Torazza: Culture in Sandigliano and the La Bessa Cycling Route

In the host municipality of Sandigliano, a municipal centre for music, theatre and literature, along with several historic buildings, takes centre stage. In the wider regional area around Torazza, the La Bessa cycling route offers a different focus: it lies within a nature reserve that is also an archaeological site and an ancient gold-mining area. This allows you to plan your trip around both the culture of Sandigliano and the landscape of Bessa.

Getting to Sandigliano

You can reach Sandigliano by car from the Santhià motorway exit via the S.S.143. The nearest railway station is Biella; some scheduled bus services also operate. This gives you several points of reference for planning: the road connection from Santhià, Biella railway station and the bus routes. If you plan to travel by bus, check the current routes with the operator before setting out.

Culture and architectural history in Sandigliano

The Centro polivante Comunale promotes the culture of the area as well as music, theatre and literature. The centre brings together several cultural fields, while historic buildings offer a different way to explore the town’s history. The old parish church of Santa Maria Assunta was located within the Ricetto. Sandigliano therefore brings together a cultural centre and architectural landmarks with different historical connections.

The Chiesetta di Sant'Antonio al Torrione is a small building with Romanesque and Gothic features, probably dating from the late 13th or early 14th century. It offers a different point of reference in time from the Castello del Torrione dei Vialardi, which was converted into a stately residence at a later date.

The Castello del Torrione dei Vialardi developed around an imposing central fortification or central defensive tower. Between the 16th and 17th centuries, the fortification was converted into a stately residence, while original military architectural features were retained. The Castello del Torrione dei Vialardi is not open to visitors. Check its access status again before your trip.

The Castello della Rocchetta is also a former fortified residence. Its structure has been substantially altered, and the complex has been converted into accommodation.

Cycling route and landscape in the wider region

In the wider regional area around Torazza, the easy but very interesting La Bessa cycling route runs through the Bessa Nature Reserve. The area is also an archaeological site in the Biellese and an ancient open-pit gold-mining area. The cycling route therefore brings together natural landscapes, archaeology and the history of gold mining in a single regional theme. Guided trails are also planned for Bessa, to help visitors better understand and protect the area. If you would like to include these trails in your plans, check locally whether they are already available.

Campsites may also be worth considering when choosing accommodation in Torazza. Check whether a campsite is currently operating before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Solesio, Sandigliano, Zimone, Sostegno, Mongrando, Crevacuore, Castellengo, Roppolo

For the overview of the wider area: Biella.