The best family-friendly hikes and walks in Riserva Naturale Speciale E Orientata Palude Di Casalbeltrame

Small and enchanting church with a beautiful cloister inside

Palazzo Natta is an ancient historical-noble palace in the city of Novara, in Piedmont. Today it houses the Province of Novara and the prefecture. In the place, already in Roman times near the Cardo (corresponding to the Cavour and Mazzini courses) and the Decumanus (corresponding to the Cavallotti and Italia courses), there was the aristocratic district of the city in the Middle Ages, called Contrada delle torri lunghe. Around the 13th century the Counts Caccia di Mandello and Castellazzo, a noble and ancient family from Novara, built their residence there, of which the civic tower with the clock is preserved today; documented as early as 1268 and called Torre grande. Later the building was acquired by the Natta d'Alfiano and Natta Isola di Casale families, who rebuilt and enlarged it between the 16th and 18th centuries. The main project of 1580 is attributed to the famous architect Pellegrino Tibaldi, who composed a square-plan palace centered on the internal porticoed courtyard and with a rear garden aligned perspectively on the main axis of the building. The courtyard, surrounded by a portico on Doric columns, has a compass rose made with river pebbles on the pavement, also repeated in the garden. A monumental staircase leads to the first floor, where the rooms are decorated with frescoes by the painter De Giorgi. After the unification of Italy, the palace was raised by one floor and the two final ramps were added to the staircase. The garden, restored in 1998, is centered on a fountain in pink Baveno marble and is closed by an eighteenth-century exedra in rocaille style that frames a trompe-l'œil. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palazzo_Natta

The Broletto of Novara is a medieval architectural complex consisting of four historic buildings, built in different periods and with distinct and disparate artistic styles, arranged in a quadrangle around a central courtyard (or "arengo"). Located in the city center, a short distance from the Cathedral, it is accessible through an archway from Piazza della Repubblica (to the south) and a second archway from Corso Italia (to the north). The Broletto was originally an enclosed courtyard in the heart of the city, where commerce and various public activities took place. The construction of the assembly and judicial buildings dates back to the period immediately after the Peace of Constance (1183), as was the case in several Lombard cities. The exact date of construction is unknown, but the first references to the complex in historical documents date back to 1208, in the expressions "in broreto comunis novarie" and "sub palacio comunis." Excavations during restoration work in the 20th century also confirmed that the complex was built on pre-existing buildings. This was confirmed by the discovery of sections of wall and mosaic floors from the Roman period. From the mid-16th century onwards, neglect led to a progressive deterioration of the complex. It was not until the 19th century that the first tentative restoration measures were undertaken. At the end of the 1920s, a restoration project was carried out in various areas in Novara to restore its original appearance. In this context, the architect Giovanni Lazanio oversaw the restoration of the Broletto, which had been subject to various degrading interventions in previous centuries, particularly in the 19th century by the engineers Luigi Orelli and Stefano Ignazio Melchioni [ 6 ] : the single-lancet windows of the Palazzo del Podestà, the triple-lancet windows of the Salone dell'Arengo, and the walled-up porticoes of the courtyard were reopened. The fountain and the external staircase leading to the Arengo, demolished in the 18th century, were rebuilt, and the courtyard was cleared of superfluous elements, including a large urinal and the newsstand. The Broletto complex reopened to the public in March 2011, on the occasion of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy, after a restoration project lasting over two years. The complex now houses a Modern Art Gallery and hosts temporary exhibitions and presentations. In summer, there is also an open-air cinema. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broletto_(Novara)

The Novara Cathedral, whose full name is the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, is the main Catholic place of worship in the city of Novara, the episcopal seat of the diocese of the same name. The frescoes of the Novara Cathedral are by Carlo Bazzi.

The Duomo⛪in a Central Position in the Beautiful🌈Streets of 🪽Novara🪽

Novara Cathedral, a symbol of transformation and vision, stands on the ashes of the ancient Romanesque building, demolished to make way for the majestic neoclassical project by Alessandro Antonelli in 1831. With its imposing structure and the portico that embraces the square, Antonelli not only redesigned the cathedral, but harmoniously integrated the entire complex into the heart of the city. Inside, the altar captures the eye with its small temple of green Varallo marble. Opposite, the Baptistery, dating back to the 5th century, resists time as the oldest building in Novara.

Between Greggio and San Nazzaro Sesia, the Cavour canal is about to enter the siphon that makes it pass under the Sesia river. Thanks to this little bridge-lock between the fields, it can be crossed with ease.

Incredibly architecturally impressive courtyard of the Ospedale of Novara