Biandrate

Biandrate (Piedmontese: Biandrà, Lombard: Biandraa) is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about west of Novara.

==History== Archaeological findings have proved that the area of Biandrate was already settled in Roman times, although no consensus exists about the existence of a Roman municipium here. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Biandrate regained importance only from the 10th century, when its counts held large territories in the area. In 1025, Count Vibertus, after expanding the family's lands around Vercelli and Val d'Ossola, obtained the title of Ivrea; such possessions were confirmed to his successor Guido II by Emperor Conrad II. His successor Alberto I took part in the First Crusade. In his age, Biandrate is mentioned as a free commune.