Piedmont

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Piedmont (Italian: Piemonte) is a region of northwestern Italy. It has an area of 25,399 km² and a population of est. 4.3 million. Its capital is Turin.

Piedmont is surrounded on three sides by the Alps mountain range, including the Monviso, where the Po River rises, and Monte Rosa. It borders with France, Switzerland, and the Italian regions of Lombardy, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, and the Aosta Valley.

Lowland Piedmont is a fertile agricultural region, producing wheat, rice, maize and grapes. The region also contains major industrial centres, notably Turin, home to the FIAT automobile works.

In February 2006 Turin hosted the XX Olympic Winter Games.

History

In 1046, the counts of the House of Savoy added Piedmont to their main territory of Savoy, with a capital at Chambéry (now in France). The House of Savoy was elevated to a duchy in 1416, and Duke Emanuele Filiberto moved the seat to Turin in 1563. In 1720, the Duke of Savoy became King of Sardinia, founding what evolved into the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia and increasing Turin's importance as a European capital.

The Republic of Alba was created in 1796 as a French client republic in Piedmont before the area was annexed by France in 1801. In June 1802 a new client republic, the Subalpine Republic, was established in Piedmont and in September it was also annexed. In the congress of Vienna, the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia was restored, and furthermore received the Republic of Genoa to strengthen it as a barrier against France.

Piedmont was the springboard for Italy's unification in 1859-1861, following earlier unsuccessful wars against the Austrian Empire in 1820-1821 and 1848-1849. The House of Savoy became Kings of Italy, and Turin briefly became the capital of Italy. However, the addition of territory paradoxically reduced Piedmont's importance to the kingdom, and the capital was removed to Florence, and then to Rome. One remaining recognition of Piedmont's historical role was that the crown prince of Italy was known as the Prince of Piedmont.

Notable people from Piedmont

Umberto Eco - the world-renowned author.
Alberto Gilardino - soccer player.
Oscar Luigi Scalfaro - president of the republic.
Eiffel 65 - electronic rock group.
Luciana Littizzetto - comedian actress

Other

A "piedmont" is a foothill, and "piedmont" has become a generic designation for foothill regions in geography.

7.6% of the territory is protected area, 56 different ones of which the most famous national park is Gran Paradiso.

Piedmont is one of the great winegrowing regions in Italy. More than half of its 700 km² (170,000 acres) of vineyards are registered with DOC designations. It produces wines of renowned depth such as the famed Barbera, Barolo, Barbaresco and Moscato, as well as lesser known varieties such as Dolcetto, Freisa, Grignolino and Brachetto.

Apart from the provincial capitals, other notable cities are Casale Monferrato, Valenza, Moncalieri, Rivoli, Ivrea, Novi Ligure, Tortona, Acqui Terme.

External links

Government agencies

Piemonte Region: Official Site
Consiglio Regionale
ARPA Piemonte (environmental protection agency)
Ufficio Scolastico Regionale (school district)

Specialty sites

Giornale del Piemonte (daily newspaper)
Piemonte Magazine
La Lingua Piemontese (Piedmontese language)
Nòste Rèis (Piedmontese cultural association)
Confindustria (manufacturers association)
Cucina Piemonte.Net (Piemontese cuisine)
TempoItalia (weather forecasts)

Tourism portals

Piedmont | NUTS 2 Statistical Regions of Europe

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