Antica Pieve di San Giovanni Battista
Nome | Descrizione |
---|---|
Indirizzo | Strada Provinciale, 8 (Vespolate-Tornaco) VESPOLATE (NO) |
Telefono | (+39)0321.882119 |
vespolateonline@libero.it | |
Web | https://www.facebook.com/PievediSanGiovanniBattista |
The ancient Parish Church dedicated to Saint John the Baptist stand outside the residential area along the road leading to Tornaco. It was mentioned already in 1024-1028 when it was ceded to the Monastery of Saint Lorenzo in Novara by Bishop Pietro III and then it was cited again in 1132 when it got back in possession of the Novarese church. It was likely built up on the ruins of a pagan temple. A series of misfortunes hit the religious building, the whole village and the neighbouring zones in the 14th century. An exceptional snowfall in April destroys vines and maize, then the plague and the consequent famines and furthermore the awful war between Galeazzo Visconti and the Marquis of Monferrato, which brought death and destruction. This is how the Saint John’s church, in those times with the nave and two aisles, became seriously damaged. Today it has a single hall with semi-circular apse. The belfry is situated on the south side, while a room adapted as sacristy is close to the north wall. Important restorations and refurbishing works were carried out in the 19th century, as much that the ancient Romanesque structure was deeply altered. The interior was widely painted in fresco in the XV century; particularly valuable is the fictile altarpiece placed above the high altar depicting a delicate Madonna on the throne with blessing Child, an offerer (probably Cavallazzi, a local feudatory), Saint John the Baptist with scroll, Saint Gaudenzio, Saint John Evangelist and Saint Francis of Assisi, ascribable to (P. Venturoli) the Master of Borgomanero. An Annunciation with coat of arms depicted on both sides, one of them belonging to Cavallazzi family, is represented above the altarpiece. Another 15th-century wall-painting dominates the left wall: the Madonna, covered with a large mantle, on the throne with Child, among Saint Dominique, Saint Peter Apostle, Saint Francis and Saint Paul Apostle. A lonely and huge Saint Andrews is depicted near the entry of the sacristy. A Madonna del Latte on the throne is visible close to the ossuary.
Cod. 2
Alla scoperta di antiche Pievi, Abbazie e dipendenze
ATL della Provincia di Novara
Come preziose perle incastonate nel verde delle campagne e delle colline, tra i borghi e i luoghi suggestivi, le abbazie e le pievi del Novarese svelano all'odierno pellegrino e rivelano i loro tesori più nascosti.