On the 25th January 1836 the City Council decided to demolish the four city doors and substitute them with toll houses. At that point in time, the city was turning some of its military structures into elements that could play a commercial and economical role in a phase of great urban expansion.The location that was picked was the Western access to the city, an area around which most of the 19th-century renovations were carried out. The project was designed by Novara-born engineer Antonio Agnelli, who tried to solve the problem of connecting the old city centre to the developing suburbs. Two one-storey, square-plan twin buildings were built, and each one of them had a specifi c purpose: the Northern one hosted the guards, while the other one was used to collect tolls. Both were built fl anking the street that carriages used to cross the city centre. The Barriera Albertina was inaugurated in 1837 and it was dedicated to Charles Albert of Sardinia to show gratitude towards the King, who was responsible for the promotion of agriculture and commerce, and who also had supported local economy, thus giving the city a newfound prosperity.The two buildings are simple, essential, well-balanced in proportions and absolutely in tune withNeoclassical taste. Sculptor Giuseppe Argenti embellished the two buildings with allegorical sculptures. The frieze with two female statues located in each one of the tympanums includes the city’s coat of arms, as well as the royal family’s one, as to show the strong bond between the King and Novara’s thriving urban development. The two niches on each one of the façades host personifi cations: Royal Charity is located on the right-hand side of the Northern building and is holding a pine branch and an olive branch, and next to her sits an owl. Gratitude, on the righthand side of the Northern building, is depicted as a young woman carrying a bunch of broad beans and who is petting a stork. Agriculture is located on the righthand side of the Southern building and is depicted as Psyche, and she is leaning on a plough. Commerce is symbolized by a young version of Mercury; the god is shown with a winged petasus and a bag.Concordance and Vigilance are shown sitting and have been conceived as necessary allegories to preserve prosperity. Concordance is holding a torch and a pomegra-nate branch. Vigilance has an oil lamp on her lap and next to her chair sits a rooster.