Land of Art - Regione Piemonte

© ATL Valsesia Vercelli www.atlvalsesiavercelli.it
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Vercelli
A veritable treasure chest
GPs vercelli
Lat. 45°19'26"N
Long. 8°25'23"E
VERCELLI
† Vercelli,
Basilica of Sant’Andrea
A shrine for priceless treasures - Arca has hosted, and continues
to host, a vast number of highly admired exhibitions, and
is considered the second most important exhibition centre of
modern and contemporary art in Piedmont, after Turin.
San Marco Church,
arca exhibition centre
Vercelli - piazzetta San Marco, 1 - Ph. +39 0161 596333
Info: open only during exhibitions and shows.
www.comune.vercelli.it www.guggenheimvercelli.it
rca” (Italian for ‘ark’) was considered the most appropri-
“A ate name for a “safe haven” in which to safeguard priceless
works of art. This has been the venue’s mission, ever since
its opening in 2007 in the town of Vercelli. Arca is a very modern
structure, made of glass and steel, placed in the central nave of
the church of San Marco. This simple yet innovative parallelepiped
has become one of the town’s symbols, epitomising the will
and ability to combine antique and contemporary elements. The
crystal vaults of the Arca are transparent, so that the majestic
medieval vaults of the church can be admired from inside the
parallelepiped. Furthermore, the church’s marvellous frescos,
after being covered with whitewash for years, are being skilfully
restored by the young restorers of the Conservation and Restoration
Centre of Venaria Reale.
Taking up only part of the central nave, the Arca effectively splits
the church interior into two different areas. One, the Arca’s interior,
is fitted with all the latest technologies to guarantee observance
of the international standards for the exhibition of works
of art. The other, larger area is made up of the side naves and
the apse, and is available for events linked to the internal exhibitions
or other unrelated events. Every year, important exhibi-