Alessandria
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The city of Alessandria is the capital city of the Province of Alessandria with a population of 93,766 inhabitants.
Standing at an elevation of 95 metres above sea level, it covers a total area of 204 km² and lies 85 kilometres east of Turin, the regional capital of Piedmont. Situated between two rivers, the River Tanaro and the River Bormida, Alessandria is one of the biggest cities in Piedmont with a thriving market and an important railway junction. |
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The main sights in the city revolve the two most important squares: Piazza Garibaldi and Piazza della Libertà, The expansive Piazza Garibaldi is an important market square with elegant porticoes and side-streets branching off in every direction. The market spills over into the adjoining Piazzale Marconi which eventually leads into Piazza della Libertà, around 500 metres away.
Standing majestically on Piazza della Libertà is the Alessandria Town Hall, known by different names including the Palazzo Rosso (Red Palace) or Palazzo Ghilini. Walking to the right of Palazzo Rosso you shortly come to Piazza Duomo, the home of Alessandria Cathedral, the most important religious building in the city.
Some way from the city centre, crossing the River Tanaro via a modern road bridge (Ponte Meyer), lies an intriguing area of Alessandria known as the Cittadella. The 18th century fortress has lived through a series of wars including World War Two and the Italian Risorgimento, with various purposes but mainly as a military base. These days it houses the Museo delle Uniforme, a museum devoted not solely to uniforms but also other military exhibits and regalia.
Alessandria's train station is very centrally-located, just a 6 minute walk (500 metres) from Piazza Garibaldi, a pleasant walk through the Giardini Pubblici (Public Gardens). Trains from Alessandria run west to Turin (Porta Nuova) with a journey time of 59 minutes, stopping long the way at Asti (23 minutes. Heading directly north it's an hour and 7 minutes to Novara or an hour and 24 minutes north east to Milan (Milano Centrale), stopping along the way at the nearby city of Tortona (18 minutes).
Particularly useful is the southbound train to Genoa on the Ligurian Coast which takes just 44 minutes, the same train continuing all the way down to Rome (around 6 hours), snaking its way down the main towns of the Tyrrhenian Coast.
By car from Alessandria it's an hour and 9 minute drive to Turin (90 km), while the journey times and distances to the other provincial capitals of Piedmont are as follows: Asti - 34 mins (38 km), Vercelli - 39 mins (55 km), Novara - 58 mins (72 km), Biella - 1 hour 11 mins (99 km), Verbania - 1 hour 27 mins (140 km) and Cuneo - 1 hour 41 mins (126 km).
The most convenient airports for Alessandria are Genoa's Christopher Colombus Airport which is an hour away by car (78 km) or Turin Airport which is an hour and 14 minutes away, a distance of 120 km.
There are lots of places to visit nearby Alessandria, not least the Monferrato wine region of which the provinces of Alessandria and neighbouring Asti (to the west) are a part of. There are dozens of vineyard towns to visit including Canelli, Barolo and Barbaresco among others. Even closer, and forming a ring around Alessandria are the historic towns of Tortona, Acqui Terme, Casale Monferrato and Asti itself.
Standing majestically on Piazza della Libertà is the Alessandria Town Hall, known by different names including the Palazzo Rosso (Red Palace) or Palazzo Ghilini. Walking to the right of Palazzo Rosso you shortly come to Piazza Duomo, the home of Alessandria Cathedral, the most important religious building in the city.
Some way from the city centre, crossing the River Tanaro via a modern road bridge (Ponte Meyer), lies an intriguing area of Alessandria known as the Cittadella. The 18th century fortress has lived through a series of wars including World War Two and the Italian Risorgimento, with various purposes but mainly as a military base. These days it houses the Museo delle Uniforme, a museum devoted not solely to uniforms but also other military exhibits and regalia.
Alessandria's train station is very centrally-located, just a 6 minute walk (500 metres) from Piazza Garibaldi, a pleasant walk through the Giardini Pubblici (Public Gardens). Trains from Alessandria run west to Turin (Porta Nuova) with a journey time of 59 minutes, stopping long the way at Asti (23 minutes. Heading directly north it's an hour and 7 minutes to Novara or an hour and 24 minutes north east to Milan (Milano Centrale), stopping along the way at the nearby city of Tortona (18 minutes).
Particularly useful is the southbound train to Genoa on the Ligurian Coast which takes just 44 minutes, the same train continuing all the way down to Rome (around 6 hours), snaking its way down the main towns of the Tyrrhenian Coast.
By car from Alessandria it's an hour and 9 minute drive to Turin (90 km), while the journey times and distances to the other provincial capitals of Piedmont are as follows: Asti - 34 mins (38 km), Vercelli - 39 mins (55 km), Novara - 58 mins (72 km), Biella - 1 hour 11 mins (99 km), Verbania - 1 hour 27 mins (140 km) and Cuneo - 1 hour 41 mins (126 km).
The most convenient airports for Alessandria are Genoa's Christopher Colombus Airport which is an hour away by car (78 km) or Turin Airport which is an hour and 14 minutes away, a distance of 120 km.
There are lots of places to visit nearby Alessandria, not least the Monferrato wine region of which the provinces of Alessandria and neighbouring Asti (to the west) are a part of. There are dozens of vineyard towns to visit including Canelli, Barolo and Barbaresco among others. Even closer, and forming a ring around Alessandria are the historic towns of Tortona, Acqui Terme, Casale Monferrato and Asti itself.
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Category: Major Cities & Towns of Piedmont
Region: Piedmont Regional district: Capital of Alessandria Province Population: 93,766 Highlights: Piazza Garibaldi, Palazzo Rosso, Alessandria Cathedral Close by: Acqui Terme, Tortona, Casale Monferrato, Canelli Recommended stay: Alli Due Buoi Rossi |
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By car: Asti - 34 mins (38 km), Vercelli - 39 mins (55 km)
By air: Genoa Airport - 1 hour by car (78 km) |
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