A story about a trip to Italy: a report on a trip to Novara. Entertainment and attractions. Cheeses and sausages

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In 386, the city was destroyed by the usurping emperor of the Western Roman Empire Magnus Maximus for the support of Valentinian I, but restored by Theodosius I the Great.
During the time of the Lombards, it was in decline.
The city became a county with the arrival of Charles III Tolstoy. During this time, it developed and grew. In 1110 the city was conquered by Henry V and destroyed.
In 1167 she joined the Lombard League. In the XII-XIII centuries. exercised control over large areas in the district.
At the end of the XII century. the city accepted the help of Milan and became dependent on the name of Visconti, and then Sforza.
In 1706 Novara occupied by Savoy troops. According to the Treaty of Utrecht, (together with Milan) becomes part of the Habsburg Empire. And in 1734-35. passes under the rule of the Savoy dynasty. After the conquest of Italy by Napoleon, it became the capital of the department, and then again passed to the Savoy dynasty in 1814.
In 1849 there was a battle under Novara between the Piedmontese and the Austrians, in which the Austrians won. And the city became Austrian.
In 1859 a province was formed.

most famous monument Novara which can be seen almost everywhere Basilica of Saint Gaudens, erected in the XVI-XVII centuries.

Basilica of Saint Gaudence.

Its famous dome, designed by Alessandro Atnotelli, rises to a height of 92 meters and is a symbol of the city. Work on the construction of the dome began in 1855 with funds received from the tax on the sale of meat. The dome is decorated with a 5-meter bronze statue of Christ the Savior. (and not Saint Gaudence, as it might seem), from which the height of the dome is 126 m. The original statue by Pietro Zuca is kept in the church in the left transept, and a copy is installed on the dome.

Basilica of Saint Gaudence.

Inside the church, a huge chandelier with wrought flowers is suspended from the ceiling, in memory of the meeting between Gaudentius, Bishop of Novara and Ambrogia, Bishop of Milan.

Also frescoes (XVI-XVII centuries) and a magnificent polyptych by Gaudenzio Ferrari.
The center of religious life is Cathedral (Piazza della Repubblica), erected in the neoclassical style by Alessandro Antonelli in the 19th century. based on more ancient temple possibly dedicated to the god Jupiter. Inside the cathedral are paintings by Gaudenzio Ferrari, Bernardino Lanino and Callisto Piazza.

Opposite the Duomo is Baptistery- most ancient building Novara relating to the early Christian period (5th century).

It is an octagonal hall surrounded by a niche. Eight marble Roman columns. Only traces of the original early Christian mosaic remained at the south window. The top row of frescoes of the Romanesque period represents 8 scenes from the Apocalypse. The author of the frescoes is unknown.

On the other side of the Baptistery (Via Giacomo Puccini) located Church of San Giovanni Decollato, erected in 1636-48.

Not far from the Cathedral is a complex of medieval palaces Broletto- center political life in ancient Novara, times of the free commune. The complex includes four palaces built in different centuries and from different materials: the City Palace (XII century), the Paratici Palace (XII century), the Mayor's Palace (XIV century) and the Palace of the Referendum (XIV - early XV centuries).

Broletto was once home to a prison, corporations of artisans, and today there is a city museum with a collection of works of art and archaeological finds, as well as a museum of modern art.

Not far from the Duomo is piazza Cesare Battisti. This area is at the geometric center Novara, the central point is indicated by a triangular tile on the pavement.

The largest area Piazza Martiri della Liberta, on which rises a statue of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of Italy, crowned in Novara. The Visconti Sforza castle overlooks the square.

Piazza Martiri della Liberta.

The first mention of the castle dates back to the 10th century. The castle began to expand under the Visconti, who had close relations with Novara. The castle wall is an ancient Roman wall. The castle has been rebuilt many times. Now only Roctette remains from the fortress, decorated with barely visible battlements. During the time of Napoleon and the next 170 years, the castle was used as a prison. Then the city garden was laid out here.
Corso Italia And Corso Cavour- two large shopping streets Novara, Roman heritage - cardo and decuman, which intersect at the crossroads of the Hours.

Novara. Piedmont. Italy.

Novara cuisine.

Cheese and sausages.

Gorgonzola.

Gorgonzola with noble mold is "dolce" with a delicate mild taste and "picante" with a rich aroma and pronounced taste.

Pork sausage Salam d "la duja, Marzapane- blood sausage, Fidighina- boiled raw liver sausage, Salame d'oca- from goose and pork meat.

Sweets.

Cupcake San Gaudenzio.

Beverages.

Events.

It turned out to be in 2nd place in terms of attendance among all world attractions (immediately after the Great Chinese wall), and Italy itself took 5th place in the ranking of the most popular tourist destinations. And of course, there were some Russian travelers here. What to hide, sometimes Russian speech in Italian cities can be heard even more often than Italian. But it's worth leaving tourist centers for several kilometers, and you see a completely different, unexplored, Italy: where freshly washed linen is hung on the windows, and homemade soup is served in restaurants and habitual words are distorted with dialect; with empty squares after lunch, which you can admire without fear of annoying sellers of selfie sticks... I would like to talk about such Italy today.

Novara - a city founded by Gaius Julius Caesar, destroyed several times and rebuilt brick by brick - is an hour and a half drive from Turin to Milan. If you come here by car, be prepared to pay for parking - 1 euro per hour.

The sights of Novara can be seen in one day, but the beauty of exploring little-known Italian cities is to find the treasures hidden in them - figures that adorn the facades of houses, doors that look like scenery from films about distant kingdoms, antique frescoes and baroque churches.

most famous architectural structure Novary - Basilica of Saint Gaudence(Basilica di San Gaudenzio). If you have been to Turin (or at least held a 1 euro cent coin in your hands), then you can imagine what the symbol of this city looks like - Molle Antonelliana. So, Alessandro Antonelli also worked on the dome of the Novara basilica, raising it to 121 m. the then authorities were categorically against them, in Novara an entire street bears his name, and the inhabitants, at the mention of the Turin Mall, grunt: they say, we have our own, better than yours

The most cumbersome attraction - Sforza Visconti Castle(Castello Visconteo-Sforzesco) - appeared in Novara at the end of the 12th century on the site of the ruins of an ancient Roman wall. The Roman rampart that surrounded the wall was also used for defensive purposes. However, over time, the fortress lost its original meaning - for many years it was used as a prison, and then completely abandoned. Today, fortunately, the castle has begun to be restored, and perhaps soon it will be possible to visit it.

