On the north side of Piazza Cavour stands the beautiful Torre dell’Angelo (you have to move to the center of the square to see it), one of the many towers that characterizes the skyline of Vercelli and that makes it one of the few turreted cities in Piedmont. It is so recognizable that today it is to all intents and purposes one of the symbols of the city. There are several legends linked to the tower and its name. One, for example, tells that an angel saved a person about to fall from the building, another tells that an angel saved the tower itself from collapsing because its structural foundations were not very solid.
One of the recurrent festivities linked to the Torre dell’Angelo is therefore the Epiphany. For many years now, the population of Vercelli awaits the customary descent of the Befana from the Tower. Usually around 6 pm on January 6th, the lights go out and the children and their parents start shouting: Befana! Befana!. The old lady, who is a Fireman of the Alpine Caving and River Rescue Group, descends from the top of the Tower of the Angel, sowing candy for all the little admirers.
