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Novara

Coordinates:45°27′N8°37′E/ 45.45°N 8.62°E/45.45; 8.62
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the city in Italy. For other uses, seeNovara (disambiguation).
Not to be confused withNavarre.
Novara
Comune
Comune di Novara
A panorama of Novara, showing the Basilica of San Gaudenzio, with its campanile and cupola, and Novara Cathedral
A panorama of Novara, showing theBasilica of San Gaudenzio,with its campanile and cupola, andNovara Cathedral
Flag of Novara
Flag
Coat of arms of Novara
Coat of arms
Location of Novara
Map
Novara is located in Italy
Novara
Novara
Location of Novara in Piedmont
Novara is located in Piedmont
Novara
Novara
Novara (Piedmont)
Coordinates:45°27′N8°37′E/ 45.45°N 8.62°E/45.45; 8.62
CountryItaly
RegionPiedmont
ProvinceNovara(NO)
FrazioniLumellogno,Agognate, Bicocca Di Novara, Casalgiate, Olengo, Pernate, Sant'Agabio, Torrion Quartara, Veveri, Vignale, Gionzana, Pagliate
Government
• MayorAlessandro Canelli(Right-wing coalition)
Area
[1]
• Total103.05 km2(39.79 sq mi)
Elevation
162 m (531 ft)
Population
(1 January 2021)[2]
• Total101,916
• Density990/km2(2,600/sq mi)
DemonymNovarese(i)
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+2(CEST)
Postal code
28100
Dialing code0321
Patron saintSaint Gaudentius
Saint day22 January
WebsiteOfficial website

Novara(Italian:[noˈvaːra]ⓘ;Novarese:[nuˈ(ʋ)aːra]) is the capital city of theprovince of Novarain thePiedmontregion in northwestItaly,to the west ofMilan.With 101,916 inhabitants (on 1 January 2021), it is the second most populous city in Piedmont afterTurin.It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin and fromGenoatoSwitzerland.Novara lies between the streamsAgognaandTerdoppioin northeastern Piedmont, 50 km (31 mi) from Milan and 95 km (59 mi) from Turin. It is only 15 km (9.3 mi) distant from the riverTicino,which marks the border withLombardyregion.

History

[edit]
See also:Timeline of Novara
Roman walls in Novara.

Novara was founded around 89 BC by theRomans,when the localGaulsobtained Roman citizenship. Its name is formed fromNov,meaning "new", andAria,the name theCisalpine Gaulsused for the surrounding region.

AncientNovaria,which dates to the time of theLiguresand theCelts,was amunicipiumand was situated on the road from Vercellae (Vercelli) to (Mediolanum) Milan. Its position on perpendicular roads (still intact today) dates to the time of the Romans. After the city was destroyed in 386 byMagnus Maximusfor having supported his rivalValentinian II,it was rebuilt byTheodosius I.Subsequently, it was sacked byRadagaisus(in 405) andAttila(in 452).

Under theLombards,Novara became aduchy;underCharles the Fat,a countship. Novara came to enjoy the rights of afree imperial city.In 1110, it was conquered byHenry Vand destroyed, but in 1167 it joined theLombard League.At the end of the 12th century, it accepted the protection ofMilanand became practically a dominion of theViscontiand later of theSforza.In theBattle of Novarain 1513, Swiss mercenaries defending Novara for the Sforzas of Milan routed the French troops besieging the city. This defeat ended theFrench invasion of Italyin theWar of the League of Cambrai.

In 1706, Novara, which had long ago been promised byFilippo Maria ViscontitoAmadeus VIII of Savoy,was occupied by Savoyard troops. With thePeace of Utrecht,the city, together with Milan, became part of theHabsburg Empire.After its occupation in 1734, Novara passed, in the following year, to theHouse of Savoy.

The Ossuary of the Bicocca district of Novara, in memory of theBattle of Novara

AfterNapoleon's campaign in Italy, Novara became the capital of theDepartment of the Agogna,but was then reassigned to the House of Savoy in 1814. In 1821, it was the site ofa battlein which regularSardiniantroops defeated the Piedmontese constitutional liberals. In the even largerBattle of Novarain 1849, the Sardinian army was defeated by theAustrian armyof Field MarshalJoseph Radetzky von Radetz.This defeat led to the abdication ofCharles Albert of Sardiniaand to the partial occupation of the city by theAustrians.The defeat of theSardinianscan be seen as the beginning of theItalian unificationmovement.[citation needed]

A decree in 1859 created the province of Novara, which then included the present-day provinces ofVercelli,Biella,andVerbano-Cusio-Ossola.

