Arona (; pms, Aron-a ; lmo, label=
Western Lombard
Western Lombard is a group of dialects of Lombard, a Romance language spoken in Italy. It is widespread in the Lombard provinces of Milan, Monza, Varese, Como, Lecco, Sondrio, a small part of Cremona (except Crema and its neighbours), Lodi ...
, Aruna ) is a town and ''
comune
The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...
'' on
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore (, ; it, Lago Maggiore ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh Maggior; pms, Lagh Magior; literally 'Greater Lake') or Verbano (; la, Lacus Verbanus) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest la ...
, in the
province of Novara
Novara (It. ''Provincia di Novara'') is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Novara.
In 1992, the new Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola was created through the fusion of three geographical areas which had previou ...
(northern Italy). Its main economic activity is tourism, especially from
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, France and Germany.
History
Archaeological findings have shown that the area of what today is Arona was settled from the 18th–13th centuries BC. Prehistoric pile-dwellings have been found near the town and are part of the
Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps
Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps are a series of prehistoric pile dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from about 5000 to 500 BC on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. In 2011, 111 sites located various ...
UNESCO World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...
. Later it was a possession of the
Celt
The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancient ...
s, the
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
and the
Lombards
The Lombards () or Langobards ( la, Langobardi) were a Germanic people who ruled most of the Italian Peninsula from 568 to 774.
The medieval Lombard historian Paul the Deacon wrote in the ''History of the Lombards'' (written between 787 and ...
.
In the 11th century the Benedictine abbey of
Saints Gratianus and Felinus, Martyrs, was founded.
After the siege and destruction of
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
in 1162 by Emperor
Frederick Barbarossa
Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (german: link=no, Friedrich I, it, Federico I), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death 35 years later. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on ...
, many of the exiled took refuge in Arona.
Later the town was a possession of the
Torriani The House of Della Torre (Torriani or Thurn) were an Italian noble family who rose to prominence in Lombardy during the 12th–14th centuries, until they held the lordship of Milan before being ousted by the Visconti of Milan, Visconti.
History
T ...
and (from 1277) of the
Visconti
Visconti is a surname which may refer to:
Italian noble families
* Visconti of Milan, ruled Milan from 1277 to 1447
** Visconti di Modrone, collateral branch of the Visconti of Milan
* Visconti of Pisa and Sardinia, ruled Gallura in Sardinia from ...
families. In the early 14th century, the town became a free commune under the suzerainty of the abbey. In 1439 it was acquired by
Vitaliano Borromeo
Vitaliano I Borromeo (died 1449) was an Italian Ghibelline nobleman from Milan, first Count of Arona. His father was Giacomo Vitaliani, ambassador of Padua to Venice, and his mother Margherita was of the prosperous family of Borromeo. He married ...
and, as a result, the
House of Borromeo
), type=Noble family, country=, estates= Rocca d'Angera Palazzo Borromeo, Milan Castel of Peschiera Borromeo Borromean Islands Villa Borromeo, Arcore, titles=* Prince of Angera
* Marquess of Romagnano
* Count of Arona
* Count of Peschiera
* Lo ...
.
Geography
The city of Arona is located on the Piedmontese shore of
Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore (, ; it, Lago Maggiore ; lmo, label=Western Lombard, Lagh Maggior; pms, Lagh Magior; literally 'Greater Lake') or Verbano (; la, Lacus Verbanus) is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest la ...
and is crossed by the Vevera stream, which flows into the lake. Around there are the hilly bas-reliefs of morainic origin incorporated into the
Lagoni di Mercurago Natural Park where, in 1860, the first
pile-dwelling settlement found in Italy was identified. The hills are generally covered by woods that occupy more than half of the territory. 33% of the surface is occupied by the urbanized areas, 9% by meadows or pastures; smaller percentages are allocated to parks, gardens and green sports areas (2.3%), vegetable gardens, orchards, nurseries and vineyards (1.7%), uncultivated herbaceous (1%) and arable land (0.4%).
