Piemonte - Amordivino

Piemonte

Population: 4.291.441
Surface (Kmq): 25.399
Density (Ab/Kmq.): 169
Main city: Torino (TO), 1.731.039 inhabitants in the area, 962.507 in the city
Other towns: Alessandria (AL); Asti (AT); Biella (BI); Cuneo (CN); Novara (NO); Vercelli (VC).

From harsh peaks to the charming, romantic atmosphere of the lakes, through the hills between the Alps and the great Po valley, Piemonte has much to offer. The beautiful scenery of mountains like Monviso, Gran Paradiso or Monte Rosa, is ideal for winter skiing and summer trekking. Piemonte’s noble past is visible in the castles and sanctuaries to be found amidst the beautiful hilly landscapes, but also expressed in vineyards that have, for centuries, created a harmonious geometry and produced many wines of great prestige. The Po river has its source in Piemonte and the region is crossed by several Alpine streams flowing into the Po. Many Alpine lakes dot the region and, in the eastern part, are the larger lakes of Lago Maggiore and Lago d'Orta.

Piemonte, in Italian, means "at the foot of the mountain". It was originally inhabited by Celtic tribes, which were later absorbed by the Romans. When Hannibal destroyed the Celtic capital, Taurasia, the Romans rebuilt it in the same location giving its streets the grid pattern that that still characterise Turin today. With the fall of the Roman Empire, Piemonte underwent the fate of much of Italy – experiencing a sequence of invading hordes from the east and north. Among them, the French feudal family of Savoy occupied Turin briefly in the 11th century. The Savoy house was back again in the 13th century and ruled for about 500 years, until the French Republican army defeated it. They returned to power after the fall of Napoleon's empire and remained the ruling family until the end of World War II.

Piemonte was one of the first Italian regions to embrace the industrial revolution and in 1899 the automotive giant Fiat (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino or, Automotive Italian Factory [of] Turin) was established here, generating a modernising trend that involved even the most isolated communities and attracted workers from other Italian regions. The region's traditional festivals and celebrations have strong military elements reflected in the numerous sword dances performed in many communities.