The city of Novara had a population of 25,144 in 1861. Industrialisation during the 20th century brought an increase in the city's population to 102,088 in 1981. The city's population has changed little in subsequent years.

Oscar Luigi Scalfaro,formerpresident of Italyand Italian senator for life, was born in Novara in 1918.

The city was the set for the 1971 film "The Working Class Goes to Heaven"by Elio Petri; the film was presented atCannes Film Festivaland has won multiple awards; its soundtrack was composed byEnnio Morricone,who also appears in a cameo.[3]

Climate

[edit]
Climate data for Novara,Cameri(1991–2020, extremes 1960–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 20.7
(69.3) 		25.9
(78.6) 		28.6
(83.5) 		32.2
(90.0) 		33.7
(92.7) 		37.9
(100.2) 		38.3
(100.9) 		38.1
(100.6) 		37.8
(100.0) 		30.9
(87.6) 		22.2
(72.0) 		21.1
(70.0) 		38.3
(100.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 6.8
(44.2) 		9.4
(48.9) 		14.4
(57.9) 		17.9
(64.2) 		22.3
(72.1) 		26.7
(80.1) 		29.1
(84.4) 		28.7
(83.7) 		24.1
(75.4) 		17.9
(64.2) 		11.6
(52.9) 		7.2
(45.0) 		18.0
(64.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 2.2
(36.0) 		3.9
(39.0) 		8.4
(47.1) 		12.2
(54.0) 		16.8
(62.2) 		21.1
(70.0) 		23.2
(73.8) 		22.9
(73.2) 		18.4
(65.1) 		13.1
(55.6) 		7.4
(45.3) 		2.8
(37.0) 		12.7
(54.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −1.9
(28.6) 		−1.2
(29.8) 		2.5
(36.5) 		6.5
(43.7) 		11.2
(52.2) 		15.3
(59.5) 		17.3
(63.1) 		17.3
(63.1) 		13.1
(55.6) 		8.6
(47.5) 		3.4
(38.1) 		−1.1
(30.0) 		7.6
(45.7)
Record low °C (°F) −19.4
(−2.9) 		−15.2
(4.6) 		−11.1
(12.0) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		−1.8
(28.8) 		3.2
(37.8) 		6.6
(43.9) 		4.5
(40.1) 		1.6
(34.9) 		−7.6
(18.3) 		−10.0
(14.0) 		−13.8
(7.2) 		−19.4
(−2.9)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches) 41.10
(1.62) 		45.76
(1.80) 		46.87
(1.85) 		72.01
(2.84) 		93.25
(3.67) 		59.79
(2.35) 		43.73
(1.72) 		64.13
(2.52) 		80.75
(3.18) 		87.08
(3.43) 		112.24
(4.42) 		49.88
(1.96) 		796.59
(31.36)
Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) 3.93 3.57 3.97 7.00 7.83 5.62 4.48 5.28 5.66 6.79 7.36 4.78 66.27
Averagerelative humidity(%) 78.16 72.08 67.77 68.09 69.44 69.04 68.03 69.66 71.17 77.04 80.53 79.76 72.56
Source 1:NOAA[4]
Source 2: Servizio Meteorologico[5][6][7]

Architecture

[edit]
View of Novara

Novara's sights can be divided into two groupings. The city's most important sights lie within its historic centre, the area once enclosed by the city walls. However, several important sights also lie outside the line of the former city walls.

Novara has numerous churches and historic buildings; some of these have been restored over the years. The most significant architectural element is the majestic dome, 121 metres high, designed by the architect-engineerAlessandro Antonelli.Now known as theBasilica of San Gaudenzio,it was built in 1888. It has now become a symbol of the city and a distinctive sign of its panorama, observable from all the roads that lead to the city. The bell tower is also of particular interest; it was designed byBenedetto Alfieri,uncle of the more famousVittorio Alfieri.

Historic centre

[edit]
Main sights of Novara
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
200m
220yds
Broletto
Castle
Church of
Sant'Eufemia
Cathedral
.
Basilica of San Gaudenzio

The old urban core makes up the "Historic centre", situated in the district of the same name. Novara once had an encircling wall, which was demolished to permit urban development. Of the old wall, there remains only theBarriera Albertina,a complex of two neo-classical buildings that constituted the gate of entry to the city, the required passageway for those who travelled from Turin to Milan. After their removal, the walls were replaced by the present-daybaluardi,the broad, tree-lined boulevards that surround the Historic Centre.

