Ivrea è

Modern

An age of masterpieces

From the sixteenth to the nineteenth century, here considered part of the Late Modern period, Ivrea continued to reinvent itself: strengthening its defenses with new city walls, building noble palaces in a variety of architectural styles, and, in more peaceful times, expressing its Baroque spirit of devotion marked by grace and elegance. Frescoed churches, redesigned squares, new urban spaces, even military barracks that were once convents: everything reshaped the face of the city. The French occupation also left its mark, even on the local language. Yet the city’s crowning achievement is unmistakably Italian: its nineteenth-century theatre, where Ivrea’s cultural life continues to flourish.

Discover the places

Palazzo Giusiana

Giuseppe Giacosa Civic Theatre

Church of Saint Gaudentius

Church of Saint Martha

Church of San Nicola da Tolentino

Vincenzo Gioberti Square

Church of Santa Croce

Via Quattro Martiri and the Synagogue

Corso Costantino Nigra

Via Arduino

P.A. Garda Civic Museum and Ottinetti Square

Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

Palazzo Giusiana

There are certain buildings without which a city would lose part of its identity. Palazzo Giusiana is one of them, standing at the heart of Ivrea's historic centre for more than four centuries. As early as 1635, Monsignor Della Chiesa described it as "the most beautiful and magnificent palace in Piedmont beyond the Dora."

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Giuseppe Giacosa Civic Theatre

A traditional Italian-style theatre that stands as one of the city's proudest landmarks, it is the kind of place that invites you to lower your voice the moment you step inside. Named after Giuseppe Giacosa, the celebrated librettist of Giacomo Puccini, it also reflects his spirit: deeply rooted in its local heritage, yet with branches reaching out to the world.

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Church of Saint Gaudentius

A man, destined to become a saint, is fleeing for his life. He sits on a rock. Miraculously, the rock molds itself to the shape of his body, becoming a comfortable resting place. More than a thousand years later, a church will be built on the site of this miracle. Its magnificent decorative paintings, created by a great master, will transform it into one of the jewels of the Piedmontese Baroque.

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Church of Saint Martha

Founded in the 15th century by the Confraternity of Saint Martha, the church later took on the elegant forms of the Baroque. Today, it is no longer a place of worship but a place of culture: an open space for the community, hosting exhibitions and conferences, and a landmark for the people of Ivrea, who move through it with the familiarity of being at home.

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Church of San Nicola da Tolentino

The story of one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in the Canavese region begins with a medieval friar from Cremona and an ancient confraternity of Ivrea devoted to a saint from the Marche. It also includes a miraculous event: in 1704, during the French siege of the city, a bomb pierced the church roof but failed to explode. A masterpiece of local art with a truly universal story.

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Vincenzo Gioberti Square

The heart of the San Domenico district, known to every resident simply as "Piazza Maretta" (Maretta Square), this square is both distinctive and deeply rooted in local life. More than a place to visit, it is a place to understand, to discover and to experience. Its sloping layout has changed little over time, and neither have the traditions that continue to define it.

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Church of Santa Croce

A confraternity won the people's hearts during the tragedy of the plague, and the community helped it build this church. Everyone calls it the "gesia dle cadene", the "Church of the Chains", after the chains that mark its entrance, yet its interior is filled with Baroque grace. The theatrical paintings by Luca Rossetti of Orta bring together a sense of wonder and quiet contemplation.

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Via Quattro Martiri and the Synagogue

One of the most distinctive streets in Ivrea's historic centre, Via Quattro Martiri was, for centuries, the city's Jewish neighborhood. Its elegant synagogue still stands today as a testament to that heritage. At the beginning of the street, in August 1868, another chapter of Ivrea's history began with the birth of a child destined to transform the city's future: Samuel David Camillo Olivetti.

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Corso Costantino Nigra

From the railway station, a distinctive avenue leads to a bridge, a fountain and a hotel, all overlooking the river. Here, the city immediately captures the eye, in every season and at every hour of the day. Along Corso Cavour, Ivrea's ancient heart meets the city that embraced the call of the future.

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Via Arduino

Roman grid, medieval heart, popular spirit — this street has cradled at its corners: the childhood of an industrialist, the genius of a designer, the name of an electronic platform, all of them international. Now it feigns detachment from the affairs of the world. But it has tucked a wisteria in its hair, and perhaps it is preparing something new.

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P.A. Garda Civic Museum and Ottinetti Square

The museum houses an archaeological collection that tells the story of Ivrea's Roman origins. It is also home to two outstanding art collections, one of Asian art and the other of paintings, both donated by distinguished citizens. Together, they preserve not only remarkable works of art but also a lasting sense of civic pride and community.

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Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta

Ivrea's Cathedral is also a monument to renewal. Having endured the passage of centuries, it tells their story almost one by one: from a pagan temple to an early Christian basilica and finally to the city's cathedral, it preserves a Roman sarcophagus, a medieval crypt, the relics of the city's patron saint, Romanesque bell towers, modern artworks, Baroque influences and a Neoclassical façade.

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giacosa theater

Experience the charm of Ivrea’s Giuseppe Giacosa Civic Theater: an Italian cultural landmark where grand opera meets artistic innovation. Discover the current theatre season.