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Piedmont

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Piedmont is a large and important region in Northwest Italy.

Turin monte cappuccini
Turin monte cappuccini

Its name comes from old Latin words meaning "at the foot of the mountains." This name describes its place right next to the high Alps. The region sits near France and Switzerland.

Piedmont Provinces
Piedmont Provinces

It also borders other Italian areas like Liguria and Lombardy. Piedmont is the second-largest region in Italy by area.

Langhe
Langhe

It is home to over 4 million people.

The land in Piedmont changes a lot depending on where you stand.

Macugnaga
Macugnaga

About 43% of the region is made of mountains. You can find huge peaks like Monte Rosa there.

Verbania Vista sul Lago Maggiore 13
Verbania Vista sul Lago Maggiore 13

Another 30% of the land is made of rolling hills. The remaining part is made of flat plains.

The rice fields near Vercelli
The rice fields near Vercelli

The Po river starts on the slopes of Monviso. This is the largest river in all of Italy. You might see damp rice paddies in places like Vercelli.

Many different groups of people lived in Piedmont throughout history.

Torino-portapalatina01
Torino-portapalatina01

Early Celtic-Ligurian tribes lived there before the Romans arrived. The Romans built cities like Turin and Ivrea.

Valentino castle
Valentino castle

Later, many groups like the Franks and Lombards moved through the area. In 1046, the region became part of the County of Savoy.

Torino, museo nazionale dell'Automobile (02)
Torino, museo nazionale dell'Automobile (02)

Eventually, the House of Savoy became the Kings of Italy. Turin served as the very first capital of the country from 1861 to 1865.

Today, Piedmont is a busy place for making things.

Fiat-500-vorne2
Fiat-500-vorne2

The city of Turin is a major center for industry. It was once famous for making many different Fiat cars.

Maserati Levante Allegro Antinori One of One Genf 2019 1Y7A5992
Maserati Levante Allegro Antinori One of One Genf 2019 1Y7A5992

Now, companies there make luxury Maserati cars. The region also makes high-tech items like industrial robots and lasers.

Airbus A320 of Lufthansa with sharklets (D-AIZS)
Airbus A320 of Lufthansa with sharklets (D-AIZS)

Even aerospace companies have plants here to build mission systems. This industry helps the region's economy stay strong.

Piedmont connects many parts of Italian life together.

Risotto with White Truffles from Alba
Risotto with White Truffles from Alba

Its history with the House of Savoy helped unify the whole country. The region is also known for its beautiful natural parks.

OrtaSanGiulioAug132024 02
OrtaSanGiulioAug132024 02

One famous place is the Gran Paradiso National Park. You can also find lovely lakes like Lake Maggiore.

Lago-Maggiore 1387
Lago-Maggiore 1387

From mountain peaks to busy car factories, it is a very diverse place.

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🖼️ Images & Media (25)
File:Torino-portapalatina01.jpg
Torino-portapalatina01.jpg
File:Valentino castle.jpg
Valentino castle.jpg
File:Langhe.jpg
Langhe.jpg
File:Turin monte cappuccini.jpg
Turin monte cappuccini.jpg
File:Lago-Maggiore 1387.JPG
Lago-Maggiore 1387.JPG
File:Piedmont Provinces.png
Piedmont Provinces.png
File:Fiat-500-vorne2.jpg
Fiat-500-vorne2.jpg
File:Maserati_Levante_Allegro_Antinori_One_of_One_Genf_2019_1Y7A5992.jpg
Maserati_Levante_Allegro_Antinori_One_of_O...
File:The rice fields near Vercelli.jpg
The rice fields near Vercelli.jpg
File:Verbania Vista sul Lago Maggiore 13.jpg
Verbania Vista sul Lago Maggiore 13.jpg
File:Macugnaga.JPG
Macugnaga.JPG
File:Vogogna veduta.jpg
Vogogna veduta.jpg

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