean C = 14.4 | Nov mean C = 9.2 | Dec mean C = 5.3 | year mean C = | Jan low C = 1.0 | Feb low C = 2.0 | Mar low C = 5.6 | Apr low C = 9.4 | May low C = 12.9 | Jun low C = 17.4 | Jul low C = 19.3 | Aug low C = 18.8 | Sep low C = 15.3 | Oct low C = 10.8 | Nov low C = 6.1 | Dec low C = 2.0 | year low C = | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 40 | Feb precipitation mm = 64 | Mar precipitation mm = 82 | Apr precipitation mm = 136 | May precipitation mm = 183 | Jun precipitation mm = 123 | Jul precipitation mm = 96 | Aug precipitation mm = 122 | Sep precipitation mm = 101 | Oct precipitation mm = 120 | Nov precipitation mm = 176 | Dec precipitation mm = 71 | year precipitation mm = | Jan precipitation days = 4 | Feb precipitation days = 5 | Mar precipitation days = 7 | Apr precipitation days = 10 | May precipitation days = 12 | Jun precipitation days = 10 | Jul precipitation days = 7 | Aug precipitation days = 9 | Sep precipitation days = 7 | Oct precipitation days = 8 | Nov precipitation days = 8 | Dec precipitation days = 5 | year precipitation days = | source 1 = Climi e viaggi{{cite web | url = https://www.climieviaggi.it/clima/italia/biella | title = Clima - Biella (Piemonte) | publisher= Climi e viaggi | access-date = 26 November 2024}}

Demographics

As of 2025, Biella has a population of 43,181, of which 47.7% are male and 52.3% are female, compared to the nationwide average of 49.0% and 51.0% respectively. Minors make up 12.5% of the population, and seniors make up 29.5%, compared to the Italian average of 14.9% and 24.7% respectively.

Immigration

As of 2025, the foreign-born population is 6,594, making up 15.3% of the total population. The 5 largest foreign nationalities are Moroccans (1,316), Romanians (679), Filipinos (400), Ukrainians (267) and Albanians (248). ::data[format=table title="Foreign population by country of birth (2025)"]

Country of birthPopulation
Morocco1,316
Romania679
Philippines400
Ukraine267
Albania248
Brazil241
Pakistan215
Nigeria213
Argentina188
China178
Peru143
Dominican Republic120
France119
Russia103
Tunisia99
::

Government

Culture

Biella is the home of Citta dell'arte (City of the Arts) - Fondazione Pistoletto.Citta dell'arte - Fondazione Pistoletto In 1994, Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto began Progetto Arte, whose aim was to unify the artistic, creative, and social-economic aspects (e.g. fashion, theatre, design, etc.). In 1996, he founded City of Arts/Citta dell'arte – Fondazione Pistoletto in a formally unused textile factory near Biella, as a centre supporting and researching creative resources, producing innovative ideas and possibilities. The Citta dell'arte is divided into different Uffici/Offices (work, education, communications, art, nutrition, politics, spirituality, and economics).

Main sights

Main businesses

Transport

Biella has two railway stations. The main one, Biella San Paolo railway station, opened in 1939, is the junction of the Biella–Novara (opened in 1939) and Santhià–Biella (opened in 1856) railways. A second railway station, Biella Chiavazza, is in the district of Chiavazza, a short distance along the line towards Novara. The Biella funicular connects a lower station on Via Curiel, in the city's Biella Piano quarter, with an upper station on Via Avogadro in the city's medieval Biella Piazzo quarter.

Biella-Cerrione Airport in Cerrione serves Biella but does not operate any commercial flights to and from the airport. The nearest passengers are Turin Airport, Milan's Malpensa Airport, Linate Airport and Bergamo Airport.

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Biella is twinned with:

Notable people

References

References

  1. "Europee, Regionali e Comunali del 26 maggio 2019: Comune di BIELLA".
  2. "Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011". [[Italian National Institute of Statistics.
  3. "Resident population". [[Italian National Institute of Statistics.
  4. "Popolazione residente dei comuni. Censimenti dal 1861 al 1991". [[National Institute of Statistics (Italy).
  5. "Resident population - Time series". [[National Institute of Statistics (Italy).
  6. "Resident population by sex, municipality and citizenship". [[Italian National Institute of Statistics.
  7. . ["DRAGO Lanificio in Biella: History"](https://www.dragobiella.it/en/about-us/). *Drago Group*.
  8. (22 June 2016). "Elenco siti collegati a Biella". Biella.
  9. (2021). "Storia Dell'Associazione Italiana Donne Medico (AIDM) (1921 - 2001)". Italian Association of Medical Women.
  10. Angiola Borrino, Virginia. (2017). "La mia vita". Hoepli.
  11. "Ugo Nespolo". ARTantide Worldwide.

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