Albiano D’Ivrea: Ricetti, Churches and the Percorso delle Meraviglie

Albiano D’Ivrea between Circular Trail and History

Albiano D’Ivrea combines historic buildings, sacred art and a varied landscape experience. On the hill of Albiano D’Ivrea, you will find installations belonging to the Percorso delle Meraviglie, while below the castle, the Ricetti extend along steep hillside terraces. This creates a combination of local history, sacred art and outdoor activity for your travel planning.

The Percorso delle Meraviglie

The Percorso delle Meraviglie is a circular trail in the hills of Albiano D’Ivrea. The route passes through vineyards, forests, paths and Ricetti and can be used on foot, by mountain bike, gravel bike or for cycling tourism. If you would like to explore the area actively, the trail combines different landscape impressions with the historic structures of the town without restricting the route to a single means of transport.

For orientation, the Percorso delle Meraviglie is marked at junctions with red posts and yellow directional arrows. Along the route, red stones with yellow arrows confirm that you are on the right path. These clearly visible markings are specific features of the circular trail and help you keep track of the route while walking or cycling.

Ricetti and Castello Vescovile

The Castello Vescovile is very old and is said to have been built on the remains of an ancient Roman villa. It was destroyed again during the 1641 civil war and subsequently rebuilt in its present form. The Ricetti of Albiano D’Ivrea are situated on terraces along the steep slope below the castle. Their ground floors are built against the earth and generally served as cellars.

The Ricetto of Albiano D’Ivrea was built in 1300 to protect the old town. In the Middle Ages, the so-called “cellaria” served as secure storage areas for food, especially grain and wine, as well as places of refuge in times of danger. In front of and behind the Ricetti, a paved lane climbs to the castle in several bends; it was once covered by vine arbors. This ascent clearly illustrates the architectural connection between protection, storage and the castle higher up.

Churches, Organ and Local Memory

The parish church of San Martino was built between 1775 and 1780 on the site of an earlier church. It is the work of the royal architect Francesco Martinez da Messina. The Chiesa di Santa Marta houses an organ attributed to Giovanni Michele Ramasco from Andorno. It was probably moved to its present location in 1834; the museum of the Chiesa di Santa Marta presents it as a wooden organ.

The Santuario della Madonna della Crosa is also one of the notable cultural sites of Albiano D’Ivrea. The Baroque sanctuary has a pseudo-elliptical vault and preserves an icon. The “GOCCE DI MEMORIA” museum focuses on agricultural traditions and was founded by the Associazione Anziani. Together with the churches and Ricetti, it presents different aspects of local history, from religious art to memories of rural life.

The town’s historical importance also extends into its ecclesiastical and Roman past. Albiano D’Ivrea was the second seat of the Bishop of Ivrea; the parish was administered directly by the bishop through a provost. The ancient Roman Via romana delle Gallie between Ivrea and Vercelli also runs through Albiano D’Ivrea. For a cultural trip, architecture, ecclesiastical landmarks, historic roads and a signposted circular trail can therefore be viewed together within the town’s distinctive setting.

More Destinations for Orientation

Perosa Argentina, Salassa, Alpette, Sant'anna, Ruà, Roure, Castellamonte, Bobbio Pellice

For the higher-level travel overview: Turin.