Novara (Nuara in the Novara dialect and in the western Lombard
dialect, Noara in Piedmontese) is an Italian town of 104181
inhabitants, the capital of the province of the same name in
Piedmont, the second largest city in the Region by number of
inhabitants after Turin. It is a crossroads of important commercial
traffic between the road axes that connect the Turin-Milan-Genoa
industrial triangle to Switzerland.
It is an important
industrial and commercial center favored by its strategic position.
The city's symbol is the dome of the
Basilica of San Gaudenzio by Alessandro Antonelli.
The
University of Eastern Piedmont is located in Novara, a tripolar
structure shared with Alessandria and Vercelli.
The historic center of the city has an almost pentagonal shape and is
largely surrounded by "bulwarks", tree-lined avenues that have taken the
place of the ancient walls that surrounded the city.
The two main
arteries are Corso Cavour-Corso Mazzini, with a north-south direction,
and Corso Italia-Corso Cavallotti, with an east-west direction,
corresponding to the layout of the ancient Roman Cardo and Decumanus.
The ancient city nucleus
of Novara, almost pentagonal in shape, is located on a modest hilly
relief (today the Historic Center, seat of the district of the same
name) and still retains for the most part, despite the heavy
tampering in a modern key and the many neoclassical architectures ,
the ancient medieval layout with cobbled streets and small squares
(piazza delle Erbe and piazza della Repubblica).
In ancient
times the city was equipped with a wall with a perimeter of 2200
meters, raised at the end of the 1st century AD. during the imperial
age. Partially destroyed in 1110, the walls were subsequently
rebuilt and finally demolished at the beginning of the twentieth
century to allow city development. Two sections of the ancient Roman
walls, unearthed after archaeological excavations, are visible today
at Largo Cavour and in the green area behind the Gallarini
Conservatory, between via Solaroli and via Dominioni. They appear to
have been made with the opus mixtum technique using river pebbles
linked together with mortar, placed flat and interspersed with low
horizontal brick bands.
After their demolition, the walls
gave way to the current bulwarks, large tree-lined avenues that
surround the historic center.
As a Roman municipality, the
road network of Novara was also characterized by a cardo and a
decumanus which correspond, the first to the current Corso Cavour
and Corso Mazzini (formerly Corso di Porta Sempione) and the second
to Corso Italia (formerly Corso di Porta Torino ) and Corso
Cavallotti (formerly Corso di Porta Milano). The two roads meet in
the so-called Corner of the Hours.
The most famous monument in Novara is the basilica of San
Gaudenzio, built between the late sixteenth and early seventeenth
centuries, and characterized by the imposing neoclassical pinnacle
dome (121 meters high) designed by Alessandro Antonelli and added to
the body of the church in the second half of the nineteenth century.
century, considered by many to be the tallest brick in the world.
Of particular interest is also the bell tower by Benedetto
Alfieri (uncle of the more famous Vittorio Alfieri) and above all,
inside the church, the Polyptych by Gaudenzio Ferrari.
The
center of the city's religious life is the imposing Cathedral, in
neoclassical style, also designed by Alessandro Antonelli and built
in the mid-nineteenth century by demolishing the pre-existing
Romanesque cathedral (it stands in the same spot where the temple of
Jupiter once stood) , of which the lower part of the bell tower
still belong, the Cloister of the Canonica and the Oratory of San
Siro.
Opposite the Cathedral is the Baptistery, the oldest
building in the city still existing and one of the oldest early
Christian architecture in Piedmont.
Not far from the Duomo is
the courtyard (or Arengo) of the Broletto, the ancient center of the
political life of Novara, a free municipality. It is an
architectural complex consisting of four historic buildings arranged
in a quadrilateral, built in different eras with materials and
decorative elements not consistent with each other, which overlook
the central courtyard: the Palazzo del Comune (XII century) to the
north, the Palazzo dei Paratici (12th century) to the west, the
Palazzo del Podestà to the south and the Palazzo dei Referendari to
the east (both late 14th-early 15th century).
The Broletto was
also the seat of the prisons, then of the artisan guilds and today
houses the civic museums, with art collections and archaeological
finds from the history of Novara and the Giannoni Modern Art
Gallery, which has been undergoing restoration for many years, a
collection of paintings and sculptures of the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries.
Not far from Piazza della Repubblica
(formerly Piazza Duomo) is the triangular and characteristic Piazza
Cesare Battisti (better known by the Novarese as Piazza delle Erbe).
It constitutes the perfect center of the city of Novara which is
indicated by a small triangular tile on the pavement, recognizable
because it is different from the others that make up the pavement of
the square.