In Novara, like in any other Italian city, there are main church- duomo, which is located in the very center, on Republic Square. Cathedral(Duomo di Novara) was built on the ruins of an ancient pagan temple dedicated to Jupiter, more than a thousand years ago. Of course, during this time it was rebuilt and modified several times. The cathedral survived the last restoration in the 19th century, when the altar was created according to the project of the same Alessandro Antonelli.

Next to the Duomo flaunts Baptistery of Novara(Battistero del Duomo di Novara), which is considered one of the most ancient early Christian monuments of the Piedmont region, created in the 5th century. Its walls still contain frescoes and mosaics of that time, and the columns with which it is decorated date back to the times of the ancient Romans.

The city of Novara impresses not only with its architectural monuments, cobbled streets, and medieval houses. Its geometry is surprising and incredible amount arches. This is especially felt when, turning off the Republic Square and passing under the arched vault, you suddenly find yourself in the center of a square courtyard. This Broletto(Broletto), or the town hall of Novara. Once it was the center of the political life of the city: the headquarters of all kinds of corporations and city authorities were located here. All four palaces that form Broletto belong to different eras and are of historical value. Today it also houses the Gallery of Modern Art, which hosts temporary exhibitions in addition to the permanent exhibition.

But this attraction of Novara is easy to miss. The clock corner (L'angolo delle ore) is located at the intersection of 4 streets at once: Corso Italia, Corso Cavour, Corso F. Cavallotti and Corso G. Mazzini.

The saddest part of any trip is saying goodbye to the city, which you have already got used to in a few hours (days). I did not dare to say goodbye to Novara and promised myself to return here again to enjoy the peace and tranquility of its streets, try and climb the dome of the Basilica of St. Gaudence. Who knows how many more treasures, unknown to me, are stored in this northern city...

Where to eat in Novara? If you respect Asian cuisine, be sure to visit the restaurantLongJin onCorso Torino, 52. According to the owner of the restaurant (he is, oddly enough, Italian), lovers of healthy food from Milan and Turin come here. For vegetarians and vegans there is a separate menu, and for supporters of a gluten-free diet, there are many delicious gluten-free dishes.

Novara was an outsider in the top three: Vicenza, Certosa di Pavio, Novara. But having jumped on the trains to Padua the day before and spent almost four and a half hours on the road, I did not find the courage and strength to go on a trip with three transfers to Certosa. It was almost the same time to Vicenza from Bergamo as to Padua, and with a transfer all in the same Brescia, and I decided to go in a completely different direction and to a completely different province of Italy - Piedmont.

Having reached Milan by regional train, I had to transfer to the Italian "arrow" (like this time it was a white arrow - "frecci bianca"), but it was delayed. Wasting no time, I bought a portioned station pizza, which, inferior in price to a restaurant one (only 4 euros), was not inferior to it in goodness, or maybe even surpassed it, ate a stocked apple, and loaded into the car with an hour delay, set off .

As you move away from the capital of Lombardy, the landscape outside the window changed from urban to pastoral. Of course, he was very different from the one that G. Morton saw and described, but the awakening of nature at all times tunes in a lyrical mood. And the Italian landscape, despite all the changes brought to it by modernity, still remains an Italian landscape.

The fields were clean and tidy, and slender poplar trees rose along the country roads. Gluten-covered buds, ready to burst, swelled on them. They say that in the spring the poplars cry with the tears of the sisters of Icarus, who has risen too high to the sun, scorched his wings, and collapsed into the Po River, somewhere in these parts.

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Monument to Icarus in Piazza Gramsci.

The station of Novara did not plunge me into amazement, because after looking at the station squares of other Italian cities, I realized that I had to quickly slip through them, closing my eyes and walking from 500 to 1000 meters to find yourself where you wanted to find yourself: namely, in this recognizable, cozy, terracotta-beige-pink,

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with green shutters Italian town.

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And if in other cities the visible landmark that determines the path from the station square to the historical center was not always visible, then in Novara the outlandish spire of the Cathedral of St. Gaudenzio showed me the way like a compass needle. He was clear, concise and brusque. He knew that Novara, although not in paramount importance, was chosen for him, for his ideal proportions, inimitable style and simply beauty!

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The Basilica of Saint Gaudence was built between 1577 and 1690, during the economic and cultural boom of Novara. The project of the church was developed by the famous Italian artist and architect Pellegrino Tibaldi and the forecourt Garibaldi. The cathedral is named after Saint Gaudenzio, who was the first bishop of Novarra and is the patron saint of the city.

When unpresentable and obligatory for all Italian cities - Garibaldi Square, with an even more unpresentable cinder block building, either shopping center, then something else was left behind, the arrow of the cathedral turned me sharply to the right and I began to go around the city around the perimeter.

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To the left of the apse of the Cathedral of Gaudenzio is a detached bell tower built in 1753 and 92 meters high. It is the work of the architect Benedetto Alfieri. One of the important sights of the church are powerful bells, cast in the 18th and 20th centuries and having a deep and mysterious sound due to the special order that their main tones form.

If you think that I walked for a long time, then it is not so. The city is surprisingly compact and surprisingly cozy, and surprisingly uncrowded. Yes, there are few people there. The city was frankly empty. And that was Saturday afternoon. Well, I think everyone is at the prayer service, sitting in churches, listening to sermons.

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On the right is the entrance to Gaudenzio Cathedral.

Coming out on a small pizzetta in front of the entrance to the cathedral, I internally gathered myself, tuned in to a sermon and allowed myself (in my mind) to be present and listen to what the Italian priest would tell me there in pure Italian. In anticipation, having opened the doors of the cathedral, I was stunned ... The cathedral was pristinely empty. I was there completely alone!