[Relazione illustrativa del ''Piano particolareggiato "Litorale sud"'', Arona, 2010, pp. 25-26. Consultabile sul sito del ]
Main sights
Arona's main attractions include:
*''
Sancarlone
The San Carlone or Sancarlone or the Colossus of San Carlo Borromeo is a massive copper statue, erected between 1614 and 1698, near Arona, Italy. It represents Charles Borromeo, Catholic saint and former archbishop of Milan. According to Barth ...
''. This giant statue of
Saint Charles Borromeo
Charles Borromeo ( it, Carlo Borromeo; la, Carolus Borromeus; 2 October 1538 – 3 November 1584) was the Archbishop of Milan from 1564 to 1584 and a cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was a leading figure of the Counter-Reformation combat a ...
was commissioned by Cardinal
Federico Borromeo
Federico Borromeo (18 August 1564 – 21 September 1631) was an Italian cardinal and Archbishop of Milan, a prominent figure of Counter-Reformation Italy.
Early life
Federico Borromeo was born in Milan as the second son of Giulio Cesare Borro ...
, and construction began in 1614, completed in 1698. At it was the largest bronze standing statue in the world, still second only to the
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; French: ''La Liberté éclairant le monde'') is a List of colossal sculpture in situ, colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the U ...
. It is said that the architects behind the Statue of Liberty consulted the blueprints of the Sancarlone when laying out their own. The statue was intended as part of a complex of buildings and chapels celebrating the life of St. Charles, of which only three chapels were completed. Next to the statue are the 17th-century basilica and the former Archbishop's Palace. A smaller version of the statue, the ''Sancarlino'', can be seen in Corso Cavour in the town.
*''La Rocca'' ("The Castle") is a park owned by the Borromeo family. The park used to contain the castle of Arona, destroyed by the
Napoleonic armies, and was the birthplace of St. Charles Borromeo himself. The park is freely open to the public and is a favourite of many locals; many animals are kept in semi-captivity in various areas of the park.
*The ''Lungolago'' ("Lakeside") offers a view of the castle on the opposite shore, the
Rocca Borromeo di Angera
The Rocca Borromeo di Angera, or Rocca d'Angera, also called Borromeo Castle, is a castle on a lakeside hilltop in the limits of the town of Angera in the Province of Varese on the Southern shores of Lago Maggiore. It is visible from across the ...
, the lake and the Alps. Swimming in Lake Maggiore is now possible, after years of pollution. A beach has been refurbished by this group close to Piazza del Popolo in the town centre, called ''Le rocchette'' ("The little rocks").
*''
Collegiata della Natività di Maria Vergine'' (1482) - church has paintings of the life of the Virgin Mary by
Pier Francesco Mazzucchelli
Pier Francesco Mazzucchelli (commonly known as il Morazzone; 1573–1626) was an Italian painter and draughtsman who was active in Milan. He is mainly known for his altarpieces, but his outstanding achievements are large decorative frescoes ...
, also known as Morazzone, and a ''Holy Family'' by
Gaudenzio Ferrari
Gaudenzio Ferrari (c. 1471 – 11 January 1546) was an Italian painter and sculptor of the Renaissance.
Biography
Gaudenzio was born to Franchino Ferrari at Valduggia in the Valsesia in the Duchy of Milan. Valduggia is now in the Province of V ...
.
*
Santi Martiri
*
Sacro Monte di Arona
The ''frazione'' of Mercurago is home to
Lagoni Park, a protected area including a peat-bog, pastures dedicated to the breeding of thoroughbred horses and a woodland area. There are also some archaeological findings from the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
, including ancient
wheel
A wheel is a circular component that is intended to rotate on an axle Bearing (mechanical), bearing. The wheel is one of the key components of the wheel and axle which is one of the Simple machine, six simple machines. Wheels, in conjunction wi ...
s.
