# Torrazzo > Italian comune **Wikidata**: [Q18176](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18176) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torrazzo) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/torrazzo ## Summary Torrazzo is an Italian comune (municipality) located in the Province of Biella in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. It is a small mountainous municipality situated at coordinates 45.4983802° N latitude and 7.9536482° E longitude. The comune is part of the municipal divisions of Italy and falls under the administrative jurisdiction of the Piedmont region and the Province of Biella. ## Key Facts - **Official Name:** Torrazzo - **Entity Type:** Italian comune (municipal division) - **Country:** Italy - **Region:** Piedmont - **Province:** Province of Biella - **Coordinates:** 45.4983802° N, 7.9536482° E - **Population:** 212 (census 1), 214 (census 2), 203 (census 3) - **Website:** http://www.comune.torrazzo.bi.it/ - **Wikipedia Title:** Torrazzo - **Wikidata Description:** Italian comune - **Sitelink Count:** 54 - **Administrative Classification:** Comune of Italy (municipal divisions of Italy) - **Country Context:** Italy is a sovereign state located in Southern Europe, officially known as the Italian Republic (Repubblica Italiana) ## FAQs **What region and province is Torrazzo located in?** Torrazzo is located in the Piedmont region of northern Italy, specifically within the Province of Biella. The Province of Biella is one of the administrative provinces in Italy, with Italy as its country reference and a sitelink count of 80. **How large is Torrazzo?** While exact area figures are not specified in the source material, Torrazzo is a small Italian comune with a population ranging between 203 and 214 residents across census counts, indicating it is a small mountainous municipality typical of the Alpine regions in northern Italy. **What is the administrative structure of Torrazzo?** Torrazzo operates as a comune, which is the fundamental administrative unit in Italy analogous to a municipality or township. Italian comuni are municipal divisions of Italy, with Italy and as their country references. Each comune is governed by a mayor and a city council and handles local administrative matters. **What is the geographic location of Torrazzo?** Torrazzo is situated at coordinates 45.4983802° N latitude and 7.9536482° E longitude, placing it in the Alpine region of northern Italy near the border between Piedmont and other northern Italian regions. **What official online presence does Torrazzo have?** Torrazzo maintains an official municipal website at http://www.comune.torrazzo.bi.it/, which follows the standard naming convention for Italian municipal websites using the ".it" country code top-level domain. ## Why It Matters Torrazzo represents the traditional Italian comune system that forms the backbone of local governance throughout Italy. As one of the thousands of comuni that divide the Italian territory, Torrazzo embodies the decentralized administrative structure that characterizes Italian governance. The comune system in Italy, which includes Torrazzo, allows for localized administration of services, planning, and community matters at the municipal level. The Province of Biella, in which Torrazzo is located, is known for its textile industry heritage and mountainous terrain in the Alpine foothills. Torrazzo contributes to the cultural and administrative fabric of this province, representing the smaller communities that maintain traditional Italian rural and mountain lifestyles. From a broader perspective, comuni like Torrazzo are essential to understanding Italy's federal structure. Italy operates as a unitary state with 20 regions, including Piedmont, which contains the Province of Biella. The comune sits at the lowest level of this administrative hierarchy, directly serving the needs of its local population while operating within the framework established by national and regional laws. ## Notable For - **Small Population Community:** Torrazzo exemplifies the many small comuni that exist throughout Italy's mountainous regions, with populations typically under 500 residents. - **Alpine Location:** Situated at approximately 45.5° N latitude in the Piedmontese Alps, Torrazzo represents the traditional mountain communities of northern Italy. - **Administrative Continuity:** As part of the Italian comune system, Torrazzo maintains the historical administrative divisions that have existed in Italy since the unification of the country in 1861. - **Digital Presence:** The comune maintains an official web presence, demonstrating integration with modern digital governance despite its small size. ## Body ### Geography and Location Torrazzo is an Italian comune situated in the Province of Biella, located in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. The municipality sits at geographic coordinates of 45.4983802° N latitude and 7.9536482° E longitude, positioning it in the Alpine foothills of northwestern Italy. This location places Torrazzo within the mountainous terrain characteristic of the pre-Alpine and Alpine regions of Piedmont. The Province of Biella itself is known for its distinctive geography, featuring both mountainous areas and valley floors. The province was historically known for its textile manufacturing industry and continues to be recognized for its wool and textile production. Biella is one of the eight provinces in the Piedmont region, which covers approximately 25,000 square kilometers in northwestern Italy. ### Administrative Structure Torrazzo functions as a comune, which is the basic territorial administrative unit in Italy. The comune system represents the lowest level of administrative division in Italy, responsible for local governance, public services, urban planning, and community affairs. Italian comuni trace their origins to the Napoleonic period and were formally established as administrative units during the unification of Italy in the mid-19th century. The current Italian republic was established on June 18, 1946, following a constitutional referendum, and operates under the Constitution of Italy as its main regulatory text. Italy is a unitary state organized into 20 regions, including Piedmont, which contains the Province of Biella. The administrative hierarchy flows from the national government to regions, provinces, and finally to comuni. ### Population and Demographics Based on the available census data, Torrazzo has a population ranging from 203 to 214 residents across different census periods. This places Torrazzo among the smaller comuni in Italy, consistent with the many small mountain municipalities found throughout the Alpine regions. Italian comuni can vary dramatically in population, from large cities like Rome with millions of residents to small mountain villages like Torrazzo with only a few hundred inhabitants. The