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Such a strange feeling ... I was even confused. No attendant, no guard. Sing, dance, jump or roll. Some crazy thoughts immediately come to mind when you find yourself in an unfamiliar environment and find yourself there all alone, without supervision! But the mood was very good. But it just seems like no one is looking after you.

Here, in the left nave, is the statue of the Black Madonna from Loretto. I saw the first one a long time ago in Montserrat, what was the number of this one - Novara, I don’t even remember anymore. I've always been interested in these dark-skinned Madonnas. If the Montserrat Virgin has darkened with time, then the Novara Virgin is generally cast from lead. Mary wasn't really an Ethiopian, was she?

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In the middle of the century, black Madonnas were worshiped, then they were persecuted, especially after the fall of the Knights Templar, who especially honored the Black Madonna. She was also persecuted because she was associated with the cult of Isis and Mary Magdalene. But then everything somehow settled down, fell into place, and now there are a little more than 500 black Madonnas in Europe, and about 30 in Italy.

Directly under the dome of the cathedral is a 5-meter gilded figure of Christ the Savior. Above the dome is a copy of this one.

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Original statue by Pietro Zuca.

Magnificent polyptych by Gaudenzio Ferrari.

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Polyptych of the great Piedmontese artist Gaudenzio Ferrari 1516 (cappella della Nativita).

So there was someone to look after me.

Despite its courageous and even somewhere brutal dome, the cathedral is somehow girlish, pink, with pink columns and the light pouring from the dome was also pink.

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A huge chandelier with forged flowers, in memory of the meeting of Gaudenzio, Bishop of Novara and Ambrogia, Bishop of Milan against the backdrop of the dome of Gaudenzio Cathedral.

And from the outside, it looks so much like the dome of the Capitol, and they were created at about the same time, in the middle of the 10th century. Is that the Washington counterpart is more obese and broad in girth, like many American ones.

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The dome, designed in the 10th century by the architect Allesandro Antonelli, rises 122 meters from the ground and is the most tall building in a world made of bricks.

Leaving the doors of the cathedral, which are also the creation of the author of the dome A.Antonelli,

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I took one last, close look at my handsome dome,

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and taxied towards Barroleto - a complex of 4 medieval-Renaissance palaces.

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IN north side Broletto is the City Palace - the oldest building of the complex, which was built in the XII century. On the ground floor in front of the palace there is a covered gallery, in which civil judges sat on the benches in the Middle Ages. On the second floor there is a vast hall; held public meetings

The buildings are looped, or rather "squared". Inside there is a very nice courtyard with a white well and an aura of ancient times. For almost 8 centuries, life was seething here, artisans traded, podestas judged, and there was a prison here at one time. Now there is a museum, which I did not go to. And the square itself was occupied by members of some organization with the name FAI, tightening everything with their posters, spoiling my view and preventing me from photographing Barroleto from a winning angle. But the Fai activists were not active and did not pay attention to me. Apparently, the slightly sleepy mood of Novarra also affected their vectors.

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Somewhat younger than the City Palace is the Paratici Palace, located on the eastern side of Broletto. It was built in the 12th-13th centuries and expanded in the 18th century with the addition of an elegant portico with a covered gallery. On south side stands the podesta palace, built at the end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th centuries in gothic style. It has a characteristic gallery with lancet arches and five windows decorated with bricks and 15th-century frescoes.

I caught myself thinking that with some differences, these Italian medieval houses, which I did not have the courage to call palaces, are somehow very in tune with Moscow courtyards - Krutitsky, for example. And their Renaissance-Gothic varieties refer to the white-stone Russian Kremlin.

I entered Baroletto from the north, from the avenue of Italy, and left through the Podesta Palace in the south, ending up in the Republic Square. In front of me stood the handsome Duomo, the child of the same architect A. Antoneli. Colonnade of incomparable beauty,

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and the Cathedral itself differed from its more rounded-square counterparts by the severity and purity of lines, which is characteristic of neoclassicism. It was reminiscent of Greek temples and carried away to Hellas, under its bright, blue sky, to the host of the Olympic gods.

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The Cathedral of Novara and the adjacent churchyard were built between 1863 and 1869. The cathedral, surrounded by other church buildings, is located in the very center on the site where there used to be a Romanesque church, destroyed before its construction. From this ancient church built in the first half of the 12th century.

Behind the cathedral was an octagonal Baptistery, very ancient. But I didn’t go to the cathedral or the Baptistery. No, if I had found how to get in there on the run, I would certainly have looked in, but from the side of the Republic Square, a lattice separated me from the Duomo and I did not purposefully look for the entrance, because I knew that from the abundance of impressions in my head everything can to mix up, what was seen earlier and later falls into one heap, emotions will blur, shake up and it will be difficult to feel the true taste of the place.

Walking around Novara, at first glance it may seem that she does not have her own bright face (there is undoubtedly a bright point - and this is the dome of Gaudenzio), but firstly this is not so and more on that later, and secondly, of course, Some stylistic fragmentation of Novara sights is due to the fact that, like the rest of Italy, Novara every century, or even several times in a century, passed from hand to hand, from dynasty to dynasty, and from one state to another.

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Similar "angelic" arches can be found in many Italian cities. And Novara is no exception.

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And here's a bit of modernity.

By the 10th century, Novara became an independent county, which could not but irritate the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. Therefore, by the beginning of the XII century, Henry V captured and ruined the recalcitrant city-county. But the Novars, having tasted the sweet air of freedom, already by 1167 rebuilt and joined the Lombard League of the North Italian cities that fought against the German emperors, who took over the Roman Empire.

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However, their own strength was not enough, and by the end of the 12th century, Novara came under the patronage of the Duchy of Milan, and the entire 13th and 14th centuries Novara was ruled by the Milanese Visconti, and then by the Sforza. And at this time, a period of relative calm sets in, until the moment when, at the end of the 16th century, a war broke out between the Duchy of Milan and France, in which the latter were defeated and were forced to leave the Apennine Peninsula altogether.

