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The church of San Secondo di Magnano is built in a wide open space near the Serra d'Ivrea, not far from the Bose monastic community, in the comune (municipality) of Magnano, Italy. It is one of the most interesting examples of Romanesque architecture in the Provincia di Biella and the Canavese.

History and architecture

There used to be an older, small church on the site of today's San Secondo. This church was probably built by the Benedictines. In the first half of the 11th century the structure was raised and enlarged up to its current size. The architecture is typically Romanesque, with a projecting façade. The inside of the church is divided into a nave and two aisles by rectangular pillars with round arch; the ceiling is a truss. The central nave and the left aisle end both with an apse with a small window. The right aisle's apse has probably been demolished to make room for the bell tower, an elegant structure with mullioned windows in its upper section. At the bottom of the right aisle, on the bell tower's wall, there is a fresco from the 13th or 14th century, representing a Crucifixion with the Virgin and Saint John.

The church was originally built in the ancient hamlet of Magnano, but at the end of the 14th century the village moved to Magnano's current location. At the beginning of the 17th century the parish church was moved to the new church of Santa Marta and there was no reason to preserve the old Romanesque building, so it was decided, in 1606, to demolish San Secondo in order to use its materials to build the new church. Devotees, however, objected successfully to this decision. Baroque decorations were added. During the 19th century the church was abandoned again. In 1968 the Province of Vercelli decided to restore the building, with its original Romanesque appearance.

Gallery

• Belltower and right side
• Belltower and apse
• The apse

Bibliography

• Comunità monastica di Bose (a cura della) La Serra: Chiese Romaniche, edizioni Qiqajon, 1999

See also

• CoEur - In the heart of European paths
• Via Francigena
• Path of Saint Charles

References

1. Bose, a cura della Comunità monastica di (1999). La Serra : chiese romaniche. Magnano (Biella): Qiqajon. pp. 9–10. ISBN 88-8227-056-4.

v t e CoEur devotional path
Religious sites	Bose Monastic Community San Secondo Santo Stefano di Sessano Sacro Monte di Graglia Sordevolo Passion Play Sanctuary of Oropa Sacro Monte di Oropa Sacro Monte di Andorno Mazzucco Sanctuary Banchette Sanctuary Novareia sanctuary Cavallero sanctuary Moglietti sanctuary Nostra Signora della Brughiera Santuario della Brugarola Sacro Monte di Varallo Santa Maria delle Grazie Basilica di San Giulio Sacro Monte di Orta Sacro Monte di Arona Sancarlone Sacro Monte di Ghiffa Sacred Mount Calvary of Domodossola Santuario della Madonna della Bocciola Santuario della Madonna del Sangue Madonna della Gurva sanctuary Festa della Santissima Pietà Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso Madonna del Sasso, Switzerland
Natural reserves	Bolle di Magadino Val Grande National Park Lagoni di Mercurago Natural Park Monte Fenera Natural Park Alpe Veglia and Alpe Devero Natural Park Alta Valle Antrona Natural Park Fondo Toce Natural Reserve Parco Burcina Natural Reserve Bessa Natural Reserve Sacro Monte di Varallo Natural Reserve Oasi Zegna
Connected ways	Via Francigena Camino de Santiago Path of Saint Charles International Frassati Path of Pollone

45°27′58″N 8°00′41″E / 45.4662°N 8.0114°E / 45.4662; 8.0114

• Churches in the province of Biella
• 14th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy
• Magnano