Bessa Natural Reserve, Regional nature reserve in Province of Biella, Italy
Bessa Natural Reserve covers about 750 hectares across four municipalities and displays a distinctive landscape of pebbles and elongated valleys called bunde. The terrain is dominated by prominent stone mounds that resulted from ancient mining work.
Between 143 and 140 BCE, Roman legions under Appius Claudius Pulcher conquered the territory and established extensive gold mining operations. This extractive activity shaped the area for many centuries and left visible marks on the landscape.
The Visitor Center in Vermogno features exhibits about mining heritage and how the landscape was shaped by extraction work over centuries. This connection between human labor and nature is visible throughout the reserve today.
The reserve is accessible via State Road 143 from the Santhià exit of the A4 Turin-Milan motorway and has designated picnic areas with parking. The main entrance areas are well-equipped and provide clear guidance for visitors.
Ancient mining has left countless stone piles scattered across the terrain, creating an unusual lunar-like landscape filled with hundreds of small elevations. This natural result of gold extraction makes the reserve visually distinct from other protected areas.
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