ANGERA
On the shores of Lake Maggiore is the city of Angera, 16km from Arona. The first traces of a settlement date back to the 2nd century BC, followed by a period of commercial development.
In the Borgo Antico you can access the Museo Diffuso, an open-air museum with a series of sites throughout the territory. Nearby, the artist Andrea Ravo Mattoni has created a mural that reproduces the work "Boy with a fruit basket" by Caravaggio. There are also historic workshops.
One of the most important attractions is the Rocca Borromea, which was born as a fortified structure in the 11th century. The Viscontis rebuilt and expanded it. The residence passed to Borromeo in 1449 and was further renovated.
Since 2008, the ancient garden has been recreated, on the basis of medieval sources. The garden is divided into four parts: Grove, Garden of small herbs, Garden of the Princes and Verziere. After the pergola, you can see the Torre Giovanni Visconti and, once you pass the entrance arch, you enter the Cortile Nobile.
Inside the castle, the Ala Scaligera is the oldest part (13th century), where today works of contemporary art are exhibited. The Doll and Toy Museum follows. The room houses a rare collection, including automatas that move to the rhythm of musical tunes. Added to this is the Children's Clothing Museum, with clothing from the 1800s and 1900s.
Other historical rooms are the Hall of Justice, painted by the "Maestro of Angera", and the Hall of Ceremonies, with the remains of late Gothic frescoes.
Another place to visit is the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Riva, built following the miracle of sweating blood on June 27, 1657. The Madonna del Bambino cried blood on one of the walls of the city and since then it has been detached and transported on canvas. The reproduction is located right in the shrine.
The miracle is also celebrated with a procession of boats on the lake.
Angera also offers a number of scenic walks. For example, the Oasi della Bruschera, a flooded forest which can be accessed via Arena or via della Bruschera. The latter houses a shed for birdwatching. The marsh is home to many migratory birds, including herons, grebes and coots. The "Punta della Forca" area extends in the swamp, perhaps so called because it was a place of executions. Don't let the name put you off: the panorama, calm and relaxing, speaks for itself. The Carmorants live on Partegore Island and it was there that methane was discovered. Access is free, but has no direct connections: it can only be reached by boat.
San Quirico is the highest point of Angera (410m), reachable via the Sentiero delle Erbe.
The Tana del Lupo, or Antro di Angera, is an ancient mithraeum, or a place of worship of the god Mithras. The site was frequented until the Late Middle Ages, as found by a series of archaeological excavations. It is a cave with two main tunnels: one leads to the side chambers; the other leads to the antrum, the fulcrum of the mithraeum. Inside there are both human interventions, especially engravings, and natural interventions, which have produced limestone deposits.
In the Borgo Antico you can access the Museo Diffuso, an open-air museum with a series of sites throughout the territory. Nearby, the artist Andrea Ravo Mattoni has created a mural that reproduces the work "Boy with a fruit basket" by Caravaggio. There are also historic workshops.
One of the most important attractions is the Rocca Borromea, which was born as a fortified structure in the 11th century. The Viscontis rebuilt and expanded it. The residence passed to Borromeo in 1449 and was further renovated.
Since 2008, the ancient garden has been recreated, on the basis of medieval sources. The garden is divided into four parts: Grove, Garden of small herbs, Garden of the Princes and Verziere. After the pergola, you can see the Torre Giovanni Visconti and, once you pass the entrance arch, you enter the Cortile Nobile.
Inside the castle, the Ala Scaligera is the oldest part (13th century), where today works of contemporary art are exhibited. The Doll and Toy Museum follows. The room houses a rare collection, including automatas that move to the rhythm of musical tunes. Added to this is the Children's Clothing Museum, with clothing from the 1800s and 1900s.
Other historical rooms are the Hall of Justice, painted by the "Maestro of Angera", and the Hall of Ceremonies, with the remains of late Gothic frescoes.
Another place to visit is the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Riva, built following the miracle of sweating blood on June 27, 1657. The Madonna del Bambino cried blood on one of the walls of the city and since then it has been detached and transported on canvas. The reproduction is located right in the shrine.
The miracle is also celebrated with a procession of boats on the lake.
Angera also offers a number of scenic walks. For example, the Oasi della Bruschera, a flooded forest which can be accessed via Arena or via della Bruschera. The latter houses a shed for birdwatching. The marsh is home to many migratory birds, including herons, grebes and coots. The "Punta della Forca" area extends in the swamp, perhaps so called because it was a place of executions. Don't let the name put you off: the panorama, calm and relaxing, speaks for itself. The Carmorants live on Partegore Island and it was there that methane was discovered. Access is free, but has no direct connections: it can only be reached by boat.
San Quirico is the highest point of Angera (410m), reachable via the Sentiero delle Erbe.
The Tana del Lupo, or Antro di Angera, is an ancient mithraeum, or a place of worship of the god Mithras. The site was frequented until the Late Middle Ages, as found by a series of archaeological excavations. It is a cave with two main tunnels: one leads to the side chambers; the other leads to the antrum, the fulcrum of the mithraeum. Inside there are both human interventions, especially engravings, and natural interventions, which have produced limestone deposits.