Casalbeltrame (Casabaltram in Piedmontese and Lombard) is an Italian town of 962 inhabitants in the province of Novara in Piedmont. A part of the municipal territory is included in the Natural Park of the Lame del Sesia. The

rice paddies A paddy field is a flooded field of arable land used for growing semiaquatic crops, most notably rice and taro. It originates from the Neolithic rice-farming cultures of the Yangtze River basin in southern China, associated with pre-Aust ...

of Casalbeltrame are known for the production of ''

riso venere Riso may refer to: Architecture and museums * Palazzo Riso, a contemporary art museum in Palermo, Italy Institutions and corporations * Riso Kagaku Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer of duplicating machines * Risø National Laboratory, a scien ...

'', an unusual black rice of

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...

origins. ''Venere'' refers to

Venus Venus is the second planet from the Sun. It is sometimes called Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet as it is almost as large and has a similar composition. As an interior planet to Earth, Venus (like Mercury) appears in Earth's sky never fa ...

, the goddess of love, and to the

aphrodisiac An aphrodisiac is a substance that increases sexual desire, sexual attraction, sexual pleasure, or sexual behavior. Substances range from a variety of plants, spices, foods, and synthetic chemicals. Natural aphrodisiacs like cannabis or cocain ...

properties claimed for the rice. The variety is included in the

Slow Food Slow Food is an organization that promotes local food and traditional cooking. It was founded by Carlo Petrini in Italy in 1986 and has since spread worldwide. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and regi ...

Atlas. Casalbeltrame borders the following municipalities:

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 h ...

Casalino Casalino is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about southwest of Novara. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,469 and an area of .All demograph ...

Casalvolone Casalvolone is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about southwest of Novara. Casalvolone borders the following municipalities: Borgo Vercelli, Casalbeltrame ...

, and

San Nazzaro Sesia San Nazzaro Sesia is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about west of Novara. San Nazzaro Sesia borders the following municipalities: Albano Vercellese, Bi ...

Monuments and places of interest

Religious architecture

* Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta. The current building is in the form of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, but it is certainly very old as evidenced, among other things, the bell tower and the Romanesque walls and frescoes found in the current attics (scenes of the Life of Christ, XV century) Attached to the church is the scurolo of the patron saint San Novello. * Church and complex of Sant'Apollinare

Civil architectures

* Villa Bracorens Savoiroux (18th century), seat of Materima, citadel of sculpture.

Military architectures

* Castle (unusable since 2015)

Museums

* "L çivel" Ethnographic Historical Museum of Agricultural Machinery * Gipsoteca - plaster statues

Nature

* Casalbeltrame swamp nature reserve

Society

Demographic evolution

Inhabitants registered

Infrastructures and transport

Between 1884 and 1933 the locality was served by a tram stop Vercelli-Biandrate-Fara.

Festivity

* In June, the Beer Festival is held in collaboration between Proloco and Ghunter Stübe, Bavarian specialties and entertainment. * For the occasion of the patronal feast, held on the last Sunday of August, there are 4 days in honor of the saint dedicated to his celebration

References

Cities and towns in Piedmont {{Novara-geo-stub