All these upheavals were carried by the castle of Novara-Castello Sforzesca, which, having served in its main incarnation for almost 7 centuries, then turned into a prison that existed here until 1973. Its nearby territory was given over to city gardens, and they even wanted to demolish the castle itself. But activists have proved its historical value and now the castle is being restored. But to be honest, in patches of fresh bricks, he still looks like a wrinkled old man with a face tightened by a plastic surgeon and dyed hair. "No skin, no faces"! And even the former merits do not really save him.

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Until the end of the 18th century, when a new redistribution of Europe began, the change of power took place relatively quietly and peacefully, and during this period Venice, ubiquitous in the Italian north, obviously visited it. Such a conclusion can be made by anyone who sees, above the arch overlooking the Piazza Martiri della Liberte, the famous lion of St. Mark - the proud lion of Venice.

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On this square stands, also an invariable attribute of all Italian cities, a monument to Victor Emmanuel II - this collector of Italian lands.

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In the center of the square there is an equestrian statue of the first king of a united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II. The square is surrounded by theater buildings with granite columns around the perimeter, bearing the name of the composer Carlo Coccia, who lived in Novara in last years of his life - Teatro Carlo Coccia, a castle with a deep moat, two twin houses with a Venetian winged lion - Palazzo Venezia and Palazzo Orelli.

The area is bright and spacious. There are so many arches in the nearby houses that it is a real pleasure to take pictures through them.

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View of the Teatro Carlo Coccia.

Right behind Piazza Martiri della Liberta begins with a small park reclaimed from the castle. By two in the afternoon, the next fair of Chinese consumer goods was turned off there by heavily tanned Italians. One, like a monkey, spreading his arms, jumped into my frame. Taken aback by surprise, I sideways, squinting my head so as not to meet the eye (you never know what a person has on his mind), squeezed between him and the building and didn’t look around the park!

Returning to a distant civilization, passing by a small piazza Puccini with a statue of King Charles Emmanuel III and the Church of St. John the Baptist Headless,

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The Church of St. John the Baptist was built between 1635 and 1643. The name of the architect is unknown, but her architecture shows a tangible influence of the famous Milanese architect Francesco Maria Riccino. The facade of the church was built later - in 1657.

where the bookshop opened its trays,

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some homeless children were running around and there was an elusive smell of coffee from nearby coffee shops.

By alleys and alleys, which abound in Italian towns, I went to piazza delle Erbe,

Current Spanish province Navarre, which has the status of autonomy, is the southern half of the kingdom of the same name, which existed in the Middle Ages. Spanish Navarre is the so-called Upper Navarre. Another part of the former unified state, Lower Navarre, located on the northern slope of the Pyrenees, is part of France.

Basques in Navarre and their language

A little more than 600 thousand people live in Navarre, almost half of which (47%) are ethnic Basques.

In accordance with a special law of December 15, 1986, Navarre is linguistically divided into 3 zones according to the nature of the distribution of the Basque language: Basque-speaking (with a predominance of the Basque population), mixed and Spanish-speaking. In the first two zones, Basque has official status along with Spanish, while in the third zone official language is only Spanish. The official status of the Basque language implies, among other things, the use of Basque place names and the right of a citizen to use this language in state institutions (court, municipal administration, etc.).

A tourist who finds himself in Navarre for the first time should not be surprised that in different regions the same locality can be called differently on road signs. For example, heading to the capital of Navarre, the city of Pamplona, ​​you can equally trust the signs with the inscriptions "Pamplona", "Iruña" and "Pamplona - Iruña".

Holidays in Navarre

The history of the ancient kingdom of Navarre is closely connected with its neighbors: France, Castile, Aragon and the Basque Country. In addition, an important factor in the development of the region is the pilgrimage route of St. James, which passes through the territory of the region.

Excursions and holidays in Navarra are becoming more and more popular every year not only among the inhabitants of Spain and France, but also among tourists from other countries who are attracted by such unique sights as the castle-palace in Olite, the cathedral in Pamplona, ​​the ancient fortifications of Artakhona and her old quarter, the unique Romanesque bridge of Puente la Reina. Lovers of history, especially the Middle Ages, this region of Spain delights.

Navarra is also famous for its active tourism. This historic region of Spain is home to many nature reserves and offers excellent opportunities for hunting, fishing, golfing, hiking and ecological tourism. Navarra is also known for its healing springs, such as, for example, thermal spa in the town of Fitero.

Pamplona

The administrative center of Navarre and one of ancient cities Spain - Pamplona, ​​which the Basques call Iruña.

Pamplona is best known for its San Fermin festival, which takes place every year from 6 to 14 July. Apart from a crazy week, when there are almost more visitors to Pamplona than locals, in normal times it is a cozy and calm city, which has preserved many architectural monuments that deserve the attention of tourists.

Sights of Pamplona

1. The brightest and world-famous attraction of Pamplona - city ​​hall building, built in the 18th century, but retaining only its facade to this day.From the balcony of the second floor at exactly noon on July 6 every year, a signal flare soars into the sky, announcing the beginning of the San Fermin holiday to the participants of the holiday, who fill the square in front of the city hall that day. Video footage of this moment is shown on television channels of almost all countries of the world.
2. Cathedral of Saint Mary in Pamplona(1387–1525) built in gothic style on the site of an ancient Romanesque cathedral. Archaeological excavations confirmed that there were two even more ancient churches on this site.In the Middle Ages, the rulers of Navarre were crowned in the cathedral, and some of them were buried in it.The neoclassical façade of the cathedral was designed by Ventura Rodriguez in 1783. Two towers, located on the sides of the facade of the cathedral, reach a height of 50 meters, in the right of them is the largest bell in Spain, weighing about 12 tons.One of the masterpieces of the cathedral is the 13th century cloister, made in the French Gothic style with rich decoration with sculptures.The interior of the church is also made in the Gothic style. In the temple, attention is drawn to the high windows with beautiful stained glass windows , some date back to the 16th century, others are more recent.Inside the temple is the mausoleum of King Carlos III and his wife Leonora de Trastamara.
   