In the square named after Giacomo Matteotti there
is Palazzo Natta-Isola, seat of the Province and the Prefecture,
characterized by the beautiful Clock Tower, while in the nearby via
Fratelli Rosselli is Palazzo Cabrino, seat of the administrative
offices of the Municipality.
The largest square is Piazza
Martiri della Libertà (formerly Piazza Castello, later Piazza
Vittorio Emanuele II), dominated by the equestrian statue dedicated
to Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of Italy, crowned in Novara.
The Visconteo-Sforzesco Castle, the work of the Milanese lords, the
current venue for events and art exhibitions, and the Coccia
Theater, the most historic theater in Piedmont, overlook Piazza
Martiri. The Castle, once much larger than the complex that remains
today, is surrounded by the Alea, one of the largest public gardens
in Novara.
Other important squares are:
Piazza Cavour,
dominated by the statue of the same name and restored between the
1990s and the 2000s.
piazza Garibaldi, the square of the Novara
station, also restored, characterized by the statue of the same
name, by that of the mondina and by a fountain.
piazza Gramsci,
formerly piazza del Rosario, which houses, after the restoration in
2005, the particular statue of Icarus.
piazza Puccini, located
between the east side of the Coccia Theater and the entrance to the
Canonica. It houses the statue of Carlo Emanuele III, the first
Savoy ruler to rule Novara.
In
addition to the Cathedral and the Basilica of San Gaudenzio, the
main churches of the city are:
Chiesa di Ognissanti (early
12th century), is the only surviving Romanesque church in the city,
already mentioned in 1124. It is a simple construction with three
naves, with four bays each, a choir with a semicircular apse and an
elegant and valuable lantern. octagonal illuminated by single and
mullioned windows. Inside there are traces of 15th century frescoes,
including a Madonna del Latte attributed to Giovanni de Campo. The
current appearance is the result of the restorations carried out in
the fifties which eliminated the heavy adaptations of the Baroque
era, bringing the building back to its original Romanesque style.
Abbey of San Nazzaro della Costa (1441-1470), a complex consisting
of the homonymous church together with the adjoining convent,
already documented in 1124 and remodeled in the fifteenth century at
the behest of San Bernardino da Siena. It stands on a hill near the
city cemetery, beyond the ramparts.
Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, better known as the church of
San Martino (second half of the fifteenth century), built starting
from 1477 by the Lateran canons, it is internally made up of a
single nave with side chapels and paintings attributable to artists
of the fifteenth century, including Tommaso Cagnola and Daniele De
Bosis. In one of the frescoes the humanist Paolo Maffei is
represented.
Church of San Pietro al Rosario (1599-1618), located
in Piazza Gramsci was the Novara seat of the Dominican Order before
the Napoleonic suppressions. Internally it has a single nave with
six side chapels. It preserves some important works such as the
statue of the Madonna del latte, dating back to the fifteenth
century but obtained from a pre-existing Roman monument, the Virgin
of the Rosary by Giulio Cesare Procaccini (1625) and the cycle of
frescoes on the life of San Pietro di Giovanni Mauro Della Rovere
(1637).
Church of San Marco (17th century), built to a design by
Lorenzo Binago starting from 1607. It preserves important works from
the 17th and 18th centuries by artists such as Giulio Cesare
Procaccini, Daniele Crespi and Moncalvo, as well as refined carving
works which are the confessionals and the pulpit. In 1634 it was
joined by a convent, the current seat of the Bank of Italy.
Church-Oratory of San Giovanni Decollato (1637-1657), seat of the
brotherhood of San Giovanni Battista Decollato.
Church of Santa
Maria della Salute (17th century), in Baroque style is located in
the Bicocca district. Completed in 1658, it was built on the site of
a small chapel dedicated to the Madonna and Child (called "degli
Spagnoli") which today constitutes the altarpiece.
Church of
Sant'Eufemia (1666-1698).
Chiesa del Carmine (XVIII-XIX century),
located near the basilica of San Gaudenzio, has the oldest
Romanesque bell tower in the province.
Arengo del Broletto (XII-XV century).
Casa Della Porta and Casa
Rognoni (second half of the 15th century), in Gothic style.
Palazzo Tornielli-Bellini (early 16th century), has been the
headquarters of the Banca Popolare di Novara since 1905.
Palazzo
Natta (16th century), building attributed to Pellegrino Tibaldi,
extensively remodeled in the 19th century with the raising of a
floor, today houses the offices of the provincial administration and
the prefecture. The grand staircase of honor leading to the upper
floor, the frescoes in the halls on the first floor and the internal
courtyard enclosed by Doric columns stand out. At the left corner
stands the civic clock tower of medieval origin.