The centre of the religious life of the city is theNovara Cathedral,in the neo-classical style, also designed by Alessandro Antonelli. It rises exactly where the temple ofJupiterstood in the time of the Romans. Facing the Duomo is the oldest building in Novara today: the early ChristianBattistero(Baptistry).

Close to the Duomo is the courtyard of theBroletto(the historic meeting place of the city council), the centre of the political life of the imperial free city of Novara. Overlooking the courtyard of the Broletto are thePalazzo del Podestà( "Palace of thePodestà"),Palazzetto dei Paratici( "Little Palace of the Paratici Family" ), site of the Civic Museum and of the Gallery of Modern Art, the Palace of the City Council, and a building of the 15th century.

Not far from the Piazza della Repubblica (formerly Piazza Duomo) is the Piazza Cesare Battisti (known to Novaresi as thePiazza delle Erbe,"Herbs square" ), which constitutes the exact centre of the city of Novara.

In Piazza Giacomo Matteotti stands thePalazzo Natta-Isola,seat of the province and of the prefecture of Novara. The landmark feature of this palace is its clock tower. Extending from this square is the via Fratelli Rosselli, along which is thePalazzo Cabrino,the official seat of the administrative offices of the city. As it was a Roman city, the street network of Novara is characterized by acardoand aDecumanus Maximus,which correspond respectively to the present-day Corso Cavour and Corso Italia. The two streets cross at the so-called "Angolo delle Ore" (Corner of the Hours).

The city conservatory,Conservatorio Guido Cantelli,named after Novara'sGuido Cantelli,is located in via Collegio Gallarini, 1 (facing largo Luigi Sante Colonna in the area between piazza Puccini and Novara's hospital).[8]The conservatory, founded in 1996, was established in a building built in the 1700s, once known as thecasone.In 1766, the building, after a donation from the Gallarini family, started to be used as a college. Between 1854 and 1905, several artistic features, such as coloured tiles and terracotta decorations on the facade were added.[9]

The largest square is Piazza Martiri della Libertà (formerly Piazza Castello) dominated by the equestrian statue ofVictor Emmanuel II,the first king of Italy. Overlooking the Piazza Martiri is theCastello Visconteo-Sforzesco,built by theMilanese dukesViscontiandSforza,and theTeatro Coccia.The Castello Visconteo-Sforzesco, once much larger than the complex that remains today, is surrounded by theAllea,one of the largest public gardens in Novara.

Other important squares are:

  • Largo Cavour, dominated by the statue ofCavour,recently restored.
  • Piazza Garibaldi, the square facing the Novara Railway Station, also recently restored and featuring the statue of the hero of two worlds and a fountain with the statue of amondina.
  • Piazza Gramsci, formerly Piazza del Rosario, location, after the restoration of 2005, of the landmark statue of Icarus.

Outside theBaluardi

[edit]
Church of San Nazzaro della Costa

Places of interest situated outside the belt of thebaluardiinclude the Church of San Nazzaro della Costa, with its attached abbey, restored in the 15th century byBernardino of Siena,and the Ossuary of Bicocca, in pyramidal form, which stands in the neighbourhood of Bicocca, in memory of the fallen soldiers of the historic battle of 23 March 1849, between the Piedmontese (Sardinia) and Austrians. Worthy of note are theChurch of Santa Maria delle Grazie(Saints Martino and Gaudenzio), built beginning in 1477 by the Augustinians, whose interior consists of a single nave with lateral chapels and paintings attributed to artists of the 15th century, among them Daniele de Bosis.

Religious buildings

[edit]
  • Chiesa di Ognissanti (12th century)
  • Santa Maria delle Grazie, also known as San Martino (15th century)
  • San Pietro al Rosario (1599-1618)
  • San Marco (17th century)
  • Oratory of San Giovanni Decollato (17th century)
  • Santa Maria della Salute (17th century)
  • Sant'Eufemia (17th century)
  • Chiesa del Carmine (18th to 19th centuries)
  • Nuova Chiesa di San Rocco (21st century)

