Monastery and Monumental Complex of Torba | Medieval Treasure of Lombardy
Francesco Mari
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The town of Gornate Olona, municipality of the province of Varese hosts the Monastery and the monumental complex of Torba , a medieval treasure of Lombardy on the slopes of a hill where Castelseprio is located and nearby of Lonate Ceppino in a picturesque area that laps the course of the river Olona in the valley of the same name where gentle hillsides and dense woods are the beautiful setting of this historic place.
The history of this former monastery in this complex originates from a tower erected between the fifth and sixth centuries, a building that according to historical documentation belonged as a defensive appendix to the Castrum Romano of the nearby Castelseprio later becoming a Gothic and Lombard stronghold, a site that was used as a military and then religious headquarter with nuns who settled in medieval times.
The official presence of a monastery dates back to a document found, archived and dated December 22, 1049 which certifies a concession by the Ambrosian Archbishop Guido da Velate ?to the monastic order of the nuns of the Sacred Mount of Varese as they did not belong to the Benedictine Order.
?Controversial opinions say that they were and the frescoes that you will admire in the tower are very about three centuries older than the elevation of this monastic settlement.?
This site was abandoned by the nuns for reasons of safety on their health, avoiding diseases caused by a small marshy area of the Olona river on 04th February 1510 with their transfer to the town of Tradate, housed in? the House of the Counts, donated by Ubertetto Pusterla,father of one of the nuns.
The structure was inhabited for a long time until 1971 by local peasants and farmers, in abandonment and degradation in 1976 the FAI, or the Italian Environment Fund? that protects the conservation of the Italian historical heritage, became the owner of the entire building gradually starting since then the complete restoration of the structures.
Starting the visit you will see that the complex is divided into three sectors, a central body with an adjoining gallery used by the farmers and which houses the Visitor Center, the tower and the Church, all after the restoration beautifully preserved with also a masonry space that was used as an oven.?
You can visit the first floor of the tower that was used by the nuns as a burial space and where the most representative fresco appears, that is the image of a nun with a digitura next to it depicting her name: Casta Aliberga.The first word signifies Immaculate Conception, the second, a proper name of a person of clear Lombard origin attributed to the nun depicted.
Continuation reaching the second floor where we will find ourselves in front of another fresco depicting eight nuns in prayer, unfortunately the deterioration has not left intact the entire anatomical profiles of the human bodies although a good part of the silhouettes were splendidly saved.
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Other important frescoes are a Madonna and Child, a beardless Jesus Christ Pantocrator enthroned, Apostles, St. Mary, St. Euphemia and the head of a lion with suppositions link to the Venetian one of St. Mark.
What is most surprising, apart from the enormous patrimonial value of these works executed centuries and centuries ago is that eminent scholars of art history are still studying these frescoes to obtain confirmations or further details on the executors and techniques used.
Continuation with the Church, erected on an irregular rectangular plan with a nave dedicated to Santa Maria. Built between the eighth and thirteenth centuries with stones from the Olona river assembled using lime and sand and then remodelled with bricks and tuff in the apse section.
?It preserves some lime paintings, one of which depicts the face of St. Joachim, with the inscription next to it KIM? and also the protagonist of superlative discoveries as an ambulatory crypt and some tombs dating back to the eighth century.
The visit of the Monastery and the medieval monumental complex is a must if you are travelling in this area of Lombardy and you will enjoy something of unique in its kind.