Land
of ......... Castles - Sacred Mounts - Sanctuaries - Monuments

Our land does not only offer landscapes, but it is also a cradle of culture, art, religion and history

Rocca di Angera

Rocca Borromeo: in Angera on the Lombardy bank, there is a castle that was an ancient Roman watch tower, headquarters of the Lombard and then of the Francs. Past on to the Visconti, from the 15th century it became property of the Borromeo and in the last years the premises of the Doll Museum and of the Child's Clothing museum.

Colosso di San Carlo Borromeo: arriving to Arona we are left in wonder by the Statue known as "San Carlone" maximum expression of Christian religion. The statue in made of brass, built at the end of the 17th century it is 35 metres tall and can be visited inside for all of its length.

San Carlo-Arona
Santa Caterina del Sasso

Santa Caterina del Sasso: on the bank in the Lombardy's side in front of Belgirate as we arrive from the lake, we are left without words when we see this wonderful sanctuary of the 13th century that is completely built in the stone overhanging on the lake.

Santuario della Santissima Trinità: on top of Ghiffa we find this beautiful natural reserve that extends for about 200 hectares. In the middle of the reserve we can admire the Sanctuary's frescos and chapels dedicated to the Trinity.

Sacro Monte-Ghiffa

Sacro Monte-Domodossola

Sacro Monte Calvario: in proximity to the town of Domodossola we can visit the Sacro Monte (Sacred Mount) placed on the Monte Calvario. Here we find a Sanctuary that was consecrated in 1690, the chapels of the Via Crucis, the Oratory of the Madonna delle Grazie and the ruins of a fortification that was built around the year one thousand.

Santuario della Madonna del Sangue di Re: in the Valley Vigezzo, in the locality of Re, we find an impressive Sanctuary that is visited by many pilgrims. It was built over the church of S. Maurizio in memory of a miracle of 1494, where tradition tells that from a fresco representing the Madonna, blood poured out for many days after it was hit hard by a stone.

Madonna del Sangue-Re

Sacro Monte-Orta

Sacro Monte di Orta: On the valley above Orta, we find the Sacro Monte, with the church of San Nicolao and the devotional route that is completely dedicated to the life of Saint Francis. The crucial moments of his life are told in the twenty chapels enriched by frescos and statues made by the most famous sculptors of the 16th 17th and 18th centuries.

Santuario della Madonna del Sasso: in front of Orta on the west bank of the homonymous lake we find the beautiful baroque building began between 1730 and 1748 on granite stone. Because of its panoramic position and because it overhangs on the lake, it is with no doubt one of the most peculiar sacred places.

Madonna del Sasso