The best traffic-free bike rides around Greggio

Small and enchanting church with a beautiful cloister inside

The Abbey of San Nazzaro Sesia is a complex made up of structures from different historical periods. The oldest parts are the bell tower, built as a watchtower, and the two wings of the narthex preceding the façade, which are what remains of the quadriportico built around 1150, shortly after the abbey itself was founded (1040). The cuts resulting from the demolition of the other two sides are still clearly visible today. The narthex is almost entirely made up of stones from the Sesia river arranged in a herringbone pattern to increase its solidity. The mortar itself was obtained from materials found on site, near the Sesia river. It was probably originally used as a “hospitalis”, that is, it served as a place of rest and refreshment for travellers and pilgrims, who we know were very numerous in medieval times, and it also had the function of hosting catechumens.

The cathedral of Sant’Eusebio, patron saint of Vercelli and Piedmont, boasts ancient origins, but its current appearance is the result of numerous restorations. In Roman times, there was a necropolis here where San Teonesto, the first Christian martyr of Vercelli, a victim of Diocletian's persecutions, was buried. Next to him, Sant’Eusebio was laid to rest in his honor. Tradition has it that the basilica was founded by Emperor Theodosius I, but the barbarian invasions caused serious damage, requiring subsequent reconstruction work. Thanks to its position on the Via Francigena, the cathedral has become a fundamental stop for pilgrims over the centuries, a testimony made evident by the precious relics preserved inside, including those of Thomas Beckett.

It is said that the sister suffered from werewolves and therefore lived practically locked up in this house

The church originally had two naves: a central one and a lateral one. The lateral one on the north side was demolished in 1681. “The interior is divided into three bays by three pointed arches in masonry, resting on rectangular pillars. The arches support a ceiling made of large bricks on which the roof rests directly. The apse is large (the diameter is more than 6 meters) and is covered by a five-part vault. Against the wall, the masonry altar is decorated with stucco in late sixteenth-century style, dating back to 1680. Under the plaster, fragments of the ancient frescoes re-emerge, covered with whitewash carried out during an eighteenth-century restoration; the most notable are the one on the southern wall depicting Saint Peter, from the Romanesque period, and, near the side entrance, a fresco ruined in several places that portrays Saint Francis of Assisi while receiving the stigmata. The Saint is portrayed kneeling with his arms open and slightly raised, with his gaze turned towards Christ, who appeared in the form of a Cherub; further down we can see the figure of a little friar who witnessed the event, with his hands raised to protect his eyes from the brightness of the apparition. Behind the figure of the Saint is depicted the little church of Porziuncola. The expressiveness of the faces, the attention to the folds of the Saint's habit and the architecture of the church in the background date this fresco back to a period before the end of the fifteenth century.” From the municipality website: comune.carpignanosesia. No. It

Chiusa e raddoppio di canali

Magnificent outing in the rice fields of the Po 😊

After the Galeria Sabauda in Turin, this museum has the largest art collection in Piedmont, with works by Italian, Flemish and Dutch masters from the 15th to the 19th century. The frescoes from churches in the region and paintings by Piedmontese Renaissance painters are special.