Cities
Orta San Giulio (NO)
On the east bank of the Lago d’Orta (Orta Lake), can be found one of the most beautiful medieval towns of Italy: Orta San Giulio. It is characterized by narrow lanes, where it is a pleasure to take a walk among the shops and ancient buildings. The palaces are characterized by wrought iron balconies, the remaining legacy of what once was a flourishing art up until the last century, and by the porticoes open onto the gardens sloping down towards the lake. Leaving the historic centre, two distinctive houses can be seen: Villa Crespi, a late eighteen hundreds palace in Moorish style with a minaret and unusual architectural parts, and Casa Marangoni (Marangoni House), known as the Casa dei Nani (Dwarves’ House). The latter is the oldest building in Orta, probably dating back to the end of the XIV century, and it was called the Dwarves’ House because of four small windows that are above the wooden architrave. To describe these enchanting places, we should mention the words of writer Piero Chiara: "Orta, God’s watercolour, it seems as if it’s painted onto a silk backdrop, with its Sacro Monte (Sacred Mountain) behind, its noble main street lined with closed buildings, the silent square with the repentant façades behind the foliage of the horse-chestnut trees, and opposite, the isle of San Giulio, similar to Dante’s ethereal Purgatory, hesitating between water and sky." The isola di San Giulio (St Julius’ island), in the middle of the lake, was given its name by the saint evangeliser, who rests in peace on the island in the Romanesque Basilica of the same name. The religious complex of the Sacro Monte (Sacred Mountain) is located in the middle of the Riserva Naturale Speciale (Special Nature reserve) of the same name. Both places are easily accessible from Orta.
Info
Via Bossi, 11 - 28016 Orta San Giulio (No)
Tel.: +39.800 905222 - Fax: +39.0322 90133
E-mail: municipio@comune.ortasangiulio.no.it
www.comune.ortasangiulio.no.it
