Albiano d'Ivrea

Access

In terms of connections, Albiano d'Ivrea is easily reached from Ivrea via the local road network connecting the city to the municipalities along the hillside. Access for those coming from further afield is generally from the motorway and state highways leading to Ivrea, and then continues along provincial and municipal roads that climb gently up the hillside. This configuration makes the municipality an easy point of passage within the itineraries that cross the amphitheatre lakes and the historical villages of Canavese. The proximity to Ivrea also allows the railway station to be used as an interchange point between regional trains, local buses and private vehicles heading to the municipalities in the area.

Introduction

Albiano d'Ivrea is a small municipality in the upper Canavese, in the province of Turin, located on the left bank of the Naviglio di Ivrea, on the slopes of the hills that mark the western edge of the morainic amphitheatre of Ivrea. The territory, set on a slight slope towards the plain, lies at an altitude of about 230 metres and extends for just under twelve square kilometres in an agricultural and hilly landscape that introduces the system of lakes, hills and morainic terraces typical of the eastern Canavese. The town is dominated by the bishop's castle towering on the hill above and its historic core still retains recognisable traces of its medieval layout.

Description

The human presence in the territory of Albiano is considered to be very ancient: according to tradition and some historiographic hypotheses, a settlement would have been here already in pre-Roman times. Supporting this interpretation is the discovery, within the municipal territory, of a stone sculpture depicting Giano Bifronte, a work of partly Celtic manufacture. It has been read as evidence of a transitional phase between local and Roman culture, in which the representation of the god of thresholds took on a symbolic value in relation to the dense network of roads and routes that crossed the Canavese. During the Middle Ages, Albiano belonged to the bishop-counts of Ivrea and shared the political fate of the Eporediese area, marked by territorial tensions between Ivrea and Vercelli. In the mid-14th century, a system of shelters and defensive structures was built to protect the village and the agricultural reserves, of which some traces remain today in the building fabric of the upper part of the village.
The historical legacy is clearly visible in the local architectural heritage. In addition to the bishop's castle, rebuilt in the 19th century on the remains of the ancient fortress, the centre of the village is characterised by the parish church of San Martino, built on a late 18th-century plan but with a medieval bell tower that bears witness to the stratification of building phases. The interior re-proposes the language of late 18th-century Piedmontese Baroque. This building is flanked by the sanctuary of the Madonna della Crosa, formerly the chapel of the lazaret, recognisable by the intense colour of its masonry and its history linked to the welfare functions performed in the past. Some examples of traditional rural architecture can be found in the area, such as the Longoria farmstead, which represents the typical agricultural types of the Canavese area. The agricultural landscape still preserves the presence of irrigation canals derived from the Naviglio di Ivrea, vineyards and arable fields, elements that explain the permanence of a discrete agricultural activity alongside more recent sectors of the local economy.
The economy of Albiano d'Ivrea today is based on a balance between agriculture, small business and services. The farms make favourable use of the local water supply and the area's gentle morphology for the production of fodder and cereals, as well as a modest hillside viticulture. Its proximity to Ivrea facilitates daily travel for study and work and places the municipality within a territorial system shared with other Serra centres, such as Bollengo, Burolo and Chiaverano. The debate linked to the project, which was never realised, of the large 'Mediapolis' theme-commercial park has represented an important node in the discussion on land use in recent decades, highlighting the need to maintain a balance with respect to the landscape values of the morainic amphitheatre.
Cultural life maintains a strong link with the religious tradition of the place, in particular with the cult of St Martin of Tours, the town's patron saint. The 11 November celebrations are a significant moment for the community and are intertwined with initiatives involving other municipalities in the upper Canavese area. The inclusion of Albiano in the context of the Ivrea morainic amphitheatre also offers various excursion possibilities: walking trails allow visitors to reach nearby castles, viewpoints and historic centres, offering a direct insight into the glacial geology that characterises the area, with hills, terraces, erratic boulders and small lake basins.

Information

Area: 11.73 sq. km
Altitude:230m
Maximum elevation: 270m - hill of Albiano
Number of inhabitants: 1,645 as of 31.07.2026
Name in dialect: Albian
Inhabitants name: Albianesi
Patron Saint: San Martino, celebrated on 11 November
Neighbouring towns: Azeglio, Bollengo, Caravino, Ivrea, Palazzo Canavese, Piverone, Vestignè
Website: www.comune.albianodivrea.to.it