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Rosazza (Biella)- Parish Church of the Saints Peter and George
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Show to visit in the Biella area: |
 The Parish Church of Saints Peter and George in Rosazza was built at his own expense in 1876 by Senator Federico Rosazza, a native of Rosazza. It reflects, like few other buildings, the spirit and sentiments prevalent among a certain segment of the Piedmontese (and European) bourgeoisie of the time, which combined devotion to one's hometown, patriotism, patronage, a passion for the Middle Ages, and membership in the Freemasonry. It should be noted that religious sentiment, on the other hand, was barely present, and the church should be seen as a gift to its fellow citizens, rather than a demonstration of religious devotion, as as would have been in the previous centuries.
HISTORY
The church described on this page was built to replace the previous one, located further up the village and not actually old, but by then too small for the then-growing population.
It was built on land previously occupied by one of the village cemeteries. The remains there were moved to the new Monumental Cemetery, built a little further down the other side of the Cervo stream, built the year before also by Senator Rosazza.
It is worth emphasizing that the senator's impact on his hometown of Rosazza is extremely strong, and this is what makes Rosazza unique among Alpine villages. Furthermore, the senator enriched not only Rosazza, but the entire Cervo Valley, with numerous works of social, aesthetic, and economic value. A true example of philanthropy driven by sincere devotion.
The church was entirely built according to the designs of the painter Giuseppe Maffei of Graglia, who also painted the interior decorations. Almost everything was created using local materials and relying on artisans and craftsmen from the Biella area or Piedmont. The three secondary altars, from the now-defunct Church of San Silvestro in Genoa, are exceptions.
Categories: Places of historical value
Via Giuseppe Mazzini, 2, 13815 Rosazza BI |
Parish Church of the Saints Peter and George: Further pictures in the section Photography |