Ailoche
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redazione
Access
The municipality can be reached by taking the provincial road which, from Crevacuore, climbs north-east through the valley of the Strona di Postua stream to the main village. A further branch road connects Ailoche with the hamlet of Piasca and continues towards the Alpe di Noveis. There are no direct reference motorways: connection to the motorway network is via Borgosesia or Biella, which can be reached via the eastern Biellese provincial road network. The nearest railway station is in Borgosesia, on the line operated by Trenitalia (TI) on the Novara-Varallo Sesia route. Public transport by road is guaranteed by the ATAP S.p.a. line 87, which connects Crevacuore to Ailoche and Caprile with regular runs. There are no direct reference airports given the municipality's internal location and prevalent road accessibility.
Introduction
Ailoche is located in the north-eastern sector of the province of Biella, in eastern Piedmont, within the district of the Biellese Pre-Alps. The territory lies on a spur that divides the valley of the Strona di Postua stream, on the eastern side, from the valley of the Bodro river, on the western side, with the chief town located 569 metres above sea level. The municipality originally belonged to the community of Crevacuore and in 1598 came under the rule of the Principality of Masserano; in 1741 it became part of the states of the King of Sardinia and remained in the Savoy orbit until the unification of Italy. In 1992 the municipality was transferred from the province of Vercelli to the newly established province of Biella. The territory, made up of numerous hamlets distributed on both sides of the spur, preserves an economy traditionally based on sheep-farming and mountain agriculture, flanked in recent decades by tourism, mainly for summer and hiking.
Description
The territory of Ailoche lies in the Biellese Pre-Alps, between the lower altitudes of the valley of the Strona di Postua stream and the hills that rise northwards towards the Alpe di Noveis. The landscape is predominantly forested, with chestnut woods (Castanea sativa) characterising the slopes at intermediate altitudes, alternating with pastureland in the higher areas. The Strona di Postua stream defines the eastern edge of the municipal territory, while the Bodro stream flows on the opposite slope. The hamlets of the municipality - Giunchio, Peiro, Piasca, Ponte Strona and Venarolo - are distributed on the slopes in distant positions, reflecting a scattered historical settlement linked to pastoral activities.
Historically speaking, the municipality is associated with the figure of the blessed Giacomino de' Canepacci (1438-1508), who was born in the hamlet of Piasca when the village was still part of the parish of Crevacuore. He entered the Carmelite order and spent his life in the convent of the Virgin of Mount Carmel in Vercelli, where he was beatified by equivalence by Pope Gregory XVI in 1845. The house where he was born in the hamlet of Piasca has been converted into a votive chapel. In the centre of the town is the parish church of San Bernardo, rebuilt in the 17th century on a pre-existing oratory. Also in the area is the Brugarola sanctuary, a place of Marian worship with an annual procession that attracts residents from the surrounding hamlets in August.
The municipality's economy was historically based on sheep farming, agriculture and, to a significant extent, woodworking. Iron mines, now disused, were active in the northern part of the municipality, and for several centuries constituted one of the main mining activities in the area. The gradual contraction of agricultural and artisan activities in the second half of the 20th century reduced the resident population, with many inhabitants moving to the industrial centres of the valley.
On the hiking side, Ailoche is a junction of the Grande Traversata Biellese (GTB): section 12 of the route connects Crevacuore to Coggiola, passing through the municipality and Alpe Sparavera, with access to Bocchetta di Noveis. The chestnut forests and open pastures at higher altitudes offer trails suitable for medium-difficulty hiking. The area also lends itself to chestnut and mushroom picking in autumn, activities rooted in local tradition.
Information
General Data
Area: 10.78 km²
Main town altitude: 569m
Maximum elevation: 1,173m - Punta di Meis
Number of inhabitants: 291 (as of 01.01.2025, ISTAT)
Name in dialect: Anlòche (Piedmontese)
Name of the inhabitants: ailochesi
Patron Saint: Saint Bernard of Menton (15 June)
Border municipalities: Caprile - Coggiola - Crevacuore - Guardabosone - Postua
Province of affiliation: Biella
Region of affiliation: Piemonte
Nationality: Italy
Institutional site: https://www.comune.ailoche.bi.it