Basilica of San Giuliano

Just south of the lake, the town of Gozzano is worth a visit, one of the most populous towns in the area. In addition to being a production center of great importance for the area, it is home to some valuable monuments.

The Basilica of San Giuliano stands out among all of them, built on the hill overlooking the town on the remains of an ancient church dating back to the 9th century, built to house the body of the saint. Next to the building we find an imposing bell tower, dating back to the 11th century.

The current complex was built on the remains of a first church dedicated to the saint, of which there are no longer any architectural traces, except for two capitals incorporated into the walls of the current church. The building, which was flanked by the imposing bell tower in the 11th century, was then completely rebuilt in the 12th century, imitating the ancient Cathedral of Novara.

The current building dates back to the first decades of the 18th century: inside, two large canvases with scenes from the life of San Giuliano, by Giovan Battista Ronchelli, and the chapel of the Madonna del Rosario, with frescoes by Lorenzo Peracino, stand out.

The building has a single hall with side chapels and a large semicircular apse, on the model, inspired by the precepts of the Counter-Reformation, of the church of San Fedele in Milan. In the area under the presbytery is located the crypt or oscuro where the body of San Giuliano is preserved.