Bra, Piedmont

Bra (Italian: [ˈbra], Piedmontese: [ˈbrɑ]) is a town and comune in the province of Cuneo in the northwest Italian region of Piedmont. It is situated 50 kilometres (31 miles) southeast of Turin and 50 km (31 mi) northeast of Cuneo in the area known as Roero.

Bra
Comune
Comune di Bra
Coat of arms
Location of Bra
Bra Location of Bra in Italy Show map of Italy Bra Bra (Piedmont) Show map of Piedmont
Coordinates: 44°42′N 7°51′E
Country	Italy
Region	Piedmont
Province	Province of Cuneo (CN)
Frazioni	Bandito, Borgo Nuovo, Case Del Bosco, Castelletto, Chiossa, Falchetto, Grione, Matrotti, Monta' Della Radice, Piumati, Pollenzo, Quinto Bianco, Riva, Rivo, Ronchi, Sabecco Superiore, San Maurizio, Sant'Agnese, Scatoleri, Tetti Bona, Tetti Milanesi
Government
• Mayor	Giovanni Fogliato
Area [1]
• Total	59.53 km2 (22.98 sq mi)
Elevation	285 m (935 ft)
Population  (1-1-2021)[2]
• Total	29,466
• Density	490/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Demonym	Braidese(i)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	12042
Dialing code	0172
Patron saint	Madonna dei Fiori
Saint day	8 September
Website	Official website

Bra is the birthplace of the feminist philosopher Adriana Cavarero, politician Emma Bonino, and of the activist Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food movement and of the world's first University of Gastronomic Sciences, whose main campus is located within Bra's municipal boundaries at Pollenzo. Bra is also home to "Cheese", a biennial international festival organised by Slow Food which features the makers of artisanal cheeses from around the world. In 1997 the event attracted some 150,000 visitors.[3] The town is famous for its gastronomy.

Among the structures in town is the intricately domed church of Santa Chiara by the late-Baroque architect, Bernardo Antonio Vittone and the church of St. Andrew, the facade of which was designed by the architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini, although not completed until two centuries later.[4]