population figures reflect the broader demographic trends in Italy's mountainous regions, where many small comuni have experienced population decline due to urbanization and migration to larger cities. However, some small comuni maintain stable or slightly growing populations due to their appeal for those seeking quieter lifestyles or retirement destinations. ### Governance and Administration As an Italian comune, Torrazzo is governed locally by a mayor (sindaco) and a city council (consiglio comunale). The mayor serves as the head of the municipal government, while the council is the legislative body responsible for approving local ordinances, budgets, and policy decisions. The comune administration handles various local services including: - Municipal police and civil protection - Public works and infrastructure maintenance - Local zoning and building permits - Civil registry (births, deaths, marriages) - Local taxation and revenue collection - Social services and community programs ### Regional Context: Piedmont and Province of Biella Torrazzo is located in Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian), one of Italy's 20 regions. Piedmont is situated in northwestern Italy and shares borders with France, Switzerland, and the region of Lombardy. The region is known for its production of wines (including Barolo and Barbaresco), truffles, and chocolate, as well as its industrial base including automotive manufacturing (Fiat, now Stellantis). The Province of Biella is a relatively small province within Piedmont, created in 1992 when it was separated from the Province of Vercelli. The province is characterized by its mountainous northern portion and hilly southern area. Biella has historically been known as the "wool capital" of Italy due to its textile industry heritage, which dates back to the Middle Ages. ### Connection to Italian Administrative System Torrazzo exists within the broader framework of Italian administrative divisions. The comune is classified under the category "comune of Italy" (municipal divisions of Italy), with Italy as its country reference. This classification system allows for standardized identification and referencing of Italian municipalities in databases and knowledge systems. The sitelink count of 54 for Torrazzo indicates its presence across multiple language versions of Wikipedia, demonstrating international interest in even small Italian comuni. This connectivity reflects the comprehensive documentation of Italian municipalities in online encyclopedic resources. ### Digital Presence and Modern Services Torrazzo maintains an official website at http://www.comune.torrazzo.bi.it/, following the standard URL format for Italian municipalities which typically use "comune." followed by the town name and ".it" for the country code top-level domain. This website serves as the digital interface between the municipal government and its citizens, providing information about local services, events, administrative procedures, and contact information. The ".it" domain is Italy's country code top-level domain (ccTLD) used for websites associated with Italy, including government entities, businesses, and individuals. Italy's official website for tourism and general information is https://www.italia.it/, demonstrating the broader digital presence of Italian institutions. ### Historical Context The modern Italian state was proclaimed as the Kingdom of Italy on March 17, 1861, during the Italian unification movement (Risorgimento). The current Italian Republic was established on June 18, 1946, following a constitutional referendum that ended the monarchy. Throughout these political transformations, the comune system has remained a constant feature of Italian administrative organization. Piedmont played a crucial role in Italian unification, as it was the kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont that led the unification process under the House of Savoy. The city of Turin served as the first capital of unified Italy from 1861 to 1865, before the capital was moved to Florence and eventually to Rome. ### Economic and Cultural Context While specific economic data for Torrazzo is not provided in the source material, the broader context of the Province of Biella provides insight into the local economy. The province has historically been known for its textile industry, particularly wool production, which has been a traditional economic activity in the region for centuries. The Alpine location of Torrazzo suggests that local economic activities may include agriculture, forestry, and tourism, which are common in Italy's mountain regions. The Piedmont region as a whole is known for its agricultural products, including wines, cheeses, and truffles, as well as its industrial manufacturing sector. ### Infrastructure and Connectivity As a small Italian comune, Torrazzo participates in Italy's national infrastructure systems. Italy operates on the right side of the road for automotive traffic, while railway traffic operates on the left. The country uses the Gregorian calendar, which was introduced in Italy in 1582 and subsequently adopted worldwide. Italy's electrical system operates at 230 volts with a frequency of 50 Hz, using Europlug and Type L electrical outlets. The country uses the euro as its currency, adopted on January 1, 2002, replacing the Italian lira. The telephone country code for Italy is +39, and the internet country code is ".it". ### Relationship to Larger Entities Torrazzo exists within a hierarchical relationship with larger administrative entities: - **Country Level:** Italy - a sovereign state and parliamentary republic located in Southern Europe - **Regional Level:** Piedmont - one of Italy's 20 regions - **Provincial Level:** Province of Biella - a province of Italy with sitelink count of 80 - **Municipal Level:** Torrazzo - an Italian comune with sitelink count of 54 This hierarchical structure is typical of Italian administrative organization, where comuni serve as the fundamental units of local government while being nested within provinces and regions that provide additional administrative functions and services. ## References 1. Virtual International Authority File 2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 3. [Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018. Italian National Institute of Statistics](http://demo.istat.it/pop2018/index3.html) 4. [Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2017. Italian National Institute of Statistics](http://demo.istat.it/pop2017/index3.html) 5. [Source](https://demo.istat.it/?l=it) 6. GeoNames 7. [Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011. Italian National Institute of Statistics](https://www.istat.it/it/archivio/156224) 8. Wiki Loves Monuments Italia 9. Seismic classification in Italy 10. [Source](https://rischi.protezionecivile.gov.it/it/sismico/attivita/classificazione-sismica)