The heart of stone: from the castle to the cathedral

Dominating the city skyline with its imposing cylindrical towers, the castle of Ivrea (known as 'dalle rosse torri' ('of the red towers') as it was nicknamed by Giosuè Carducci), was built in the 14th century at the behest of Count Verde, or Amedeo IV of Savoy, named after the colour of the insignia he used during tournaments. Today it is not only a monument to be photographed, but an exceptional vantage point that, after recent restoration work, allows one to embrace the entire morainic amphitheatre with one's gaze.

A few steps away, the Cathedral of Santa Maria offers a journey through time. If the façade is neoclassical, one only has to descend into the crypt to find oneself in the year 1000: amidst Byzantine frescoes and ancient sarcophagi, one breathes in the atmosphere of medieval Ivrea, one of the most important stops on the Via Francigena.