   
3. Church of Saint Nicholas, built in the 12th century, was the main religious building settlement of the same name. One of its tasks in those days was to protect the population from the raids of warlike neighbors.In 1222, during one of the attacks, the old Romanesque church burned down, and in 1231 a new one was erected, retaining thick fortified walls and three towers, of which only one, restored in 1924, survived.The temple is made in the form of a Latin cross and has three naves. The altarpieces of the church were dismantled during restoration work in 1982.

Church of St. Saturnino in the historical part of Pamplona was built in the XIII century in the Gothic style. Previously, there were two predecessor churches on this site.

In the Middle Ages, the temple served two functions - religious and defensive. In those days, the city consisted of three settlements, and this church was located in the parish of St. Sernin (Sernin - the French name of Saturnino), which was inhabited mainly by the French. The settlements were constantly at war with each other, which is why the towers of the church had protective battlements that lasted until the 18th century.

In addition to the tower, the portico of the church, decorated with Gothic bas-reliefs, as well as its interior, partly made in the Baroque style, stand out. The bells on the tower of the church of San Saturnino announce the beginning of the San Fermin fiesta.




From the original Church of San Lorenzo, built in the central part of Pamplona in the XIV century, almost nothing has survived to this day, except for the chapel of St. Fermin (San Fermin). Like other ancient churches of Pamplona, ​​it performed defensive functions and was part of the city's defense system.

The current building of the church was built by architect Juan Antonio Pagola in 1805 in neoclassical style. The building's original baroque façade was badly damaged by shelling during the Carlist wars and was dismantled in 1901 to be replaced by the one that can be seen today.

In the chapel of San Fermin, built between 1696 and 1717, a statue of the saint, who is one of the patrons of Pamplona, ​​is kept almost all year round, who leaves his monastery only on the days of the famous fiesta of his name.


Fortress of Pamplona- a fortification structure in the form of a pentagonal star and erected in the 16th-17th centuries to protect the city. The construction of the fortress began by decree of King Philip II in 1571. The main architect of the building was the military engineer Jacomo Pelearo.In the second half of the 17th and the first half of the 18th century, changes were made to the structure of the fortress in order to strengthen the defensive system.

During its history, the fortress did not take part in any serious military battles, its effectiveness mainly consisted in containing discontent from the city's population. But once Pamplona and its fortress were still forced to let in foreign troops. In 1808, Napoleon's troops under the leadership of D'Armagnac entered Pamplona - the French emperor forced King Carlos to allow his armies to cross The Iberian Peninsula to conquer Portugal. The French settled in the noble houses of the city, tension between the population and Napoleon's troops grew. When one of the French soldiers was stabbed to death in a street skirmish, Napoleon ordered D'Armagnac to occupy the Pamplona fortress.

Since 1964, the fortress has lost its military significance. Currently, its territory is used as a picturesque city park, around which a walking route called Vuelta de Castillo - around the castle.


Castillo Square- the most important in the city and is located in its central part. By the end of the 18th century, the square was decorated with a fountain by Louis Paret, which is popularly called Mariblanca. On the square there is a palace, which is occupied by the government of the autonomy, and the theater "Principal".

In 1859, the Perla Hotel, the oldest in Pamplona, ​​appeared on the square.Between 1880 and 1895, the buildings of the casino and the cafe "Irunya" were erected on the square, and in 1943 - a music kiosk. In 2001 – In 2003, during the construction of an underground parking under the square, the remains of Roman baths and a Muslim necropolis with two hundred skeletons were discovered, as well as the remains of medieval wall and a monastery.




Pamplona is famous for its parks, one of which is Taconera located in the central part of the city. The territory of the park in some places is limited by ancient stone walls, which were once part of the system of fortifications in Pamplona.Of particular interest are the entrance gates of St. Nicholas and the monument to the opera singer Julian Gaillarre located in the park.

famous bullring in Pamplonais the second largest in Spain, its stands can accommodate more than 19.5 thousand spectators.Bullfights are held here only during the San Fermin holiday - from July 6 to 14. At the same time, tickets for the battles of a man with a bull are reserved for the year.During the rest of the year, the arena hosts various performances and concerts. There is also a Christmas market here.

Near the arena there is a monument to the American writer Ernest Hemingway, who glorified the San Fermin festival in his novel The Sun Also Rises (Fiesta).

San Fermin - bull run in Pamplona

The signal for the beginning of the holiday is the famous "chupinaso" - the launch of a small rocket from the main balcony of the city hall, located on the square, filled to overflowing with thousands of people, like all nearby streets.

The holiday, famous far beyond the borders of Spain, so vividly described by Ernest Hemingway, is held annually from July 6 to 14. The streets during this period are full of Pamplonians, visiting Spaniards and foreigners around the clock. The program of the fiesta includes: the dangerous daily stalling of bulls, which some other cities in Spain are trying to imitate, bullfights in the evening, music, a general feast, food and drink at any time of the day or night. All this is complemented by quieter events: performances for children, Basque folklore, exotic performances - there is a place for everything at this holiday.

According to the most conservative estimates, 250-300 thousand people gather in the old part of Pamplona during San Fermin.

Like centuries ago, when this holiday was born, the fast run of a small herd of bulls at dawn, the sonorous beats of hooves on the cobblestone pavement fascinate eyewitnesses, forcing them to return to Pamplona again and again in July. In the corral, where not so long ago only a couple of hundred young people participated, today thousands of runners take part, dressed in the traditional Pamplonian festive attire - a white shirt and trousers, a red belt and a neckerchief.

For many visitors, morning bull runs are the highlight of San Fermin. Nevertheless, the main component of the holidays is still a series of bullfights held in the evenings.

Long before the start of the holidays, Pamplona is plastered with posters of upcoming bullfights, announcing their participants - bull breeders and bullfighters. The arena where bullfights are held was built in 1922, it is the third largest in the world and belongs to the Charity House, which organizes bullfights for the benefit of those who inhabit it.

