Porta Seriana - L...

In the 15th century Seriana or Serina Gate was located between Casa Gaia, nowadays the convent of the Sisters of Charity, and the ancient hospital, which has been replaced by a new boarding building.

It had two doors guarded by a portcullis and it was protected by a lookout tower.

It’s mentioned in the privileges that the Visconti granted to Lovere on April 12th, 1413.

The outbreak of plague and the attempt of peasants and of the poor to enter Lovere led the town government to close the gate in 1459 and remove its key.

Since it was seriously damaged at the beginning of the 19th century, the gate was demolished in 1837 to enlarge Gerosa street.

In this quarter, which took its name from the gate name, lived several families such as some branches of the Celeris, the Lanfranchinis, the Stampardis de Demos, the Granelles and the Gaias.

THE CIVIC TOWER
ST. GEORGE’ S CHURCH
CAPUCHIN MONASTERY
ST. JOHN’S SANCTUARY ON MOUNT CALA

THE CIVIC TOWER
It was rebuilt during the XIX century. On the tower there’s a clock and a fresco of a lion, symbol of the Venetian rule, bearing the date 1442.
The fresco below is a false, a part of the original fresco beeing now kept in the office of the town hall while the other part got destroyed.
The Civic Tower, which dates back to the XIV century, lies on the remains of the castle of the Celeri family.

ST. GEORGE’ S CHURCH
Lovere provostal church was built at the end of the 14th century over the previous medieval tower Soca. It houses a magnificent painting placed on the inner by the Flemish painter Jean de Herdt (1657). The altar-piece of the left altar painted by G. Paolo Cavagna (1556-1627) and the altar-piece of the high altar attributed to Jacopo Palma il Giovane (1544-1628) deserve special mention.

CAPUCHIN MONASTERY
St. Maurice’s Convent has been standing on the homonym hill since the 12th century. In 1448 Friars Observant built up their monastery here. They stayed till 1601, when Friars Reformed replaced them and greatly enlarged the building. In 1805 Napoleon ordered the dissolution of the monastery. It was only in 1875 that its reconstruction started and a Franciscan Capuchin community moved here again in 1879.
St. Peter’s Chapel, located in the churchyard of the convent, houses a remarkable 15th-century fresco representing Madonna enthroned with the Child.

ST. JOHN’S SANCTUARY ON MOUNT CALA
St. John’s Sanctuary on mount Cala was built at the end of the 14th century probably on the remains of a Medieval fortress belonging to the noble Celery family. The church underwent a radical transformation in 1606 and has remained the same since then.
Featuring a semi-circular window facing towards the west in the upper part of the façade, the front of the Sanctuary has a fully-enclosed porch except for the arched main door with an iron gate.
Inside the church, the nave has four side altars in marble dedicated to St. Rocco, St. Carlo, St. Fermo and the Virgin of Hope. The altarpiece behind the main altar is a valuable work of art by Antonio Cifrondi from Clusone (17th century).