Piedmont, Italy

Varallo Sesia in Piedmont, Italy
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Varallo_Sesia.jpg
Author: Kogo


Piedmont (Italian: Piemonte; French: Piémont) is the westernmost region of Italy. It covers 25,402 sq km (9,808 sq mi) and has a population of 4.5 million people. Its capital and largest city in Turin.

Selve Marcone in Piedmont, Italy
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Selve_marcone.jpg
Author: F Ceragioli


Geography of Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the landlocked regions of Italy. It is bordered by Lombardy to the east, Switzerland to the north, Aosta Valley in the northwest, France to the west, Liguria to the south, and a small section of Emilia Romagna to the southeast. The Alps surround it on three sides, with 43.3% of its land area being mountainous. Italy's largest river, the river Po, has its source on the slopes of Monte Viso in the Cottian Alps near the French border.

History of Piedmont
The Piedmont region has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The earliest known inhabitants were Celtic-Ligurian tribes who were subdued by the Romans around 220 BC. The Romans held on to the region until they were replaced by the Goths and the Byzantines in the 5th century, the Lombards in the 6th century and the Franks in the 8th.

Teleccio Dam, as seen from Rifugio Pontese in Piedmont, Italy
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pontese-Carpano_008.jpg
Author: Jilfasan


In 1796, the Republic of Alba was founded in the Piedmont region. It was a French client republic that was eventually annexed by France in 1801. Between 1859 and 1861, the unification of Italy got its start in Piedmont. Turin served for a short while as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, before the role was taken by Florence and eventually by Rome.

Administrative Divisions of Piedmont
Piedmont comprises eight provinces namely Alessandria, Asti, Biella, Cuneo, Novara, Turin, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola and Vercelli.

Economy of Piedmont
The fertile Lowland Piedmont makes this a predominant farming region. It produces copious amounts of agricultural products, including 10% of the rice of Italy. The region also has a number of industrial centers, the biggest being Turin. Fiat and Olivetti are among the international corporations with plants in this region. Tourism is becoming an increasingly important industry in Piedmont as well.

Oxheart tomatoes in Piedmont, Italy
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TomateCuorediBuePiemonte.jpg
Author: Goldlocki

Piedmont on the map

Piedmont's motorways total over 800 km, the longest of any regions in Italy. Turin is the main gateway to the region. Its airport, located 15 km from downtown Turin, receives flights from all over Europe. The motorways of Piedmont radiates out from Turin. They include the A6 heading south towards Liguria, the A21 heading east, the A4 heading northeast towards Milan, the A5 heading north towards the Aosta Valley and the A32 heading west towards France.

Cities & Towns in Piedmont

Places of Interest in Piedmont

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