Maggiore
Hospital of Charity in Novara, built starting from 1628 and enlarged
in the following centuries by various architects including
Alessandro Antonelli, in the mid-nineteenth century.
Palazzo
Cabrino (1661-1664 and later centuries), now the seat of the city
administration, was a noble palace built in the Baroque style by the
Cabrino family. Some rooms on the first floor are decorated with
eighteenth-century frescoes by Giovanni Stefano Danedi.
Barriera
Albertina (1837), a complex of two identical neoclassical buildings,
on a single floor, placed symmetrically opposite each other. It is
located at the end of the ancient royal road coming from Vercelli,
the current viale XX Settembre, and was the western gateway to the
city (formerly Porta Torino). The construction was carried out by
demolishing the ancient entrance tower [4]. The buildings,
originally intended for guard and duty offices, were designed by
Antonio Agnelli and inaugurated in 1837; they are quadrangular in
shape enriched by a pronaos with six Gothic columns; the tympanum is
decorated with allegorical statues, sculpted by Giuseppe Argenti,
depicting virtues or civic activities.
Palazzo del Mercato
(1817-1842), the work of the architect Luigi Orelli, was the seat of
the forum for the trading of grains and today the seat of the
Agricultural Exchange. It is a square-plan building of simple
architecture, enriched by a loggia running along all sides. It
stands on the northern side of Piazza Martiri but the main facade is
the one facing Corso Italia, characterized by two flights of stairs
and a pediment decorated with a sandstone and marble high relief.
Palace of the Guard Corps, located on the western side of Piazza
della Repubblica, next to the baptistery of the cathedral, is so
called because it was the seat of the troops of the urban police. It
was built starting from 1835, on a project by the architect Aresi,
and inaugurated on November 4, 1837.
Novara railway station
(1854).
Casa Bossi (19th century), large manor house designed by
Alessandro Antonelli.
Gallarini College (19th century), houses
the “Guido Cantelli” Music Conservatory.
Coccia Theater (late 19th century), inaugurated on 22 December
1888. The current building stands on the remains of the 18th century
Morelli theater (later dedicated to Carlo Coccia), demolished to
allow for the new construction, the work of architect Giuseppe
Oliverio. In addition to illustrious personalities such as Arturo
Toscanini and the late Guido Cantelli, in more recent years it has
hosted the television program Bravo Bravissimo, conducted by Mike
Bongiorno. Even today it is a popular theater of Tradition, which
hosts high-level opera seasons.
Casa Quaroni, built between 1905
and 1907 on a project by the engineer Mario Rosina, a relative of
Otto Wagner. Emblematic testimony of liberty architecture in Novara.
Casa Fiorentini, built between 1907 and 1910 on a project by the
engineer Roberto Passeri, stands at the corner of via XX Settembre
and via Dante Alighieri and represents one of the most interesting
examples of Novara liberty architecture. The façade, surmounted by
three balconies full of ornaments, is located in the corner area and
follows a curvilinear course. The external decoration is of
considerable value and visual impact.
Palazzo "Renzo Piano",
designed by the Genoese architect's studio and built between 1985
and 1987, is located in the Sant'Agabio district, east of the
historic center. Originally conceived as the seat for the
Experimental Light Metals Institute, it now belongs to the Province
of Novara and is the seat of the Novara Development Foundation and
hosts the Novara Scientific Technological Center. The complex is
made up of two buildings: the main 3-storey office building rises
along the road and extends for a length of 85 meters; the structure
is composed of an aluminum profile stiffened by reticular elements
in order to make the most of the potential of this material; the
continuous modular facade is made with the glazing simply glued and
not mechanically fixed to the structure. After the inner courtyard
is the secondary building, intended as a workshop, clad frontally
and on the north side with a ribbed steel sheet.
Visconteo-Sforzesco Castle (XIII-XV century).
Casalgiate Castle (XV century), rises in the center of the
homonymous locality to the west of the city, it was probably built
in 1470 on the remains of a previous castle destroyed by the White
Company in the years 1361-63. It has an irregular four-sided plan
with an internal courtyard, it is still partially surrounded by a
moat and partially by a garden. The entrance is located at the base
of a tower on the southern side where the coat of arms of the
Avogadro family, to which the castle belonged for a long time, is
visible. The property passed in 1779 to the Ospedale Maggiore in
Novara which today owns half of it together with a private
individual. It is currently in a state of neglect.
Other
monuments
The Ossario della Bicocca, with a characteristic
pyramid shape, stands in the homonymous district in memory of the
fallen in the historic battle of 23 March 1849 between the
Piedmontese and the Austrians.
