Lomello

Lomello (i.e. the Laumellum of Roman foundation) gave its name to the entire territory of Lomellina and was already mentioned in the writings of the geographer Ptolemy, around the 2nd century AD. Lomello was then known as a post station on the Via Regina, which ran from Pavia in the direction of France. 

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the rule of the Longobard kings kept Lomello at the centre of a flourishing trade system. Despite the fact that the royal court resided in Pavia, Lomello was popular with the Lombard aristocracy for leisure and holidays. Around the year 590 A.D. , the wedding of two prominent figures in Longobard history was even celebrated in Lomello: Queen Theodolinda and Duke Agilulfo.

From a historical point of view, the village of Lomello is among the most important in the entire province of Pavia. This is demonstrated, for example, by sections of the ancient defensive walls and the town castle, where precious Renaissance frescoes and the remains of two elegant Roman mosaics are preserved.

The protagonist of a cultural visit to Lomello is then the complex of the basilica of S. Maria Maggiore built during different phases and following different architectural styles. The main church, after the devastating effects of an earthquake, was almost entirely rebuilt during the 12th century in the Romanesque style. A few steps away, the baptistery of S. Giovanni Ad Fontes survives intact from the 5th to 7th century AD and is counted among the masterpieces of earlyChristian art in Lombardy.