Almost all tickets 7 bullfights during the 7 main days of San Fermin (July 7-14) are distributed by season tickets, which are usually sold out long ago. Only minor leftovers are sold at the ticket office. However, you can always buy tickets from the hands, but, of course, with a surcharge.

Surprisingly, it is a fact: there are almost no bullfighting fans in Pamplona itself. Fans of this type of entertainment come mostly "from outside".

One of the special attractions of the Pamplona bullfights are the bulls themselves. They are brought from Andalusia or Central Castile, sometimes from the south of Navarre in closed cars. To get to the Pamplona festival, animals travel 500 or more kilometers. In other cities, the bulls wait for bullfights in stalls in the arena itself. But in Pamplona, ​​the bull stays in three places in turn: the stalls of Gaz (so named because they are located on the site of an old, now disappeared, gas factory), in small stalls on the street of Santo Domingo, where they spend the night before the race, and in the stalls belonging to the arena where the bull comes out only to be killed. 48 bulls are slaughtered in a week. Connoisseurs say that the bulls in Pamplona are very serious and dangerous, falling during the fight less often than others, perhaps because they are carefully selected, and also due to the warm-up during the run on the day of the bullfight.

For those who want to go to this holiday, we have prepared a special material.

Olite - French castle in Spain

Once upon a time, on the site of the modern Navarrese city of Olite, there was an ancient settlement founded in the 1st century by the Romans. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a stone wall that surrounded this settlement in those old times, and in the historical part of the city you can still see the remains of ancient buildings.

The first mention of Olita dates back to the 7th century. According to the chronicles, in 621 the Visigothic king Svintila opposed the Basques and founded the Ologik fortress to keep them in subjection. In 1147, King Garcia VI of Navarre granted feudal privileges to the cities of Estella and Olite, and in addition, the townspeople received fertile land around their settlement for use. Thanks to the privileges granted to the inhabitants of Olite, self-government and tax breaks appeared, and the city began to flourish.

In the Middle Ages, Olite often served as the residence of the kings of Navarre. At the beginning of the 15th century, Charles III carried out a large-scale reconstruction of the local royal palace. A fortress has existed on this site since ancient times. The old castle was built in the 13th century. After the reconstruction, it turned into a magnificent palace, striking in its grandeur and beauty.

The architectural features of this building clearly indicate French influence: Royal Palace in Olite it looks more like castles, of which there are so many on the other side of the Pyrenees, than typical Castilian palaces.

Having reached its heyday in the 15th century under Charles III, Olite then began to wither and to XIX century turned into a poor provincial town. To a large extent, this was facilitated by the war with Napoleon. In 1813, the general and leader of the Spanish resistance Francisco Espos y Mina, having learned about the approach of French troops, burned down the royal palace in Olite.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the building was restored. Although the chic interiors and the gardens surrounding the palace were irretrievably lost, the restorers managed to restore the appearance of the palace, which today attracts many tourists from different countries peace.

Artakhona

This medieval settlement is surrounded by fortified walls and watchtowers. There were once 14 such towers built into a protective wall erected in the 12th century, but only 9 of them "survived" to this day.

This entire fortification complex is protected by the Church of St. Saturnino, which in itself is a small fortress. Built in the 13th century on the ruins of a Romanesque church, this temple was part of a defensive system that protected the locals from warlike aliens. In the 16th century, the tower of the temple began to be used as ... a refrigerator.

Restoration work in Artakhon began in the 1970s, but was carried out extremely sluggishly: the workers only strengthened those sections of the ruins ancient complex which posed a danger to humans. A complete restoration of the wall and towers was carried out between 2003 and 2009.

Tudela

This rather large city by the standards of Spain is known for its numerous sights. Tourists who come to Tudela, located 94 km from Pamplona, ​​get acquainted with the beautiful Cathedral, built in the Gothic style, four convents, numerous churches built in the XII-XVII centuries, an old stone bridge across the Ebro River with 17 arches, a local bullring.

Also noteworthy are the palaces of the Marquises of San Adriana and Huarte, the House of the Admiral, the palace of the Counts of Heredia Spinola and other residential buildings that belonged to the Navarre nobility.

Javier Castle

Saint Francisco de Javier, the patron saint of Navarre and all Catholic missions, was born on April 7, 1506 in the family castle of Javier, located 70 kilometers from the capital of autonomy, which at that time was a very strong kingdom. Navarre celebrated the 500th anniversary of the birth of this man with a very rich program of religious, cultural and social events. In particular, the Javier Castle was completely restored.

At the age of 19, Francisco de Javier, while studying at the Paris Sorbonne, met Ignacio Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order. Imbued with the ideas of his compatriot, Francisco begins his truly extraordinary religious and human path.

After joining the Jesuit brotherhood, he decides to devote his life to promoting the Christian religion. In 1541, he boarded a ship in Lisbon and set off on an 11-year journey throughout the East, driven only by his faith and the desire to tell about it to those who had not yet believed.

In the homeland of the saint in Navarre, thousands of people come every year to the castle of Javier from different places to honor his memory. This pilgrimage, which became traditional in the 1940s, takes place in March and is called "Javierada". But the saint himself made the longest pilgrimage: in 11 years of travel, he covered more than 100,000 km. Here are the main stages of this long journey: Paris (1524-1530), Perignan and Venice (1536), Rome (until 1540), Lisbon - Goa (1541, 13-month journey), Madeira, Canary Islands, Cape Verde Islands, Abrolhos ( Brazil), Cape Good Hope, Mozambique, India (1541-1545), Macau (1545-1547), Japan (1549-1551), Macau - China (1552).

Of the other attractions of Navarra, the city of Estella, the church of Santa Maria de Eunate in Murazabal, as well as the monasteries of Leire and Oliva, located in the countryside, are of particular tourist interest.

A solo trip to Piedmont allowed me to see the sights of Novara, see the Broletto complex and the Basilica of San Gaudenzio, find out where you can eat cheaply in the center of Novara and what kind of shopping is there; want to know more - read the story about a trip to the north of Italy

Personally, I don’t like to make decisions spontaneously, out of the blue, and in my memory there was only one such case when it took only a couple of days to prepare a trip - I bought a ticket on Wednesday, and already flew away on Friday. Usually I have time to figure out what's what, develop a trip plan, figure out what to see and where to go.