Festivals and events

[edit]
  • 22 January: Novara celebrates annually the Feast of San Gaudenzio (Saint Gaudentius of Novara), the patron saint of Novara. Throughout the day, it is possible to visit the tomb of the saint and to obtain the typical roasted chestnuts, also known asmarroni di Cuneo( "Cuneo chestnuts" ).
  • 23 March: Re-enactment of the 1849 Battle of Novara, with period uniforms and weapons.
  • On 25 April, Liberation Day, as in many other Italian cities, the Novaresi organise numerous initiatives to commemorate theItalian resistance movement,and in particular, thepartisanswho fought around Novara and in the "Partisan Republic of the Ossola".
  • Since 2001,Giovani Espressioni( "Young Expressions" ) has been held in Novara. This is a music festival for emerging young musicians, organised by Staff Millennium, a performance agency, of which Alessandro Marchetti is the artistic director. The "Espressioni Contest" is of special importance as a showcase for emerging bands that picks a winner every year. Among the noted artists who have participated are Negramaro, Caparezza, Finley, Vallanzaska, Extrema, and Blaze Bailey.
  • Since 2005, Novara hosts the "Novara Gospel Festival", which is composed of workshops, local tours, and obviously gospel concerts in the main theatre of the city. It is probably one of the most important festivals of this music in Italy, also because the main event is a concert of the most appreciated gospel singers, such as Kirk Franklin, Donnie Mc Clurkin, etc.

Demographics

[edit]
ISTAT2007[10]
Novara Italy
Median age 44 years 42 years
Under 18 years old 16.4% 18.1%
Over 65 years old 21.6% 20.0%
Foreign Population 7.7% 5.8%
Births/1,000 people 9.15 b 9.45 b

In 2007, there were 102,862 people residing in Novara, of whom 49% were male and 51% were female. Minors (children ages 18 and younger) totalled 16.35% of the population compared to pensioners who number 21.6%. This compares with the Italian average of 18.06% (minors) and 19.94% (pensioners). The average age of Novara residents is 44 compared to the Italian average of 42. In the five years between 2002 and 2007, the population of Novara grew by 1.64%, whileItalyas a whole grew by 3.85%.[11][12]The birth rate in Novara is 9.15 births per 1,000 inhabitants compared to the Italian average of 9.45 births.

In 2006, 92.37% of the population wasItalian.The largest immigrant group comes from otherEuropeannations: 2.94%,North Africa:2.23%, andLatin America:0.71%.[13]Like most of Italy, Novara is predominantlyRoman Catholic.

Economy

[edit]
Rice fields around the city

Novara is a logistics and commercial centre in the northwestern part of thePadan plainand is the seat of the Centro Intermodale Merci (CIM: Goods Intermodal Centre). Economically, it is affected by the proximity of Milan, and in fact, many Milanese firms have offices in Novara.

The main economic products and services are:

  • agriculture: rice and maize (American English: corn)
  • food products
  • metallurgical production
  • chemicals and petrochemicals
  • pharmaceuticals
  • intermodal commerce and logistics
  • rice products exchange
  • banking and insurance services

Novara is home of the publishing companyDe Agostini,which has been active in geographic and other publishing since1901.

Transport

[edit]

The local public transport agency is the SUN.

Novara seen from the S11 trunk road

Railways

[edit]

The city is served by three railway stations:

  • Vignale FS, a small station operated by theFerrovie dello Stato(regional trains)
  • Novara FS,the principal station of the Ferrovie dello Stato, Italy's national railway (regional, national and international trains).
  • Novara Nord, the station operated by theLeNordrailroad. The new station in via Leonardo da Vinci opened in 2005 (regional and high-speed trains (only 2006) trains).

Motorways and main roads

[edit]

Novara is linked to Turin and Milan by theA4motorway (via the junctions Novara Ovest and Novara Est). TheA26motorway crosses most of Novara province, but there is not a junction that links it directly with Novara. To reach Novara from the A26, one must exit at Vercelli Est, but one can also reach Novara by way of the A4, which crosses the A26 at a junction. Novara is served by a system of dual-carriageway bypasses. The oldest such bypass is the Tangenziale Est, directly linked with the motorway junction Novara Est. In 2003, road works were completed on the Tangenziale Sud.

The S11 trunk road from Milan andMagentapasses through Novara on its way toVercelliand Turin. Trunk roads to the north and south also link Novara to the motorway network.

