Vercelli (ancient Vercellae), city, northwestern Italy, capital of Vercelli Province, in Piedmont (Piemonte) Region, on the Sesia River. It is a leading rice market and an industrial center; manufactures include textiles, foodstuffs, chemicals, and machinery. Points of interest include the 13th-century basilica of Sant'Andrea and the cathedral (16th-18th century), which contains a library of valuable works, notably the famous Vercelli Book (Codex Vercellensis), an Old English manuscript containing homilies and poems and dating from the late 10th century. In ancient times the city came under the control of the Ligurians, Romans, Lombards, and Franks successively. In the early 14th century it was controlled by the powerful Visconti family of Milan, who ceded it in the early 15th century to the house of Savoy. Population (1997 estimate) 48,106.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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