Museums of the
rectory of the cathedral
Civic museums, housed in the Palazzo del
Broletto
Faraggiana Ferrandi Natural History Museum
Museum of
the Risorgimento
By plane
The main airports of reference are the following:
Milan Malpensa International Airport - Terminal 1: 32 km
Milan
Malpensa International Airport - Terminal 2: 35 km
By car
The
city is served by two toll booths along the A4 Turin-Trieste motorway:
Novara Ovest (8 km from the centre), for those coming from Turin;
Novara Est (6 km from the centre), for those coming from Milan.
It
can also be reached from the A26 Genova Voltri-Gravellona Toce motorway
from the toll booth:
Vercelli east (15 km from the centre), for
those coming from Genoa.
For those coming from Gravellona Toce it is
advisable to take a stretch of the A4 to the Novara Ovest exit.
Novara is partially surrounded by a ring road which connects the State
Road 32 of Lake Maggiore (towards Arona) to the north, with the State
Road 11 (towards Turin) to the south-west of the city. The Strada
Statale 11 also connects Milan with Novara.
Traffic restrictions
Since February 2013, a driving ban has been in force for all petrol
vehicles that do not comply with at least the Euro 2 standard and for
diesel vehicles that are lower than the Euro 3 standard. The ban applies
from Monday to Friday in the time slots 8.30-12.30 and 14.30 -18.30.
Motorists can leave their car in one of the free interchange car parks
located on the outskirts of the city and continue by public transport.
On boat
The closest passenger port is that of Genoa, about 150 km
away.
On the train
Novara is served by two railway stations:
Novara FS which has the Turin–Milan, Alessandria–Arona, Biella–Novara,
Novara–Domodossola, Novara–Oleggio and Novara–Varallo lines (currently
suspended).
Novara Nord, end station of the Novara–Milan Cadorna
line.
There is also a third station in the Vignale district used only
for local trains along the Novara-Arona line.
By bus
Troiolo
Bus, Corso Garibaldi, 185 - Siderno, ☎ +39 0964 381325, fax: +39 0964
381325, info@troiolobus.com. The company allows the direct connection of
Novara with Africo, Ardore, Badolato, Bianco, Bovalino, Brancaleone,
Catanzaro, Catanzaro Lido, Caulonia, Davoli, Guardavalle, Isca
sull'Ionio, Lamezia Terme, Locri, Marina di Gioiosa Ionica, Monasterace,
Montepaone, Polistena, Riace, Roccella Jonica, Rosarno, Sant'Andrea
Apostolo dello Jonio, Santa Caterina, Siderno, Soverato, Squillace,
Taurianova and Vibo Valentia; not all connections are daily.
By public transport
SUN S.p.A (Public transport company of the
city of Novara), Via P. Generali 25, ☎ +39 0321 482811, fax: +39 0321
482890, info@sun.novara.it. €1.20.
Line 1: Olengo - Bicocca - Veveri
- Cameri
Line 2: San Rocco - Via Chinotto
Line 4:
Galliate/Romentino - Pernate - Station - V. Ancona
Line 5: V.
dell'Artigianato - C.so Torino - V. Perrone - Station - V.
dell'Artigianato
Line 6: Quartara T. - Station - Vignale - Bonfantini
Line 8: Lumellogno - Via Ancona - Station - Via Casorati - Cerano -
Sozzago
Line C: Station - V. Generali - V. Adamello - Cemetery -
Station
SP Line: Casalgiate - S. Pietro Mosezzo - Station
Green
Shuttle: Viale Verdi - Piazza Cavour - Viale Verdi
By taxi
Radio Taxi Novara Cooperative, Via Ettore Bossi, 16/a, ☎ +39 0321
691999, fax: +39 0321 691999, info@radiotaxinovara.it. edit
Novara
city taxi, Piazza Garibaldi, 1, ☎ +39 0321 611755.
Modest prices
1 Sesiko, Via dei Tornielli, 2, ☎ +39 0321 35793.
Japanese restaurant.
2 Le Grandi Volte, Via dei Tornielli, 9, ☎ +39
0321 33324. Self-service restaurant.
3 Focacceria Al10 pizzeria,
Corso Giuseppe Mazzini, 10, ☎ +39 0321 628086.
McDonald's Novara
Sporting, Piazzale Giuseppe Fortina 1, ☎ +39 0321 697468. Mon-Sun:
07:00-22:00.
McDonald's Novara San Martino 2, Via Ugo Porzio
Giovanola 7 (in the San Martino 2 Shopping Center), ☏ +39 0321 455720.
Sun-Fri: 08:00-21:30; Sat: 08:00-22:30.
Average prices
4 Alibi
restaurant, Via Paolo Solaroli, 68, ☎ +39 0321 393584.
5 Universo
Vegano, Corso Giuseppe Mazzini, 8A, ☎ +39 0321 625136. Vegan restaurant.
