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You are here: Churches
Chiesa e complesso di San FilibertoThe Church and the complex of St. Filiberto (Pella)
Just outside the village centre, towards Alzo - one of Pella`s southern hamlets - important evidence of Romanesque art lies just on a lawn on the lakeshore: the church and the complex of St. Filiberto, one of the oldest ones among Cusio`s Romanesque churches, and the oldest one on the West shore. Its high square stony bell tower, which dates back to the XIth century, is situated in a secluded position in front of the façade.
Its lower part is adorned with some slits, while the upper one is composed of two groups of double lancet windows with small arches and crutch-columns.
The bell tower is the best preserved part of the old church, whose original structure should date back to the XIth celtury, even though it was rebuilt during the XVIth century since it was neglected.
The saddle roof façade is probably the oldest part of the building, which consists of different bodies, placed upon during the centuries at different heights.
The interior consists of a sole nave with three spans of wide ogival arches. Plain forniture and a piece of fresco – that may be hardly dated - depicting St. Julius and other sacred figures adorn the walls and the whole interior.
However, the importance of this place in ancient times is still living in the stateliness of the whole complex as well as in the peculiar consecration to St. Filiberto, probably the French Saint of Burgundy Filiberto de Jumièges. It is the sole Italian church to be consecrated to him, and it testifies a deep devoutness whose origins are likely to get lost in times, like many others in the outskirts.
The polygonal apse – the highest body of the Church – is oriented towards the Lake. Around the church and the bell tower, 14 small chapels were built during the XVIIIth century to represent the Stations of the Cross, linked together through a stony boundary wall and sloping down towards the lake, where a landing flight of steps encloses the descent. Today, the chapels and their elliptical boundary walls – arranged on the lawn sloping down the lake – form a Sacred complex, whose blend of styles and the Romanesque stateliness make it really charming and spectacular for its special position.
Zone
Il Lago d`Orta
Locality
Pella