Vercelli (Piedmont)

Vercelli is a city in Piedmont, northern Italy. The city is situated on the river Sesia in the plain of the river Po between Milan and Turin. It is an important centre for the cultivation of rice, and is surrounded by rice paddies, which are flooded in the summer. Vercelli is home to numerous relics of the Roman period, e.g. an amphitheatre, hippodrome, sarcophagi, and many important inscriptions, some of which are Christian. There are seven noteworthy towers in the town, most important are the Torre dell’Angelo, which rears up over the old market square, and the Torre di Città in Via Gioberti. Vercelli is also the seat of the Viotti International Music Competition.