Sports

[edit]

Novara FCis an association football club based in Novara. There is a professional women'sSerie A1volleyball team,Igor Novara Volley. There was an important baseball team and a very important Hockey team.[14]

Government

[edit]
See also:List of mayors of Novara

The current mayor of Novara isAlessandro Canelli,elected in June 2016 and confirmed in October 2021, representing a coalition between traditional right-wing parties such asForza Italiaand the new far-right composed byLega (political party)andBrothers of Italy.

Administrative subdivisions

[edit]

Novara is divided into thirteen wards (circoscrizioni); several of these are formed of a number of quarters (quartieri), zones, and/orfrazioni.

According to changes in local electoral laws, from June 2011 elections, they were stripped of their elective bodies (council and president), thus remaining as a simple internal partition of theComune.

  • Centro (Historic Centre)
  • Nord est (North East)
    • Sant’Andrea (quartiere)
    • San Rocco (quartiere)
  • Nord (North)
    • Sant’Antonio (quartiere)
    • Vignale (frazione)
    • Veveri (frazione)
  • Sant’Agabio
  • Porta Mortara
  • Sacro Cuore
  • San Martino
  • Santa Rita
  • Ovest (West)
    • San Paolo (quartiere)
    • Zona Agogna (zone)
  • Sud (South)
    • Cittadella (quartiere)
    • Rizzotaglia (quartiere)
    • Villagio Dalmazia (quartiere)
    • Torrion Quartara (frazione)
  • Sud est (South East)
    • Bicocca (quartiere)
    • Olengo (frazione)
  • Lumellogno
    • Lumellogno(frazione)
    • Casalgiate (frazione)
    • Pagliate (frazione)
    • Gionzana (frazione)
  • Pernate

People

[edit]
See also:Category:People from Novara

International relations

[edit]

Twin towns – sister cities

[edit]
See also:List of twin towns and sister cities in Italy

Novara istwinnedwith:[15]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Superficie di Comuni Province e Regioni italiane al 9 ottobre 2011".Italian National Institute of Statistics.Retrieved16 March2019.
  2. ^"Popolazione Residente al 1° Gennaio 2018".Italian National Institute of Statistics.Retrieved16 March2019.
  3. ^"La classe operaia va in paradiso. Retroscena di un film novarese - Enciclopedia del cinema in Piemonte".www.torinocittadelcinema.it.Retrieved2023-12-15.
  4. ^"World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Novara-Cameri".National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.RetrievedFebruary 3,2024.
  5. ^"Novara/Cameri (NO)"(PDF).Atlante climatico.Servizio Meteorologico.Archived(PDF)from the original on 21 May 2015.Retrieved19 May2015.
  6. ^"STAZIONE 064 Novara–Cameri: medie mensili periodo 61 - 90".Servizio Meteorologico.Archivedfrom the original on 21 August 2014.Retrieved19 May2015.
  7. ^"Novara Cameri: Record mensili dal 1960"(in Italian). Servizio Meteorologico dell’Aeronautica Militare.Archivedfrom the original on 13 July 2015.Retrieved19 May2015.
  8. ^"Novara, posato il ponteggio sulla facciata del conservatorio Cantelli colpito da un fulmine".La Stampa.25 July 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 6 July 2021.Retrieved6 July2021.
  9. ^"Collegio Gallarini".Turismonovara.it.Archivedfrom the original on 6 July 2021.Retrieved6 July2021.
  10. ^"Demo-Geodemo. - Mappe, Popolazione, Statistiche Demografiche dell'ISTAT".demo.istat.it.Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-09.Retrieved2008-07-07.
  11. ^"Statistiche demografiche ISTAT".Demo.istat.it.Archivedfrom the original on 2006-07-09.Retrieved2011-09-16.
  12. ^"Statistiche demografiche ISTAT".Demo.istat.it.Archivedfrom the original on 2009-04-26.Retrieved2011-09-16.
  13. ^"Statistiche demografiche ISTAT".demo.istat.it.Archivedfrom the original on 2013-08-14.Retrieved2008-07-07.
  14. ^"L'Hockey Novara nato nel 1924 è già entrato nella leggendaè già entrato nella leggenda"(PDF).Archived(PDF)from the original on 2021-08-31.Retrieved2020-11-13.
  15. ^"Chi siamo".gemellagginovaresi.it(in Italian). Associazione per i Gemellaggi Novaresi e per l'Amicizia Internazionale.Archivedfrom the original on 2019-12-15.Retrieved2019-12-15.

Bibliography

[edit]
Further information:Timeline of Novara § Bibliography
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Novara&oldid=1243715686"