Romanesque art in the Biella and Vercelli areas

In Vercelli, the Museo del Tesoro del Duomo, which is hosted in the Archiepiscopal building together with the Library and the Capitulary Archive, boasts a rich collection of items starting from the first centuries after the birth of Christ that come from the Cathedral of Sant’Eusebio (bishop of Vercelli in 345 and later patron saint of the city), as well as very rare codex, parchments and religious objects. The Cathedral of Sant’Andrea, initially an abbey inspired by the Cistercian model (13th century), is among the first examples of Gothic architecture in Piedmont that features Romanesque elements as well. The oldest parts of the Churches of San Bernardo and San Paolo are also Romanesque: the facade and part of the aisles of the naves. The Abbey of Lucedio stands out among the paddy fields as a wonderful optical illusion. The complex was founded in 1123 in Lucedio (Trino Vercellese) by Benedictine monks, who started long-lasting reclaiming work in the area and then began to grow rice in the 15th century.

 

Along the thousand-year long paths in the Canavese and Biella areas, the Pre-Alps and the Serra Morenica in Ivrea there are several fortified villages such as Magnano, with the wonderful Church of San Secondo (11th century), and Romanesque structures like the Church of SS. Pietro e Paolo in Castellengo, which has been mentioned since 1155 and has been remodelled several times in the following centuries. In Biella, extraordinary Romanesque examples are the Baptistery of San Giovanni Battista, built in the 10th century on a pre-existing Roman burial ground, and, to its left, the slim, eight-floor, Romanesque bell tower of the original Church of Santo Stefano, which was built in the 5th century and demolished towards the end of the 19th century. The Church of San Biagio, which was mentioned for the first time in a 1198 document, has Romanesque traits in the remains of the apse and in some sections that have been incorporated the in northern wall. It has been rebuilt throughout the centuries and is dedicated to the patron saint of card-workers, since the carding activity has been very widespread since ancient times in the area.