Destinations

All that remains of the ancient medieval bridge of Romagnano Sesia, which once united the shores of Romagnano and Gattinara, crossing the waters of the great River Sesia, are the three isolated arches that rise  in a green park far from the river, the bed of which was altered in 1655 to protect the town centre from the dangers of the waters in full spate. The three arches, defined by popular tradition as “the gates of sin” or “the gates of the Devil” have an uncertain date. Made from small river pebbles  in a herring-bone pattern, they tilt towards the right river bank though remaining perpendicular to the previous course of the river. Probably the bridge was not constructed to link the closest points of the opposite banks, but rather following a particular line that permitted the foundations to be built on bare rock, a theory which would seem to be confirmed by the fact that the dimensions of the arches are of different sizes. The bridge was destroyed in 1223 according to the peace treaty between Novara and Vercelli: the remains of the structure are however still surprising for its ingenious architectural construction.

Points of Interest

The town of Romagnano Sesia, whose origins date back to Roman times, conserves art treasures which are among the best preserved in the Novara hills. One of its major historical...
The History and Folk Museum of Lower Valsesia is housed in the 19th century Villa Caccia, currently owned by the Town Council of Romagnano Sesia. Some of the Museum’s exhibitions...
The Church of the Madonna del Popolo (Virgin of the People) is situated close to the historic centre of Romagnano Sesia near the Piazza della Libertà. There are no existing...
The so-called Cantina dei Santi (Cellar of the Saints) in Romagnano Sesia is all that remains of the ancient Benedictine Abbey of San Silvano (1008), and is one of the...
Attracted by the mild, hospitable environment, human beings have lived in this area since time immemorial, and have left us considerable evidence of their presence. Neolithic cup-marks – small round...