The plan for the Basilica of Novara was placed in the hands of the architect Pellegrino Pellegrini, known as Il Tibaldi. The work was begun in 1577 and completed in 1659. Inside the basilica, in a precious scurolo (raised crypt) by Francesco Castelli, is an urn containing the remains of Saint Gaudenzio, the first bishop of the city and its patron saint. The chapel of the Nativity contains a famous Polyptych by Gaudenzio Ferrari (ca. 1516). The basilica also contains important paintings by Bernardino Lanino (16th century), Moncalvo, Morazzone, Giovannni Mauro della Rovere, Tanzio da Varallo and Stefano Maria Legnani (17th century). The bell-tower was built in the 18th century from designs by Benedetto Alfieri, while the dome, which stands 121 metres high, is the architecturally and structurally daring work of Alessandro Antonelli (1798-1888). The statue of the Saviour that has been standing on the top of the dome since 1878 is the work of sculptor Pietro Zucchi. 



The choice of where to put the statue on top of the Dome of the Basilica of 5.Gaudenzio, designed by Alessandro Antonelli, was not without controversy. Civil and ecclesiastical powers were just two of many contrasts. In the city council there weretwo camps, one in favor of the patron saint of the city, which is called below thebasilica, and in favor of a "Savior". Eventually the latter proposal appeared in May of 1878 and the statue, executed by Piero Zucchi dell'Antonelli brainchild, was placedatop the dome. The year before, while discussing the subject, the columns of the"Corriere di Novara", halfway between the serious and the facetious, it was suggested to put the dome ... the Statue of Liberty. The choice seems dell'Antonellihad always been oriented towards the "Savior". According to some, given the often cited Masonic membership of the designer's native Ghemme, as a celebration of the "Great Architect of the Universe."

gran bretagna THE BROLETTO

The Broletto complex (ancient municipal palace) is comprised of buildings that date back to different periods. In spite of their dissimilar architectural, decorative and artistic features, these buildings seem to blend well together around their picturesque, quadrilateral courtyard. The buildings are known as follows: along Corso Italia, the Arengo Palace (13th century), with traces just below the roof of a painted frieze that dates back to 1240-70; along Via Rosselli, the Palace of the Podestà (14th-15th centuries), with its decorations in terracotta and remains of frescos; to the right of this latter, the Paratici Palace (13th century), which was enlarged in the 17th century with an elegant loggia; and lastly, the Referendari Palace (14th-15th centuries). 



The Cathedral of Santa Maria as it is seen today dates back to the second half of the 19th century, when it was built in Neo-classical style, from designs by Alessandro Antonelli. During this work, parts of the previous Romanesque cathedral were encompassed into the building, including a large fragment of the mosaic flooring from the presbytery. The central nave is adorned by a series of Flemish arrasses (ca. 1565) that narrate episodes from the Life of Solomon. Paintings include works by Bernardino Lanino and The Wedding of St. Catherine by Gaudenzio Ferrari (16th century); while sculptures include a Crucified Christ (15th century). Beside the vestry is the Chapel of San Siro, which was built during the latter half of the 12th century as a private oratory for the bishop. Three walls of the room are painted with scenes that depict the Life of St. Siro and on the vault there is a Christ in Majesty, all of which date back to the second half of the 12th century (ca. 1180). On the far wall of the chapel there is a Crucifixion that dates back to the early 14th century. 



The Baptistery is the oldest monument of Novara, located opposite the Cathedral,dates from the fourth and fifth centuries AD and is accessed from the entrancelocated under the arcades of the Piazza della Repubblica. It 's an interesting early Christian building of great archaeological value, with an octagonal base, in whichalternating rectangular and semicircular chapels. The façade has three entrances.Inside, protected by glass, are conserved residues of the original octagonalbaptismal pool, the cylindrical well, about 9 feet deep and now dry, and the trenchdrain. The flooring of the interior, which were the remains marginal, was a square panels, hexagonal or triangular white marble and gray-brown. The decoration of the interior walls was all mosaic floral subjects. Many tiles were found scattered acrossthe concrete floor. Thanks to the restoration in 1959 were discovered preciousfrescoes illustrating scenes from the Apocalypse, probably from the late tenth century,and the Last Judgement.


The Tower of Palazzo Nattaaccording to a curious hypothesis formulated by local historian Hamlet Rizziin its central part higherhas the characteristic appearance of a cobbler's benchAccording to Rizzi, the architectural choice was not accidental butdeliberateto celebrate a historic guild NovaraRizzi notes thatuntil the earlydecades of the twentieth centuryNovara was still called "Cttà of Sciavatin"onorandosi to have among its oldest institutions, the burgeoning "University of theshoemakerscenturies-old, who throughout history played an important part inpolitical, economic and welfare townIn 1870 the City Council decided to carry on the clock tower located on the church tower of St. Charles, who stood in front of City Hall.The watch was placed on the church tower in 1821 and had four quadrants and a bell.The decision of the municipal administration to move the clock depends on the factthat the bell tower of St. Charles was low and the quadrantsbecause the height of nearby buildings were no longer visible from all parts of the cityYou could not evenraise the tower and then thought of the new solution. The upper part of the "GreatTower", at that time covered with tiles, was settled on a design engineer Dell'Ara,Municipal Technical OfficeThe clock was installed in 1873 by Fratelli Granaglia of TurinTorre was also placed on two large bellswhich already exists on the steeple of St. Carlo hour and a half forprovided by the Brothers Barigozzi of Milanwho weighed 750 kg and had a diameter of m1.15. That of St. Charlesdating back to 1822 was largerBoth were destroyed in 1941Since 1873, citizens watches,private, and no, they were governedevery noon, at the Tower of Palazzo Natta.

Born on the remains of the old theater Morelli, built in the second half of the eighteenth present Teatro Coccia in Novara was inaugurated December 22, 1888.
The ancient papal architect Cosimo Morelli presented interior frescoes, the kit fixed scenes, the curtain representing Hercules (the mythical founder of the city) made by the brothers Galliari, in those years the theater and set designers officers of the court of Turin.
The erection of the first theater in the city of Novara, was promoted by the neo boxholders society, formed for this purpose in 1775-76.
The company is self funded through the sale of the boxes to its own members, while a necessary part of the funds was given by Count Louis Marie Torinelli by Vergano.
It was inaugurated in the spring of 1779 with the musical drama "Medon King Oedipus" (De Gamerra libretto, music by Giuseppe Sarti, scenes) and two dances by the choreographer Onorato Viganò.
In 1830 the building was ristruttutato architect Luigi Canonica, author of the project of Teatro Carcano and restoration of the Teatro alla Scala of Piermarini and reopened in 1832 with the opera "The Stranger" by Vincenzo Bellini.
In the years 1853-1855 in its vicinity was built a second city theater, the Teatro Sociale, with whom he soon turned a lively competition.
In 1880 the council bought the two buildings, the Teatro Sociale and Morelli (who since 1873 had changed its name to Teatro Coccia) in order to replace them with a new building by architect Joseph Oliverio.
The new theater replaced, in the imagination of Novara, the previous century building that was demolished. Not surprising then that the current theater Coccia is evidence of attention to the centuries-old music and the theatrical culture of Novara, and that his story can not be limited to start with 1888.
The Teatro Coccia is the symbol of a past more ancient, is the most significant evolution of a city that has kept her memories.
Among the famous people who have trod the boards of the Coccia, we remember the great conductor Arturo Toscanini and the late Guido Cantelli.