Introduction
The Basilica of San Giulio is located on the small island of San Giulio in the center of Lake Orta. It holds the title of a minor basilica.
While the island is part of the municipality of Orta San Giulio, which was formed in 1928 through the merger of Orta Novarese and the island of San Giulio, the basilica is part of its own parish. The Parish of San Giacomo encompasses both the island and parts of the western shore of the lake, within the municipality of San Maurizio d’Opaglio.
Tradition holds that the Basilica of San Giulio is the hundredth and final church founded by Saint Julius, a Greek native of Aegina. With his brother Julian, Saint Julius spent his later years evangelizing around Lake Orta. According to legend, around 390 AD, Saint Julius arrived at the island by sailing on his cloak, where he liberated the land from dragons—symbolizing the defeat of paganism. He then constructed a small church dedicated to the twelve apostles.
In the early Middle Ages, the island’s strategic location made it an important defensive hub. Initially, it served as the seat of a Lombard duke and later housed a castle owned by the King of Italy, Berengario II. The castle eventually came into the possession of the Bishop of Novara. Military conflicts, including sieges, likely affected the church’s development, causing damage and possibly altering parts of its structure. Some historians speculate that the octagonal tower of the castle, demolished in 1841, might have once functioned as the baptistery for the island’s parish church.
Architectural Development and Excavations
Archaeological excavations within the basilica have uncovered evidence of a primitive basilica from the 5th or 6th century, which was a small chapel with a single apse oriented towards the north, possibly due to the land’s topography. Around a century later, a larger church was built, oriented correctly with a single apse. It is believed that the church was heavily damaged, if not completely destroyed, during the sieges of 956 and 962 when Queen Willa, wife of King Berengario, defended the fortress against the forces of Emperor Otto I.
Following the siege, Otto I granted lands and resources to the canons, enabling them to rebuild and expand the church. Over the centuries, the church underwent numerous modifications, with bishops influencing the design, leading to a mix of architectural styles. The current church, dating back to the 12th century, features Romanesque design with three naves and a projecting transept. Inside, it houses a carved pulpit made of green serpentine marble from Oira, which is considered a Romanesque masterpiece. The pulpit is adorned with Christian symbols and scenes depicting the battle between good and evil. Additionally, the church contains a 17th-century crypt that holds the remains of Saint Julius and several other saints.
Architecture of Basilica of San Giulio, Orta San Giulio, Italy
Architectural Style : Romanesque Architecture
Exterior of the Basilica
The facade of the Basilica of San Giulio is visible from the lake or from the enclosed square in front, which now forms part of the Benedictine nuns’ monastery. Despite 17th-century modifications, such as the addition of a pronaos with a large Serlian window, the facade retains its Romanesque character. Two protruding pilasters frame the entrance and rise to the roof, dividing the facade into three sections that reveal the three-nave structure of the church. The central section features a cross-shaped window at the top and a series of hanging terracotta arches along the gabled roof. The lateral bodies of the facade are bordered by two slender stepped towers, built in the 12th century, adorned with mullioned windows and terracotta architraves.
The basilica’s visitor entrance is located on the southern side, hidden almost entirely by the ancient Bishop’s Palace (now the convent of the nuns). The entrance is accessed by crossing a Renaissance portal and climbing a covered stairway. To the east, the basilica is framed by three semicircular apses, one of which is obscured by the sacristy. The central apse, made of well-squared ashlars, is notable for its elegant gallery of double-arched terracotta arches.
The octagonal dome, which stands at the intersection of the central nave and transept, dates back to the Romanesque period, although it was remodeled at the end of the 18th century. One side retains its original blind three-light window with slender columns and foliated capitals.
The Romanesque bell tower is detached from the church, situated near the apses. Internally divided into six floors, it is lightened by mullioned windows on the upper levels. The bell tower’s architectural style draws from Piedmontese influences, particularly that of the Fruttuaria Abbey, suggesting the involvement of the influential abbot and architect Guglielmo da Volpiano, who was born on the island.
Interior of the Basilica
Inside the basilica, there are three naves with cross vaults. Notably, the church retains two women’s galleries along the side naves, accessible via spiral staircases in the small bell towers flanking the facade. Most of the basilica’s structural elements, however, stem from the 17th-century renovations. These changes include the construction of an esonarthex against the counter-façade, which connects the two matroneums on the upper floor, and the building of a crypt in 1697. The crypt, with its three naves, ribbed vaults, and marble columns, houses the shrine containing the remains of Saint Julius.
The original flooring, a mosaic of black and white stones, was destroyed between 1835 and 1840. It featured Zodiac symbols and visions of Joseph, but was replaced with a less significant mosaic floor. By 1894, the floor was further replaced with quartzite tiles in green, grey, and golden yellow. Only a small section of the original flooring survives near the left pillar of the main nave.
The basilica’s walls are adorned with frescoes dating back to the 1300s, including a depiction of Saint Anthony the Abbot from 1461. These frescoes, particularly the ones on the right nave’s second and third chapels, reflect the popular artistic style of the Cagnola dynasty, widely seen in churches and chapels around Val d’Ossola and Lake Orta. The most baroque aspects of the basilica are the frescoes on the apse and main nave, depicting the Trinity and the glory of Saint Julius and other saints. These were painted by Carlo Borsetti and his assistant Pietro Camaschella.
Notable artworks include a 16th-century fresco of the Assumption of the Virgin in the left chapel, as well as paintings of Saint Julius and Saint Audenzio by Giuseppe Zanatta and Giorgio Bonola. The church also features a Romanesque pulpit, crafted from grey-green serpentine marble, dating back to the early 12th century. This pulpit, a remarkable example of Romanesque sculpture, is adorned with biblical scenes and allegories of the battle between good and evil.
Pipe Organ
In the central nave, on the left wall of the choir stall, is the Mascioni pipe organ (opus 1188), built in 2011 by repurposing the case of an older instrument. The organ features two consoles—one located on the choir with a window, and another mobile console in the transept. Both consoles have two 58-note keyboards and a 30-note pedal board. The organ’s display includes three cusps of principal pipes with shield-shaped mouthpieces, adding to the basilica’s rich acoustic and visual heritage.
Feast Day
Feast Day : 31st January
The feast day of the Basilica di San Giulio, located on Isola di San Giulio in Lake Orta, is celebrated on January 31st. This day honors Saint Julius (San Giulio), who is believed to have evangelized the region and established the first church on the island around the 4th century. The feast day celebrates his life and contributions to the spread of Christianity in the area.
Church Mass Timing
Sunday : 8.45 am , 11.00 am
Church Opening Time:
Monday : 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Tuesday : 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday : 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday : 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Friday : 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday : 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday : 9:30 am – 5:00 pm
Contact Info
Address:
Isola S. Giulio, 28016 Orta San Giulio NO, Italy.
Phone : +39032290358
Accommodations
Connectivities
Airway
Milan Malpensa (MXP) Airport to Basilica of San Giulio in Orta San Giulio, Italy distance between 52 min (46.2 km) via A26dir/A8dir/E62.
Railway
Orta-Miasino to Basilica of San Giulio in Orta San Giulio, Italy distance between 6 min (2.2 km) via Via Panoramica.
