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Vercellae

Vercelli
Comune
Città di Vercelli
Piazza Cavour and the Torre dell’Angelo.
Piazza Cavour and the Torre dell’Angelo.
Coat of arms of Vercelli
Coat of arms
Vercelli is located in Italy
Vercelli
Vercelli
Location of Vercelli in Italy
Coordinates: 45°19′N 8°25′E / 45.317°N 8.417°E / 45.317; 8.417Coordinates: 45°19′N 8°25′E / 45.317°N 8.417°E / 45.317; 8.417
Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Province / Metropolitan city Vercelli (VC)
Government
 • Mayor Maura Forte
Area
 • Total 79.85 km2 (30.83 sq mi)
Elevation 130 m (430 ft)
Population (30 April 2009)
 • Total 47,220
 • Density 590/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Vercellesi
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 13100
Dialing code 0161
Patron saint Eusebius of Vercelli
Saint day August 1
Website Official website

Vercelli [verˈtʃɛlli] About this sound listen  (Vërsèj in Piedmontese, also known as 'The City'), is a city and comune of about 47,000 inhabitants in the Province of Vercelli, Piedmont, northern Italy. One of the oldest urban sites in northern Italy, it was founded, according to most historians, around the year 600 BC.

The city is situated on the river Sesia in the plain of the river Po between Milan and Turin. It is an important centre for the cultivation of rice, and is surrounded by rice paddies, which are flooded in the summer. The climate is typical of the Po Valley with cold, foggy winters (0.4 °C (33 °F) in January) and oppressive heat during the summer months (23.45 °C (74 °F) in July). Rainfall is most prevalent during the spring and autumn; thunderstorms are common in the summer.

The languages spoken in Vercelli are Italian and Piedmontese; the variety of Piedmontese native to the city is called Varsleis.

The world's first university funded by public money was established in Vercelli in 1228 (the seventh university founded in Italy), but was closed in 1372. Today it has a university of literature and philosophy as a part of the Università del Piemonte Orientale and a satellite campus of the Politecnico di Torino.


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Wikipedia

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