6 Pizzeria restaurant A'Marechiaro, Via Fratelli Rosselli, 11, ☎ +39
0321 620237.
7 Centro pizzeria restaurant, Corso Felice Cavallotti,
9D, ☎ +39 0321 623232.
8 Il Broletto Food & Drink, Via Fratelli
Rosselli, 20, ☎ +39 373 7485216.
9 Subway, Corso Italia, 24.
Bulgarian restaurant.
10 Antica Osteria Ai Vini Restaurant, Largo
Cavallazzi, 4, ☎ +39 0321 34346.
11 Hostaria I 2 Ladroni, Corso
Felice Cavallotti, 15, ☎ +39 0321 624581.
12 Trattoria Cavallino
Bianco, Vicolo Arco, 2, ☎ +39 0321 393908.
13 Nuova Santa Lucia
Pizzeria, Via Cesare Magnani Ricotti, 15, ☎ +39 339 7436352.
14 La
Locanda delle Due Suocere, Corso Trieste, 42, ☎ +39 0321 032310.
Modest prices
1 Hotel Ristorante Cavallo Bianco, Corso della
Vittoria, 6B, ☎ +39 0321 35633. Two stars.
2 Hotel Station, Viale
Alessandro Manzoni, 4C, ☎ +39 0321 623256.
Average prices
3
Hotel Croce di Malta, Via Biglieri 2/a, ☎ +39 0321 32032. Three stars.
4 Hotel Residence Matteotti, Largo Buscaglia Carlo, 11A, ☎ +39 392
7876095.
High prices
5 Bella Italia Palace Hotel, Largo
Donegani, 6, ☎ +39 0321 694346. Four stars.
6 Hotel Europa, Corso
Felice Cavallotti, 38, ☎ +39 0321 35801. Four stars.
7 Hotel Cavour,
Via S. Francesco D'Assisi, 6, ☎ +39 0321 659889. Four stars.
Pharmacies
1 Invernizzi, Corso Italia, 42, ☎ +39 0321 629885.
2
Episcopal, Via Omar Giuseppe, 19, ☎ +39 0321 623388.
3 Agnelli, Corso
Felice Cavallotti, 2A.
4 Mazzini, Corso Giuseppe Mazzini, 16, ☎ +39
0321 399513.
5 Fanello, Corso Cavour, 7, ☎ +39 0321 612363.
6
Chiabrera, Piazza Cavour, 7, ☎ +39 0321 611077.
7 Nigri, Corso
Risorgimento, 33, ☎ +39 0321 477767.
8 Galli, Via Pietro Micca, 52, ☎
+39 0321 611370.
9 Fanchiotti, Via Andrea Costa, 1, ☎ +39 0321
612382.
Location and Coordinates
Novara lies at 45°27′N 8°37′E
(approximately 45.45°N, 8.62°E) in northeastern Piedmont. The city
proper covers about 103 km² (39.8 sq mi) and sits at an elevation of 162
m (531 ft) above sea level.
It occupies a strategic position:
Roughly 50 km (31 mi) west of Milan (Lombardy).
95 km (59 mi) east of
Turin (Piedmont's capital).
Only 15 km (9.3 mi) from the Ticino
River, which forms the natural border with Lombardy to the east.
The city developed as a Roman crossroads (originally Novaria, founded
around 89 BC) along ancient routes connecting Milan, Turin, Genoa, and
the Swiss Alps—routes that remain vital today for commerce and
logistics.
Topography and Geology
Novara rests squarely in the
northwestern Po Valley, a vast, extremely flat plain formed by the Po
River and its tributaries over millennia. The valley fills an ancient
tectonic foredeep between the Alps (to the north and west) and the
Apennines (to the south). Quaternary alluvial deposits—sands, gravels,
and silts carried down from the mountains—create this low-relief
landscape, with elevations rarely varying more than a few meters across
wide areas.
The immediate terrain around the city is pancake-flat,
ideal for intensive agriculture. To the south and east, the plain
stretches uninterrupted toward the Ticino and eventually the broader Po
basin. Northward (within the wider province), the land gradually rises
into low hills (Colline Novaresi), covered in forests, vineyards, and
small morainic ridges from ancient glacial activity. These transition
into the foothills of the Alps.
The broader Piedmont region features
a horseshoe of mountains (Alps to the north/west, Apennines to the
south), enclosing the central plain where Novara sits. No significant
hills or mountains interrupt the city itself—its skyline rises abruptly
from the surrounding fields.
Hydrography
Novara is nestled
between two streams: the Agogna River (which flows along or near its
southern edge) and the Terdoppio (to the north/east). These minor
tributaries of the Po system drain the local plain.
