THAT IS THE HISTORY... of 4 generations
The Burcina Park is an historic garden, placed on the "Brik Burcina" of the same name, which is a soft hill very near to the Alps of Biella.
Its origins date back to the first half of the XIX century, when Giovanni Piacenza (1811-1883) bought some lands in the lower part of the Southern and Western hillsides in order to plant redwoods trees (on the lake shores), cedars of the Atlas (towards the mountains), strobus pines and many others.
His son Felice (1843-1938) had been working everyday for almost 30 years for getting new lands, for tracing roads and paths, for planting trees and the breathtaking valley of rhododendrons, which in May are in bloom. It is surprising that the entrepreneur Felice did not make use of some architects' help for composing that landscape, but it was he who made it. So, besides the botanical point of view, it is worth noting the composition of the landscape: a romantic small lake, the private areas, surrounded by woods like the Valgenera, the Pian Plà beechwood, the road of the tulip trees, the valley of the rhododendrons, the Mediterranean area and the views on the mountains and on the plain ranging from the Monviso to the Adamello.
In 1850, Enzo (1892-1968), the Felice's son, gave the new entrance, designed by the Florentine landscape designer Pietro Porcinai, according to his father's will. In his last 15 years, he invited the most popular European botanists to the park. Before dying he planted again some areas of the park, which had been destroyed by the terrible wind "föhn", in February 1967. His son, Guido is the President in charge of the Park body.
Since 1934, the Park is owned by the Commune of Biella, which enlarged it reaching the present 57 hectares.
In 1980, the Special Natural Reserve of the Burcina Park "Felice Piacenza" was found, thanks to the regional law n° 29.
Piedmont is paying a lot of attention to this park, and it is investing more money than ever: new plantings, an apple orchad, a new office with a teaching room, a bar-restaurant and works to put the meteoric water in a steady state.

THE PARK OFFICE
The park office and the environmental education centre are placed in the Cascina Emilia, 200m far from the entrance. The park organises 2 hour conducted tours, which are very useful to know the park features through different itineraries.
There also are some organised activities of the environmental education for studying nature during some lessons, researches, material collections and plays.

Tel. 011 4320011  http://www.parcoticinolagomaggiore.it

INFORMATION

• The park is placed in the Communes of Biella and Pollone. It has a total area of 57 hectares and its altimetrical excursion ranges from 570 to 830 m above sea level.
• The park has a pedestrian access.
• The over 65-year-old elderly and the disable people can enter using their car: Thursday, 8.30am to 18.00pm; Saturday, 9.00am to 11.00am.
• Inside the park some areas for the visitor's picnic are available, but pay attention, please: don't leave any rubbish. Fires are forbidden.
• A few minutes further from the park entrance, the PUNTO RISTORO PARCO BURCINA (restaurant) is available for the visitors.
• From Tuesday to Friday, it is possible to go mushrooming for those who have the special regional membership card.
• Please, hold dogs in leash.
• Bikes can enter the park from the main road and from the path leading to the frazione Favaro; please don't go too fast, or you can hurt visitors.

HOW TO REACH IT
From motorway: from Milan- motorway to Turin A4, exit of Carisio; from Turin –motorway to Milan, exit of Santhià; from Genoa –motorway A26, exit of Vercelli or Santhià.
By train: Santhià-Biella line, Biella station.
By bus: you can reach Pollone and the Burcina Park from Biella, by bus.

There is a large parking in front of the park entry, in Pollone. You can also reach the park through the frazione Vandorno of Biella, taking a narrow street, not very smooth and with not much room for parking. From there, you will be able to come to the valley of the rhododendrons, on a level road, in few minutes.

FLORESCENCE AND BLOSSOMING

Location: Biella (Biella and Oropa Valley) - Pollone (Elvo Valley)