Itinerary
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Km 9 / Elevation change - 9
Continuing towards Vercelli, Colombara can be found, a fine example of the ancient structure of the "closed court": some of the rooms preserved show how people lived and worked between 1800 and 1900, and house the Museum La Risaia dedicated to the rice pickers and their hard work. The 16th century church is dedicated to San Giovanni Battista: it is now no longer the parish church but it retains its structure, although now without the colonnade that encircled the right side.
The next step is Leri in the Vercelli countryside, one of the grange connected with the Abbey of Lucedio: the grange were farming organisations that were begun in the 12th century by the Cistercian Benedictine monks working with lay brothers and farmers. In 1807, with the annexation of Piemonte to France, Napoleon left all the estates to Prince Camillo Borghese who, in turn, transferred them to a company. When this company was dissolved, a part of the grangia was bought by Camillo Benso di Cavour, who transformed it into a model company using advanced agricultural techniques.
Not to be overlooked is the Church of the Natività di Maria Santissima, on which work was also done by the architect Francesco Gallo, the same who built the imposing and daring dome of the Shrine of Vicoforte at Mondovì.
Continuing towards Vercelli, Colombara can be found, a fine example of the ancient structure of the "closed court": some of the rooms preserved show how people lived and worked between 1800 and 1900, and house the Museum La Risaia dedicated to the rice pickers and their hard work. The 16th century church is dedicated to San Giovanni Battista: it is now no longer the parish church but it retains its structure, although now without the colonnade that encircled the right side.
The next step is Leri in the Vercelli countryside, one of the grange connected with the Abbey of Lucedio: the grange were farming organisations that were begun in the 12th century by the Cistercian Benedictine monks working with lay brothers and farmers. In 1807, with the annexation of Piemonte to France, Napoleon left all the estates to Prince Camillo Borghese who, in turn, transferred them to a company. When this company was dissolved, a part of the grangia was bought by Camillo Benso di Cavour, who transformed it into a model company using advanced agricultural techniques.
Not to be overlooked is the Church of the Natività di Maria Santissima, on which work was also done by the architect Francesco Gallo, the same who built the imposing and daring dome of the Shrine of Vicoforte at Mondovì.
Contacts
, 13040 Lamporo (VC)