The larger Ticino
River lies just 15 km east, while the province is bounded west by the
Sesia River. An extensive network of irrigation canals (some dating to
medieval or Roman times) crisscrosses the area, turning the flatlands
into one of Italy’s premier rice-growing regions (the “pianura
risicola”). These artificial waterways, fed by the rivers and Alpine
snowmelt, support flooded rice paddies that dominate the landscape for
much of the year.
The area belongs to the Po River basin, Europe’s
largest. While the city itself avoids major flooding today thanks to
engineering, the low elevation and alluvial soils make it naturally
prone to high water tables and occasional inundation.
Climate
Novara has a humid subtropical to moderately continental climate
(Köppen: Cfa bordering on Dfa), typical of the Po Valley’s enclosed
plain. It experiences:
Hot, muggy summers (July average highs ~29°C /
84°F, with peaks over 38°C).
Cold, damp winters (January average lows
~−2°C / 28°F, with record lows to −19°C; frequent fog and frost).
Moderate annual precipitation (~797 mm / 31.4 in), fairly evenly
distributed but peaking in autumn (November wettest) and dipping in
winter. About 66 rainy days per year.
High humidity year-round
(average 73%, highest in late autumn).
The surrounding mountains
trap moisture and create temperature inversions, leading to the famous
Po Valley fog (“nebbia”) in winter. Summers can feel oppressive due to
humidity, while spring and early autumn offer the most pleasant
conditions.
Surrounding Landscapes and Provincial Geography
The Province of Novara (1,340 km²) extends the city’s geographical
diversity:
Southern and central areas: Vast, irrigated rice and maize
fields on the flat plain.
Northern areas: Rolling hills, woodlands,
and the western shores of Lake Maggiore (one of Italy’s largest lakes)
plus nearly all of scenic Lake Orta (with its island of San Giulio).
These pre-Alpine lakes add dramatic contrast—deep blue waters backed by
steep, forested mountains.
Pre-Roman and Roman Foundations (Pre-89 BC to 5th Century AD)
Ancient Novaria predates Roman colonization, with roots among the
Ligures (possibly the Levi or Vertamocori tribes) and later Celtic Gauls
in the 5th–2nd centuries BC. The name likely derives from Nov ("new") +
Aria (the Cisalpine Gauls' term for the region).
The Romans
established it as a formal colony around 89 BC (during the Social War or
under Julius Caesar's influence), granting citizenship to local Gauls
and elevating it to municipium status. It thrived on trade and
agriculture along the perpendicular Roman roads that still define its
historic core. Roman walls and grid layout survive in fragments visible
today (some exhibited in municipal museums).
Late antiquity brought
destruction and rebuilding. In 386 AD, the usurper Magnus Maximus razed
the city for backing his rival Valentinian II; Emperor Theodosius I
rebuilt it. Further sacks followed: by the Gothic leader Radagaisus in
405 and Attila the Hun in 452. Despite these blows, Novara endured as an
important settlement.
Early Middle Ages: Lombards, Franks, and
Christianization (6th–11th Centuries)
Under the Lombards (from 569
AD), Novara became a duchy and an early center of Christianity. The
diocese was established around 397 AD, with St. Gaudentius (bishop c.
398) as patron saint; the hexagonal Baptistery next to the
Cathedral—Novara’s oldest surviving structure—dates to the 5th–6th
centuries and contains early Christian frescoes.
The Franks took
control after 774. By the late 9th century, under Emperor Charles the
Fat, it became a countship. It gained rights as a free imperial city,
but in 1110 Holy Roman Emperor Henry V sacked and burned it during
conflicts with northern Italian communes.
High Middle Ages and
Communal Era: Lombard League and Rise of Milanese Influence (12th–15th
Centuries)
Novara recovered rapidly. In 1167 it joined the Lombard
League, fighting alongside other northern cities (including at the
Battle of Legnano in 1176) against Frederick Barbarossa. By the late
12th century it accepted protection from Milan and fell under the
Visconti family (from 1332), later the Sforza. Key medieval buildings
from this era include the Broletto (communal palace complex, built 1178
onward, with courtyard, Palazzo del Podestà, and Paratici buildings that
housed guilds and civic government) and the Visconti-Sforza Castle
(later used as a prison into the 20th century).
The city developed a
legal code (1277), courthouse (1346), and strong guild system.
Ecclesiastical power grew with the rebuilding of the Cathedral
(consecrated 1132, later neoclassical) on the site of a possible Roman
temple to Jupiter.
