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Pollone (Biella)- Park Burcina
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Show to visit in the Biella area: |
 The Burcina Park is a large botanical park that extends over a high hill close to the Biellese Prealps in the vicinity of Biella, on the territories of the comunities of Biella and Pollone.
The park has a total area of 57 hectares and the altimetric range goes from 570 to 830 m.a.s.
The origins of the park date back to the mid-1800s when Giovanni Piacenza (1811-1883) began to buy various lands located in the lower parts of the slopes facing south and west of the hill to plant there redwoods (at the lake) and cedars of the Atlas (above the seat of the park), strobus pines and more.
His son Felice (1843-1938) worked for almost 50 years day after day to acquire new land, to trace roads and paths, plant trees and the spectacular valley of rhododendrons that in mid June enchants the visitor.
It is quite surprising that the industrialist Felice did not make use of a landscape architect, but he himself was the creator. Consequently, in addition to the botanical aspect, also the landscape composition is of particular importance.
In fact, the park looks, especially in summer, when the blooms are almost all finished, as a natural or almost natural environment, rather than as a park of a villa (absent in this case). Climbing along the paths leading to the top of the hill you have the feeling of walking in the woods, though a careful eye will easily notice that many of the plants and trees that you meet are not part of the native or even of the European flora.
Dense woodland areas alternate with clearings and wide meadows. There is also a pond and a small water stream.
The Burcina Park is particularly suggestive in Spring and early Summer, when the rhododendrons, which in many different varieties occupy, in particular, a basin of about two hectares (Fig. 4) and the hydrangeas, concentrated in particular in a small valley to form almost a river of flowers, are in bloom (Fig. 3).
Since 1934, the park is the property of the Municipality of Biella, which has expanded the surface to the current 57 hectares.
In 1980, with Regional Law No. 29, the Special Nature Reserve of the Burcina Park "Felice Piacenza" was established.
The Piedmont Region pays great attention to the park, and never like today great investments have been done: new plants, a whole apple orchard, a restaurant bar.
The new headquarters of the park has a classroom equipped with audio and visual material, optical microscope, taxidermized animals and a library of over 1000 volumes about nature and environment; the park authority also provides an interesting xyloteca (collection of wood samples) both for educational and scientific purposes.
No less impressive than the park itself are the views that can be admired by walking the paths. The view on the plain below, in the areas where there are no trees, does not encounter obstacles.
Access to the park is free, parking is at a charge.
See also: Burcina Park on www.parcoburcina.org
Categories: Places of naturalistic value of landscape value
13814 Pollone BI, Italia
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Park Burcina: Further pictures in the section Photography |