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Bra, city of art and culture, Bra city of Slow Food and today Slow City.
Find out moreAncient Pollentia, this is the name of the village in Roman times, was the largest inhabited settlement between Alba Pompeia and Augusta Bagiennorum (today's Bene Vagienna) and preserves evidence of the Roman amphitheatre on which the ancient concentric design of houses in the heart of the village is built. Strolling around, walking past the houses, visitors can get a glimpse of the ancient structure of the village, while moving to Palazzo Traversa, in the centre of Bra, significant traces of this period can be found.
Pollenzo is certainly also worth a visit for the neo-Gothic albertine revival that affected the village from 1762, when Pollenzo became property of the House of Savoy. In 1832, the King bought the Castle of Pollenzo and embarked on a radical modernisation of the urban fabric of the village, by involving in the works some of the most prominent artists of the time from Pelagio Pelagi to Ernesto Mellano to Xavier Kurten for the park. This resulted in what we can enjoy today: the square, the Church of San Vittore, the Castle, the Tower, the Park and the Agenzia (Agency). This last building was strongly desired by the King, whose aim was to manage the various agricultural activities of the royal house and carry out groundbreaking experiments in the agricultural field. Unfortunately, during the flood of '94, the park suffered some serious damage and is still being restored..
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The Baroque “taste” of Bra
Find out moreWhile the park and castle are now private properties, this is not the case for the Agency, which has been revived thanks to Slow Food, which has taken a chance on the future here by investing in education. In fact, this small village is enlivened by the vitality of students from all over the world, ready to discover the secrets of food thanks to the Università di Scienze Gastronomiche (University of Gastronomic Sciences).
Last but not least, Pollenzo has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997 as part of the Royal Residences circuit. Definitely a must to be included in any travel itinerary.
PLEASE NOTE: Responsibility for the maintenance and practicability of the various trails lies with the municipalities where the routes are located. The Tourist Board, therefore, cannot be held responsible for any inefficiencies, but is willingly available to collect your reports so that they can be forwarded to the authorities concerned.
