Ivrea: UNESCO World Heritage and Olivetti Architecture

Ivrea offers a variety of experiences for your trip: the 20th-century industrial city project, Roman and medieval heritage, and routes with different focuses. You can tailor your plans to history, architecture or the way you want to get around.

Industrial city and Olivetti heritage

The UNESCO World Heritage-listed industrial city of Ivrea is a 20th-century industrial and sociocultural project. Its buildings served production, administration, social services and housing. This combination brings the character of the project to life: here, industry sits alongside other urban functions encompassing working life and everyday life.

Ivrea’s UNESCO visitor centre is free and open to everyone. There you will find maps of the World Heritage site, a 3D model and examples of Olivetti factory production. The maps and model offer different ways to familiarise yourself with the site. If you are planning a guided tour, check the arrangements before your trip.

Castle and medieval traces

Castello di Ivrea was built in 1358 at the behest of Amedeo VI of Savoy and still retains the character of a defensive fortress. During visits, you can explore the large courtyard, the old cells and the ramparts. Check visiting arrangements before your trip. From the towers, you can look out over the city, the Ivrea Morainic Amphitheatre, the Canavese and the entrance to the Aosta Valley.

Another medieval landmark is the Torre (Campanile) di Santo Stefano. The tower is the only surviving trace of one of Ivrea’s oldest places of worship: the Benedictine abbey complex of Santo Stefano. The Castello and the Torre thus represent different aspects of the city’s medieval history.

Routes through the city and countryside

In Ivrea’s historic centre, a walking route takes you through Roman and medieval history. The MAAM (Museo all’aperto delle architetture moderne olivettiane) comprises a route of about 2 km along Via Jervis and the surrounding areas, designed for independent visits. The Canavese section of the Via Francigena passes through Ivrea and is designed for travellers on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. The options therefore vary by theme and mode of transport: from the historic centre to the architecture route and a section of the Via Francigena.

Roman heritage, collections and local specialities

At Ivrea’s Roman amphitheatre, the foundations of the elliptical perimeter walls and underground animal passages are still visible. Ponte Vecchio also bears witness to the city’s Roman history: the bridge was built around the 3rd century and crosses the Dora Baltea. Beyond Ponte Vecchio lies the so-called Borghetto, a fortified area with old houses and craft shops. Ivrea Cathedral is of Romanesque origin.

At the Museo Civico Pier Alessandro Garda, the collection of Oriental art includes more than 500 works from Japan, as well as Chinese and other Asian objects. It offers a different perspective on the city’s history from that found at its Roman and medieval buildings. If you are interested in this collection, you can plan your museum visit as a cultural highlight in its own right.

Torta '900 is a local speciality associated with the historic Pasticceria Balla in Ivrea. Check in advance whether a visit is possible if you plan to make a special trip.

Discover more destinations: Villar Focchiardo, Cuceglio, Poirino, Alpignano, Maddalena, Beinasco, Arignano, Montalenghe.

For the overview of the wider area: Turin.