Renaissance and Italian Wars: The 1513 Battle
and Shifting Powers (16th Century)
Novara was repeatedly besieged
during the Italian Wars. The most famous clash was the Battle of Novara
(6 June 1513) during the War of the League of Cambrai: Swiss mercenaries
(about 12,000 pikemen) defending Milanese Duke Maximilian Sforza
surprised and routed a larger French force under Louis de la Trémoille.
The Swiss captured French artillery, broke Landsknecht squares, and
forced France’s withdrawal from Milan—marking a high point of Swiss
military power in Italy and temporarily halting French ambitions in the
region.
The city remained under Sforza (then briefly Farnese)
influence before broader European shifts.
Early Modern Period:
Savoy, Habsburgs, and Napoleon (17th–Early 19th Centuries)
In 1706,
during the War of the Spanish Succession, Savoyard troops occupied
Novara (promised earlier by Filippo Maria Visconti to Amadeus VIII). The
Peace of Utrecht (1713) transferred it to the Habsburg Empire with
Milan; it passed definitively to the House of Savoy in 1735/1738.
Napoleon’s 1798 invasion made Novara capital of the Department of Agogna
(part of the French-controlled Kingdom of Italy). After Napoleon’s fall,
the 1814 Congress of Vienna restored it to Savoy (Kingdom of
Sardinia-Piedmont).
19th Century: Risorgimento Battles and
Italian Unification (1821–1861)
Novara played pivotal roles in
Italy’s unification struggles. In 1821, regular Sardinian troops crushed
a liberal constitutional revolt here. Far more consequential was the
Battle of Novara (23 March 1849), also called the Battle of Bicocca,
during the First Italian War of Independence. Austrian Field Marshal
Joseph Radetzky (70,000 troops) decisively defeated the larger but
poorly coordinated Piedmontese-Sardinian army (under King Charles Albert
and General Wojciech Chrzanowski). The defeat—marked by high casualties
(nearly 6,000 Sardinian vs. 2,600 Austrian)—forced Charles Albert’s
abdication in favor of Victor Emmanuel II and briefly opened the path to
Turin for Austrian forces. Many historians view it as a catalyst that
galvanized the Risorgimento movement. An ossuary at Bicocca commemorates
the fallen.
The 1859 decree created the modern Province of Novara
(initially much larger, later subdivided). Novara joined the Kingdom of
Italy in 1861; its population was then about 25,000.
Modern and
Contemporary Era (Late 19th–21st Centuries)
Industrialization and
railways (Novara–Alessandria line opened 1854; others followed)
transformed the city. Population grew rapidly: 45,000 by 1897, over
100,000 by the late 20th century, driven by rice processing, metallurgy,
chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and logistics (still a major rice-trading
hub in the fertile Po Valley plains).
In World War II, the German
Stalag 365 POW camp was relocated to Novara in September 1943 (holding
Italian prisoners) before dissolution in March 1944. Post-war, Novara
modernized while preserving its historic core. Notable 20th–21st century
developments include cultural institutions (e.g., Faraggiana Ferrandi
Natural History Museum, Conservatorio Guido Cantelli) and events like
the Novara Jazz Festival (2004).
The oldest assessment of the city population dates back to 1723, with a total of 8,963 registered inhabitants, of which 5,590 inside the walls and 3,373 in the suburbs. In 1776, the population had risen to 11,092 inhabitants of which 7,003 were inside the walls and 4,089 in the suburbs, then it reached 12,465 inhabitants in 1804 and 14,021 in 1826. In the following years, the population almost doubled which will be equal to 25 144 inhabitants recorded during the first national census of 1861. From this date the population growth is constant and in 1911 the city has 53 657 inhabitants. Subsequently, in the period between the two wars, growth suffered a setback, with a slight recovery which brought the number of citizens to 69,935 in 1951. In the 1950s and 1960s, citizenship returned to vigorous growth, reaching 1971 around 100,000 inhabitants, a figure that will remain almost unchanged until 2021.
In the ranking drawn up by Italia Oggi in collaboration with La
Sapienza University in 2022 Novara ranks 50th for quality of life out of
107 Italian provincial capitals. On the other hand, according to the
Urban Ecosystem report by Legambiente, the city of Novara ranks 47th.
Finally, according to the dossier on the quality of life in Italy by Il
Sole 24 Ore, Novara in 2022 is 39th in the standings. The best position
recorded by Novara for quality of life according to Il Sole 24 Ore dates
back to 2000 (15th place) while the worst dates back to 2014 (66th).
After the 2009-2018 period which saw Novara position itself in the lower
part of the ranking, the city has regained positions since 2019.
In the ranking of "Recycling Municipalities", the waste collection and
recycling agencies of the middle and lower Novara area are respectively
in 13th and 18th place among the waste management consortia with over
100,000 inhabitants.