Transport
Arona is north of Milan's
Malpensa International Airport
Milan Malpensa Airport is the largest international airport in northern Italy, serving Lombardy
Lombardy ( it, Lombardia, Lombard language, Lombard: ''Lombardia'' or ''Lumbardia' '') is an administrative regions of Italy, region of Italy that ...
, actually closer than Milan itself. It is also connected to the railway network, being one of the main stops in the important link between Milan and Switzerland that passes
Domodossola
Domodossola (; Lombard: Dòm) is a city and ''comune'' in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy. It was also known as Oscela, Oscella, Oscella dei Leponzi, Ossolo, Ossola Lepontiorum, and Domo d'Ossola ...
(another parallel link travels through
Como
Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label=Comasco dialect, Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and ''comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como.
Its proximity to Lake Como and ...
). Arona is also the last station for two minor rail lines, connecting Arona
to Novara and to
Santhià
Santhià (; pms, Santià or ) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Vercelli in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about northwest of Vercelli.
Santhià is home to a historic carnival named the ''Ca ...
; the latter uses single-car
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
trains.
Due to the town's size, there is no public transport, but some bus companies connect the town to its ''frazioni'' of Dagnente, Campagna, Mercurago and Montrigiasco, and to neighbouring municipalities.
Arona is near a confluence of motorways, and from there one can head for Milan, Genoa, and
Gravellona Toce
Gravellona Toce () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about west of Verbania
Verbania (, , ) is the most populous ''comune'' (municipalit ...
(where the motorway becomes a simple highway to Domodossola and continues into Switzerland). Whereas there is a motorway exit named after Arona, the exit at
Castelletto Ticino is usually more convenient for the traveller coming from the direction of Milan.
The headquarters of ''Navigazione Lago Maggiore'' (Lake Maggiore's ferry company) are located in Arona, along with its
shipyard
A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...
. Arona is the southernmost
port
A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...
on Lake Maggiore, and transport by
boat
A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats.
Small boats are typically found on inl ...
or
hydrofoil
A hydrofoil is a lifting surface, or foil, that operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to aerofoils used by aeroplanes. Boats that use hydrofoil technology are also simply termed hydrofoils. As a hydrofoil craft gains sp ...
is available to both sides of the lake up to the Swiss city of
Locarno
, neighboring_municipalities= Ascona, Avegno, Cadenazzo, Cugnasco, Gerra (Verzasca), Gambarogno, Gordola, Lavertezzo, Losone, Minusio, Muralto, Orselina, Tegna, Tenero-Contra
, twintowns =* Gagra, Georgia
* Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
...
.
Surrounding municipalities
*
Oleggio Castello
Oleggio Castello is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about north of Novara
Novara (, Novarese: ) is the capital city of the province of Novara in th ...
*
Meina
Meina is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about northwest of Milan, about northeast of Turin and about north of Novara, on the southern area of Lake Maggiore.
During World War II, ...
*
Comignago
Comignago is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about north of Novara.
Comignago borders the following municipalities: Arona (NO), Arona, Borgo Tic ...
*
Dormelletto
Dormelletto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Novara in the Italy, Italian region of Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about north of Novara. As of 31 December 2018, it had a population of 2,600 and an area of .All de ...
Twin towns – sister cities
Arona is
twinned with:
*
Compiègne
Compiègne (; pcd, Compiène) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France. It is located on the river Oise. Its inhabitants are called ''Compiégnois''.
Administration
Compiègne is the seat of two cantons:
* Compiègne-1 (with 19 c ...
, France
*
Arona, Spain
*
Huy
Huy ( or ; nl, Hoei, ; wa, Hu) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium. Huy lies along the river Meuse, at the mouth of the small river Hoyoux. It is in the ''sillon industriel'', the former industrial ...
, Belgium
References
External links
Official website Arona.net a private portal
AronanelWeb history and events of the city
Discover Arona Local information
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arona (No)