So it happened that time, I was able to buy cheap tickets to Milan. Given that the city itself and its immediate surroundings like Bergamo, Monza, Brescia, Pavia, Como, I had already had a chance to see, as well as travel on my own from Milan to Lugano by train, the idea suggested itself to get to the Italian Alps in order to stare at natural beauty. I chose Turin as the base for such a trip, an interesting place in itself. From there, I planned to ski in the Vale d'Aosta and, you see, to reach the foot of Mont Blanc.

Everything was thought out in chin-chin, however, as they say, man proposes, and God disposes: everything seems to be chin-chin - and here you are, bad weather. And such that at least bring the saints out ... So you have to break the entire schedule of the trip on the go ...

The travel plan for northern Italy devoted the entire first day to moving from Milan to Turin and exploring the capital of Piedmont. The first part of the plan went like clockwork, but with the second there was a hitch. The fact that the voyage will not give me much pleasure, I realized even at the transfer in Amsterdam, when I studied the Internet news. The weather forecast for Italy promised cloudy rain all next week...

In such conditions, somehow I did not want to conquer the mountain ranges and decided not to rush to Piedmont for the time being. Indeed, since the schedule is broken, why not enjoy traveling Italy on your own in a different way. After all, no matter what Italian cities you take, in almost any of them you can find a bunch of interesting sights. And so, after analyzing the path of trains that can be used to get from Milan to Turin, I decided to make stops along the way in Novara and Vercelli. These are places with an ancient history, and after visiting them, I hoped to thoroughly replenish my baggage of impressions.

The first point of the impromptu excursion was Novara. It was founded during the Roman conquest of Cisalpine Gaul at the intersection of the road from Vercelli to Mediolanum, as Milan used to be called. The name of the settlement was given uncomplicated, having formed it from the Latin word "new". In 386, the town was badly destroyed during the next civil war for the fact that its inhabitants took the wrong side, supporting Valentinian II. Having been restored by the emperor Theodosius, Novaria did not flourish for long: in 405 and 452 it was ravaged twice, the last invasion was led by the "Scourge of God", the leader of the Huns Attila. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the city fell under the rule of the Lombards, then the Franks took possession of it, and everything would have been back and forth, if the troops of King Henry V had not subjected Novara to another pogrom in 1110. After that, the townspeople, barely recovering, preferred to surrender themselves under the protection of the mighty Milan. So they began to be ruled first by representatives of the Visconti family, and then by the Dukes of Sforza. Together with Milan, the city became part of the Habsburg possessions after the Peace of Utrecht. Important battles took place near Novara more than once, including the battle of 1513, which stopped the French invasion of Italy during the war of the League of Cambrai, and the battle of the Sardinian troops against the Austrians of Marshal Radetzky, which ended in victory for the invaders, but gave rise to the Risorgimento movement. Now the small town is in the shadow of Milan and Turin, so tourists rarely visit it. But in vain: the sights of Novara are very interesting.

Having landed at the Novara FSS station, I was immediately delighted because I noticed that instead of the heavy rain promised by the forecast, only a fine drizzle was falling from the sky. So, there was hope to make a walk in more or less comfortable conditions. With that, I went to the station building to buy a ticket to Turin in advance: the recently introduced rules of the Italian railways allow you to make transit stops for a maximum of three hours, and not six, as it used to be. So I would have stocked up on a travel card from Milan to Vercelli, and even to Turin, but I had to break the trip into three separate segments. Knowing how the ticket offices at Italian stations work, sometimes collecting huge queues, I considered it good to have a ticket in my hands and, at the end of the tour of Novara, only validate it before boarding the train.

To tell the truth, the station and I almost missed each other: I went down from the platform into the bowels of the tunnel and followed the other passengers, thinking about something of my own, and the underground voyage suddenly ended in a square in the middle of the square. It turned out that the exit to the terminal was arranged in the form of a branch in the middle of the tunnel. Then everything was formed, and I appreciated the Novara station: there was no luggage room there, yes, but the Spar supermarket occupied the right wing from the entrance, whose price tag allows you to buy inexpensive food and drinks.

From Piazza Giuseppe Garibaldi, where the Novara station is located, you can easily follow Corso Cavour, a busy shopping street, to the city center. You can also use public transport: Bus lines 2 and 5 connect the station to the historic core. In total, there are 8 routes in the city, and, interestingly, for some reason their numbering is not continuous. For example, there are no "three" and "seven" in the list, but for unknown reasons there is a line "C". I will add that Novara bus tickets cost only 1 euro and they are valid for an hour and a half. However, transfers on such tickets are not allowed, and this must be borne in mind.

I, as usual, preferred to take a walk and soon went to the first sight of Novara. The tall bell tower of the church of San Gaudenzio was visible even at the entrance to the city, setting, so to speak, the tone of the entire excursion. Not only is it colossal in itself, but even before construction began in 1577, it was laid on a hill, which made the temple well visible. I think that he would still have won in perception if he had stood on one of the squares, and then his size would have seemed amazing. And since the church of San Gaudenzio stands in a densely surrounded by houses, this neighborhood hides the scale. I was also unlucky in the sense that the restorers covered a significant part of the building with scaffolding, spoiling the view.

The next attraction of Novara also fell into an unfortunate location: the Church of San Marco is located on such a narrow street that its facade cannot be photographed properly. Meanwhile, it is one of the most interesting objects cities. The construction of this small temple took almost the entire 18th century, but the slowness of the builders gave a powerful effect in the form of stylish decoration on the outside and luxurious interiors. In addition, inside the church there is a large number of valuable works of religious art created by the leading Lombard artists of the time.

