Ivrea

Ivrea is a town and comune in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy. It is the capital of the Metropolitan City of Turin and lies in the Canavese area along the Dora Baltea, about 40 kilometers north of Turin. The town has a population of roughly 23,000 to 24,000.

Historically, Ivrea has ancient origins with settlements dating to Roman times; in the Middle Ages it was a center of the Savoy region and grew around its hilltop fortress. In the 20th century, Ivrea became the home and headquarters of Olivetti, an Italian electrical and typewriter manufacturer founded by Camillo Olivetti in 1908. The company fostered industrial design and social welfare; the Olivetti campus and worker housing contributed to Ivrea's urban development.

Culturally, Ivrea is noted for the Carnival of Ivrea, famous for the Battle of the Oranges, a traditional festival held in February in which orange-throwing reenacts a civic struggle between the people and a tyrant. The event draws many visitors and has sparked discussion about safety and crowd management.

Sights in Ivrea include the Cathedral of Ivrea (Cattedrale di San Stefano) and the Castello di Ivrea, a hilltop fortress that overlooks the town; the historic center features medieval streets and bridges over the Dora Baltea. The surrounding Canavese area is known for wines such as Erbaluce di Caluso.

Notable people associated with Ivrea include Camillo Olivetti and his son Adriano Olivetti, who played key roles in the development of the Olivetti company; the city preserves the legacy of early 20th-century industrial design.