Biella

Biella (Italian: [ˈbjɛlla] ; Piedmontese: Biela; Latin: Bugella) is a city and comune (municipality) in the region of Piedmont in northern Italy, the capital of the province of the same name. With a population of 43,356, it is the 12th-largest city in Piedmont. It is located about 80 kilometres (50 miles) northeast of Turin and at about the same distance west-northwest of Milan. It lies in the foothills of the Alps, in the Bo mountain range near Mt. Mucrone and Camino, an area rich in springs and lakes fed by the glaciers, the heart of the Biellese Alps irrigated by several mountain streams: the Elvo to the west of the town, the Oropa river and the Cervo to the east. Nearby natural and notable tourist attractions include the Zegna Viewpoint, the Bielmonte Ski Resort, Burcina Natural Reserve, and the moors to the south of town. The Sanctuary of Oropa is a site of religious pilgrimages. In 2003, the Sanctuary of Oropa Sacred Mountain of Oropa became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Biella is an important wool processing and textile centre. There is a small airport in the nearby comune of Cerrione.