A quarter further, a complex of several buildings, united by the common name of Broletto, was waiting for me. The ensemble began to take shape sometime in the 13th century, when the Arengo Palace was built in the middle of Novara. Later, it was joined by the Podesta Palace, stretched along Via Rosselli, decorated with an incredible array of decorative elements. Further, the Paraticci Palace, at first small, but expanded to its present impressive size in the 17th century, and the Refendari Palace, an example of medieval architecture of Lombardy, joined this company. All this hodgepodge serves as a good illustration of the change in architectural styles, and when you move from one part of Broletto to another, you can clearly see how one fashion supplanted another.

By the way, now the complex is occupied by the city museum of Novara, known, among other things, for valuable archeological finds.

Going a little further south, I beheld the city cathedral, a giant of an unusual appearance. I “rolled a barrel” a little higher on the Church of San Gaudenzio, but it is still designed in the same style, while the Duomo of Novara resembles both a medieval castle and an ancient temple, and much more. This wild mixture was provided by the history of construction. The fact is that the city authorities demolished the original temple in order to acquire a more solid building, and the new cathedral successfully stood throughout the Middle Ages. He, you see, would have stood further, if the officials in the 1860s did not have the idea to increase it. The architect Antonelli took up the work, and it is he who is guilty of stylistic inconsistency: it seems like he was torn between the desire to preserve the old look of Novara's sights and add something of his own. The result of these throwing, as they say, is obvious ...

A little later, I went out into the open spaces of the square with the intricate name of Martiri della Liberta and immediately put it on the list of the most interesting urban ensembles. I also liked the vast space, diversifying the impressions after the narrow streets of the old Novara, and standing around the perimeter of the house. Palazzo Mercato, built in the first half of the 19th century, was very good. The Market Palace, if its name is translated literally, is interesting for its elegant composition of thin columns stretching along the ground floor and forming curious arcades. Attention is also attracted by the city theater, which looks very impressive.

When preparing the trip, I, analyzing what you can see in Novara, quickly targeted the local fortress and approaching the place where, judging by the map, Castello di Novara is located, I expected to see something like Milanese castle Sforza, especially since here, too, it was about the creation of this family. True, it did not turn out to be a great joy from the meeting, but, it seems to me, if a proper restoration is carried out, the Novara castle will become very popular. After all, it has existed since the early Middle Ages, and the Visconti dukes did a lot to strengthen the defense of the Novara citadel. Then, in the 14th century, impressive towers, thick walls, and a huge moat appeared. Personally, I was very upset when I saw the deplorable state of the object, and it remains to be hoped that this landmark of Novara has a better fate in the future.

What else you can see in Novara are small churches in the eastern part of the historical core. So, I personally liked the church of St. Euphemia, lost in the labyrinths of the local streets, even more than the cathedral, which the Novara guide diligently advertised. I really love these temples, stylish and neat - as they say, less is better, but better. Specifically, this beauty was built in the second half of the 17th century, the author of the project, it seems, wished to remain anonymous, at least I could not establish his last name. The building turned out to be a feast for the eyes, its concave façade is especially interesting - the design of the baroque type is often found in the cities of Italy, but I have not yet seen such smooth outlines. In a word, in my opinion, this attraction of Novara, located on Via Ricotti Cesare Magnani, is definitely worth paying attention to.

It would also be nice to drop by Via Silvio Pelico to see one of the city's oldest buildings. The Church of All Saints was built around the 12th century, and therefore it bears clearly visible features of the Romanesque style. A modest appearance somewhat belittles the historical and cultural significance a small temple, but medieval architecture appears in its original form. True, some smart people at one time thought of attaching a Baroque facade to the building, but the recent restoration work returned the old Romanesque look to the Church of All Saints.

This tour of Novara came to an end, it was time to move on. It remains only to highlight some practical issues. As usual, first about the food. I did not come across such a place that I should definitely recommend during my walk. There were quite decent establishments, where you can eat in the center of Novara inexpensively, but without chic. Let's say that house 26 Corso Giuseppe Garibaldi is occupied by the Panzarotta diner, which offers ready-made sandwiches for reasonable price. So, for a solid sandwich with mozzarella cheese, his customers give only one and a half euros, a copy with sausage and salad will cost a little more, at 2 euros. Another opportunity to have a cheap bite is provided by the Tornaio cafe: local pizza costs 2-3 euros for a good piece, and for those who are satisfied with such conditions, I give the address: Via Fratelli Rosselli 18, almost at hand at the important sight of Novara, the city's cathedral.

I saw a funny ad behind the glass of the bakery "La Panicceria", located at the beginning of Via dei Caccia. The office offered a coffee subscription: if each cup of espresso costs 1 euro, then by paying 6 coins in advance, you get the right to drink as many as 10 servings. This, of course, is useful for those who come to Novara permanently or live here. But it’s also useful for guests of the city to look into the institution for the sake of pies with berries - each piece costs a sane 1.80 euros.

And, finally, almost at the very station, I came across the most advantageous offer - I went in vain, looked after where you can eat inexpensively in the center of Novara, while the chest opened simply. In short, on Piazza Garibaldi, to the left of the exit from the station, there is a restaurant that meets all the requirements in terms of assortment and prices. Taking a set menu for 10 euros, a person gets a salad, some meat and some dessert of their choice, plus a glass of juice or a bottle is included in the price mineral water. In my opinion, the offer leaves nothing to be desired, despite the fact that the food en tastes not so hot…

Shopping in Novara is seriously inferior to Milan, and, as it turned out later, even Turin cannot be equal. I recommend especially persistent fans of shopping in Italy to comb through Corso Italia, Corso Cavour and Via Fratelli Rosselli, where the bulk of stores are concentrated - maybe there are things at a discount. So the prices are quite high, only a couple of times I came across really worthwhile offers. There was, I remember, a summer dress from an obsolete fashion collection for a ridiculous 9.99 euros, there was also an offer of high-quality leather belts for 25 euros. But still, in most cases, the price tags were three-digit, it was usually about 150-200 euros for jackets, shoes, accessories and everything else that you can bring from a tour of Italy.

I must say that the first steps in Piedmont somewhat cheered me up: although the drizzling rain spoiled the views, it did not interfere so much as to completely spoil the sights of Novara. So, there was still hope and then Turin in a proper way ...