Historical Roots Shaping Local Identity
Novara's culture reflects
its long history as a strategic trading and agricultural hub. Founded as
a Roman municipium around 89 BC (originally Novaria, from "new" +
"region"), it thrived on roads linking Milan and Vercelli. It endured
sacks by invaders (including Attila the Hun) before becoming a Lombard
duchy, a free medieval commune in the Lombard League, and later falling
under Visconti, Sforza, Savoy, and Habsburg rule. Key 19th-century
battles—especially the 1849 Battle of Novara, which contributed to
Italian unification—foster a proud sense of resilience and civic memory.
These events are commemorated today, reinforcing a Novarese identity
tied to both rural roots and national history.
The city's population
is mostly Italian with growing immigrant communities (notably from
Morocco, Albania, Pakistan, and others), but the core culture remains
tied to Piedmontese and local Novarese traditions.
Architectural
and Artistic Heritage
Novara's historic center is compact and
walkable, enclosed by former walls now transformed into tree-lined
baluardi (boulevards) with granite columns, cobblestone streets, and
historic trottatoie (stone strips for carriages). The medieval Broletto
complex (dating to 1208) serves as the cultural heart: a courtyard
surrounded by palaces that house the Civic Museum, Gallery of Modern
Art, Natural History Museum, and city offices. It's a living space for
exhibitions, events, and daily life.
The skyline is dominated by the
Basilica di San Gaudenzio (built in phases, with its iconic 121-meter
dome designed by local architect Alessandro Antonelli in the 19th
century—the same mind behind Turin's Mole Antonelliana). The basilica
honors the city's patron saint and offers panoramic views from the dome.
Nearby stands the neoclassical Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta,
also by Antonelli) on the site of an ancient Roman temple, paired with a
rare 6th-century hexagonal Baptistery featuring early Christian mosaics.
Other gems include Palazzo Natta-Isola with its clock tower, the
Visconteo-Sforzesco Castle, and Piazza Martiri della Libertà with its
monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. The city also boasts the excellent
acoustics of Teatro Coccia and institutions like the Conservatorio Guido
Cantelli (music school) and the De Agostini Geographical Institute.
Modern arts thrive through events like Circolando (theatre and circus
festival), Fuori Novara (peripheral art projects), and film history (the
1971 Elio Petri film The Working Class Goes to Heaven was shot here).
Festivals and Traditions
Novara's calendar pulses with religious,
historical, and harvest celebrations that strengthen community bonds:
Festa di San Gaudenzio (January 22, patron saint's day): Processions,
the traditional Cerimonia del Fiore, vibrant markets, parades, and
roasted marroni di Cuneo (chestnuts). The accompanying St. Gaudenzio
Fair draws crowds for food and crafts.
Historical re-enactments:
March 23 marks the 1849 Battle of Novara with period costumes and
weapons; April 25 (Liberation Day) honors the Partisan Republic of the
Ossola.
Harvest and food festivals: Autumn sagre celebrate rice,
wine, and local produce with tastings and markets.
Music and
contemporary events: Novara Gospel Festival (international gospel
artists), Giovani Espressioni (emerging musicians), and Carnevale (with
events like "Biscottinopoli").
A cherished daily custom is the
passeggiata—the evening stroll through piazzas and boulevards for
socializing, especially in family groups. Locals value punctuality, warm
greetings (handshakes or cheek kisses), and respect at religious sites.
Culinary Culture: Rice as Cultural Anchor
Novara's cuisine
embodies its rice-growing plains. The signature dish is paniscia
novarese—a hearty, one-pot risotto (using Carnaroli or similar local
rice) blended with borlotti beans, cabbage, pork rind, lard, shallots,
tomatoes, red Colline Novaresi wine, and local cured meats like salame
d'la duja (preserved in pork fat) and fidighin (liver mortadella).
Traditionally served without Parmesan in the lower Novarese style, it's
a winter comfort food symbolizing "novaresità" (Novarese pride) and
farm-to-table heritage. It's often described as a cross between risotto
and minestrone.
Other specialties include various risottos, tapulone
(slow-cooked meat stews, sometimes with donkey), Gorgonzola cheese
influences, and pairings with robust local reds (e.g., from Ghemme or
the Novarese hills). The Saturday market at Piazza delle Erbe overflows
with fresh produce, cheeses, and cured meats.
Language and Daily
Life
The local dialect is Novarese (a variety of Western Lombard),
distinct from standard Piedmontese, reflecting rural and historical ties
to Milanese influences. It's heard in markets and family settings,
though Italian dominates. Life here balances historic charm with modern
logistics and commerce, offering a more authentic, less touristy feel
than bigger neighbors. The Novaresi are known for pride in their
traditions, strong family ties, and genuine hospitality.