NOVARA

NOVARA, a town in the Kingdom of Sardinia, capital of a division and province of the same name, stands on a rising ground between the Agogna and the Terdoppio, 53 miles E.N.E. of Turin. It is well built, containing several good and well-paved streets; and was formerly surrounded by walls, but these have now nearly all disappeared. The cathedral is an ancient and handsome building, with a square tower surmounted by a cupola, and contains in the interior several fine paintings and sculptures. The church of St. Gaudenzio is likewise a fine structure, and contains one of the best paintings of Gaudenzio Ferrari. Besides these and other churches, Novara contains public offices, a town-house, court-house, an episcopal palace and seminary, several upper schools, a theatre, hospital, barracks, and market-house. The manufactures of the place are not very extensive, and consist chiefly of leather, cotton cloth, candles, starch, pottery, and biscuits. The principal trade is in silk and rural produce, for the latter of which Novara is the chief emporium in Piedmont. Near the town a battle was fought in 1849, in which the Sardinians were totally defeated by the Austrians under Radetzky. The result of this engagement was the resignation of the crown of Sardinia by the king, Carlo Alberto, and the renunciation of the Sardinia claims on Lombardy. Pop. about 16,000.

The division of Novara is bounded on the N. by Switzerland and the Alps, E. by Lake Maggiore and the Ticino, S. by the Po, and W. by the divisions of Turin and Ivrea. Towards the N.W. it is occupied by the branches of the Alps; but the greater part consists of a fertile plain, watered by the Fossa, Sesia, Terdoppio, Agogna, Ticino, and other smaller streams. Corn, rice, hemp, pulse, &c., are grown here; and on the higher regions the vine is largely cultivated. The division of Novara is subdivided as follows:—