The Basilica of San Gaudenzio, patron saint of Novara, was rebuilt in the 16th century in the ruins of the ancient Basilica, which stood outside the city walls and was completed by the dome, created by Antonelli, in 1840. The existing building is the work of Pellegrino Tibaldi, who began working on it in 1577. The most outstanding of the interior furnishings are the Cappella dell’Angelo Custode (Chapel of the Guardian Angel), with frescoes created in 1627 by Tanzio da Varallo, and the Cappella della Buona Morte (Chapel of Good Death) decorated by Morazzone. There is also an impressive wooden polyptych by Gaudenzio Ferrari, painted in 1514 for the old Basilica. The chapel known as the Capella dello Scurolo (Chapel of the Crypt), in the right transept of the Basilica is a special place of worship. It houses a silver urn containing the remains of San Gaudenzio. Inside the Basilica it is also possible to admire the chapels of the SS. Sacramento (Holy Sacrament), Natività (Nativity) and Angelo Custode (Guardian Angel). The 59 statues that decorate the Basilica were created between the 17th and 19th centuries. The dome, designed by Alessandro Antonelli consists in a self-supporting structure made of successive blocks, ending in the lantern. To make it, Antonelli concentrated on the decorative models of antique domes, using the succession of ribbed vaults to support the weight of the upper body of the dome and arched interior structures as elements to offload the weight. Inside the outer paraments, there is a second brick structure which supports the various parts of the construction. Antonelli’s skill consisted in successfully using a structure designed earlier for a different type and sized dome. The raised capping piece on which the statue of the Saviour by Pietro Zucchi stands, has recently been restored. The construction reaches a total height of 121 metres and represents an example of neoclassic style, typical of Antonelli.
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