Ivrea | |
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Comune | |
Città di Ivrea | |
Panorama of Ivrea
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Location of Ivrea in Italy | |
Coordinates: 45°28′N 07°53′E / 45.467°N 7.883°ECoordinates: 45°28′N 07°53′E / 45.467°N 7.883°E | |
Country | Italy |
Region | Piedmont |
Province / Metropolitan city | Turin (TO) |
Frazioni | Torre Balfredo |
Government | |
• Mayor | none |
Area | |
• Total | 30.19 km2 (11.66 sq mi) |
Elevation | 253 m (830 ft) |
Population (30 November 2014) | |
• Total | 23,658 |
• Density | 780/km2 (2,000/sq mi) |
Demonym(s) | Eporediesi |
Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
• Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
Postal code | 10015 |
Dialing code | 0125 |
Patron saint | Saint Sabinus |
Saint day | July 7 |
Website | Official website |
Ivrea (Italian pronunciation: [iˈvrɛːa]; Latin: Eporedia) is a town and comune of the Metropolitan City of Turin in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. Situated on the road leading to the Aosta Valley (part of the medieval Via Francigena), it straddles the Dora Baltea and is regarded as the centre of the Canavese area. Ivrea lies in a basin that in prehistoric times formed a large lake. Today five smaller lakes — Sirio, San Michele, Pistono, Nero and Campagna — are found in the area around the town.
Ivrea and its surroundings have been inhabited since the Neolithic era; the Celts are believed to have had a village in Ivrea from around the 5th century BC. However, the town first officially appears in history as an outpost of the Roman Empire founded in 100 BC, probably built to guard one of the traditional invasion routes into northern Italy over the Alps. Its Latin name was Eporedia.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Ivrea became the seat of a duchy under the Lombards (6th-8th centuries). Under the Franks (9th century), Ivrea was a county capital. In the year 1001, after a period of disputes with bishop Warmund, ruler of the city, Arduin conquered the March of Ivrea. Later he became King of Italy and began a dynasty that lasted until the 11th century, when the city fell again under the bishops' sovereignty.
In the 12th century Ivrea became a free commune, but succumbed in the first decades of the following century to the rule of Emperor Frederick II. Later Ivrea was disputed between the bishops, the marquisate of Monferrato and the House of Savoy.