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# 84 OCTOBER 17 , 2016
# 84 October 17
th
2016
read more #Italian Little Italies
ITALIAN LITTLE ITALIES:
Ricetto di Candelo,
Biella’s answer to Pompei
By I Borghi più belli d’Italia
by four round towers, originally opened to facilitate defense operations.
The terracotta embellishments are from
later periods. The only entrance was in
the south side and it was protected by a
large towergate, in the north side there
were three towers.
nes and they are sloping to facilitate the
discharge of the rainwater.
The central main rua was built to facilitate the traffic of the carts. Leaving the
Ricetto you will find the Church of Santa
Maria near the Roggia Marchesa, the canal used to provide water to the sorrounPassing the towergate you reach a small ding fields since 1561.
square paved with rounded stones from
the creek. The largest building is the The first mention of the church, modified
Prince’s Palace, built for Sebastiano Fer- many times, goes back to 1182. It has
rero in 1496, when he became the feudal an attractive Romanesque facade made
lord. The ''Rue'' (from the French word with river stones. Inside there are colufor “street”) are paved with cobblesto- mns with beautiful 15th century capitals
Ricetto's fortification was built between
the 13th century and the 14th century.
This is the best preserved fortification
of the whole Piemonte. It was used as a
warehouse during the periods of peace and as a shelter during the wars. It is
110 meters wide and 120 meters long,
covering an area of 13.000 square meters. The walls are on the entire perimeter of the Ricetto, with the exception of
the southern side, where there is Palazzo Comunale (Town Hall), a neoclassical
building constructed in 1819.
The corners of the Ricetto are protected
68 | WE THE ITALIANS
WE THE ITALIANS | 69
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