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Piedmont, Italy

Interactive Map of Piedmont, Italy

Piedmont, Italy Map Links:

 

Piedmont is an inland region in northwest Italy that covers a total area of 9,808 square miles. It is the second-largest region by size. The word Piedmont comes from the medieval Latin word Pedemontis which means, “at the foot of the mountains.” 

Cities as Seen on a Map of Piedmont, Italy:

  • Turin
  • Alba
  • Asti
  • Novara
  • Vercelli
  • Alessandria
  • Moncalieri
  • Cuneo
  • Collegno
  • Rivoli
  • Nichelino
  • Settimo Torinese
  • Biella
  • Grugliasco
  • Chieri
  • Pinerolo
  • Casale Monferrato
  • Venaria Reale
  • Verbania
  • Novi Ligure
  • Tortona
  • Chivasso
  • Fossano
  • Ivrea
  • Caselle Torinese
  • Piossasco
  • Domodossola
  • Beinasco

Quick Facts:

  • Population = 4.4 million
  • Language = Italian, Piedmontese, Insubaric, Occitan, and Franco-Provencal
  • Ethnicities = Italian, Swiss, French, Roman
  • Capital = Turin

The History of the Piedmont Region 

Before the Romans came to rule the  Piedmont region in 220 BC, it was inhabited by a Celtic-Ligurian tribe. The Romans gained control of Piedmont, Italy in 220 BC and remained in control until the fall of the Roman Empire in 476. When the Roman Empire fell, the region was invaded by a series of tribes. 

The first tribe to invade the Piedmont region was the Burgundians, a Germanic tribe that was primarily located in the western Alps. 

The second tribe to invade was the Ostrogoths, another Germanic tribe that had settled in regions ranging from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.

The third tribe to invade was East Romans, also known as the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire was a Roman tribe that settled in many regions throughout Italy.

The fourth tribe to invade the Piedmont region was the Lombards, a Germanic tribe that settled throughout a majority of the Italian peninsula.

The fifth tribe to invade was the Franks in 773. The Franks were another Germanic tribe that ruled the area until Magyars, a Hungarian tribe, invaded the region. 

In 1046, Piedmont became part of the County of Savoy within the Holy Roman Empire. By 1720, the County of Savoy evolved into the Kingdom of Sardinia. In 1796, the Republic of Alba was created, which was a French municipality that was established in the Piedmont region of Italy. 

Two years later, in 1798, the Piedmontese Republic was established, which acted as a sister territory to the Republic of Alba. Still, it was quickly taken over by Austria and Russia the following year.

In 1802, the Kingdom of Sardinia was restored. This time, the Kingdom of Sardinia included Genoa, a powerful seaport that would eventually be used to strengthen its barrier against France.

Finally, beginning in 1852, the Italian Unification began, and by 1861, Piedmont was annexed into the Kingdom of Italy. During the Industrial Revolution in Italy, the Piedmont region quickly became one of the most important because of its advancements and opportunities in industrialization.

Language

The primary spoken language in Piedmont is Italian, but there is a variety of dialects that are spoken throughout the area. These dialects include Piedmontese, Insubaric, Occitan, and Franco-Provencal, which all stem from the Italian language.

Religion

Roman Catholicism is the primary religion in the area because of the strong influences that the Romans and Pope had on the area. Roman Catholicism is different from standard Catholicism in that Roman Catholicism is practiced only in areas where Ancient Romans ruled, which includes the Piedmont region of Italy.

Geography

The Piedmont region is surrounded by mountains and borders the neighboring countries of France and Switzerland. 

The Piedmont region of Italy is the second-largest of all the 20 regions, making it ideal for a variety of geographical jobs, including within one of the 56 national or regional parks within the area. 

The low-lying area of the Piedmont region is rich in agriculture. Much of the crops that are harvested here are grains, like cereal and rice. Other agricultural systems include cattle and vineyards.

Outside of agriculture, the Piedmont region also took advantage of the land that could not be used for harvesting and developed manufacturing areas for industrialization. One of the major manufacturing centers in the region is the city of Turin. This is where the Fiat automobile manufacturer is located. 

Lastly, the Piedmont region is known for its tourism, employing an estimated 75,000 people. 

Migration Patterns

During the Italian Unification in the 1860s, approximately 13 million Italians emigrated from the Kingdom of Italy because poverty, overpopulation, and lack of work had significantly depreciated the area. While nearly 13 million Italians left the area, only a fraction returned. Over time, the population has begun to replenish, but it has been a slow process.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the city of Turin saw a large increase in immigrants in the area. The immigrants had migrated from southern Italy and Veneto, a region in northern Italy. By the 1990s, migration has remained stable. 

Genealogy

Because Piedmont is such a large region that covers a large portion of northern Italy, there is a wide variety of regions, cultures, and lineage that can be connected to the Piedmontese gene. 

People who have a connection to the Piedmont region of Italy likely have a Swiss, French, German, Italian, and/or Roman makeup within their DNA. Because of this, people with genealogy connected to the Piedmont region may have any combination of physical features. French, German, and Swiss genealogy is more prone to producing lightly colored hair and eyes, while Roman and Italian genealogy typically produces a darker complexion and hair.

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