Monumental Entrance to Sacro Monte
A monumental entrance gate opens within the walls that enclose the ancient precinct, highlighting the similarities between the Sacro Monte and historic towns. The city walls and the gate marked the boundary between the sacred space – intended for prayer and contemplation – and the surrounding area. At the end of the 16th century, Bishop Bascapè commissioned the construction, outside the enclosure, of the Albergo, which stands near the gate and was renovated in the 19th century, so that pilgrims, who had sometimes travelled long distances on foot, could rest before embarking on their devotional visit. The monumental gate, in a classical style, was built between approximately 1565 and 1566 to a design by Galeazzo Alessi, as part of the sophisticated reorganisation project for the Sacro Monte known as the Libro dei misteri. The portal was restored (2014) as part of the GAL Terre del Sesia’s Local Development Strategy (PSL), using EAFRD funding for the period 2007–2013.
