10.16.05
Lake Mergozzo. Italian Lakes
Lake Mergozzo. Italian Lakes
In ancient times, this tiny lake was a gulf of Lake Maggiore. Now, it is one of the cleanest lakes in Italy, for many years the use of motor boats has been forbidden. Now its waters are considered a paradise for wildlife. The village of Mergozzo looks down on to the lake. Its houses, typically made in Ossola stone, rest one against the other and are divided by steep streets that often turn into stairs. Picturesque alleys lead into the village square, where an old elm grows where the village magistrates used to sit as far back as XVII century. This village also has many religious buildings, dating back to the Romanesque period. Among these, there is Saint Martha’s Oratory (Oratorio di Santa Marta), seemingly built the first time in IX century, restored in 1130 and partly modified in XVIII century, the church of Our Lady of the Assumption, and St. MaryÂs Church in the country ward of Bracchio. Mergozzo, however, accommodated more ancient settlements and now we can see the evidence of them in theantiquarianm, a museum hosted in the Preacher’s House (Casa del Predicatore). In these rooms there are items dating back to the Bronze Age and Roman Age; many of then were found in local necropolises. Mergozzo granites, in white and green, belong to Italy’s architectural history. For example, the columns of the church of San Paolo fuori le Mura in Rome and the marble used to build the Cathedral (Duomo) of Milan were taken from the famous quarries of Candoglia, still operative today. From the village square, asignaledd path will take you on to antreksk of artistic interest. After a one hour walk along a medieval mule-track, you reach the small village of Montorfano, laying amidst chestnut woods and proudly featuring the most interesting and best preserved Romanesque church in this area (XII centuries). This cruciform building, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, was made using marble coming from the nearby mount Montorfano. Inside and outside the church, recent archaeological excavations brought to light traces of previous buildings that can be dated back to VI and VIII centuries. A short distance away , there is a lookout point, from where the visitor enjoys a wide view of the Borromeo gulf, the estuary of the River Toce and the special natural sanctuary for the preservation of Fondotoce canebrakes. Another pleasant walk will bring you on a military mule-track starting from a bridge on the River Toce, near the road-fork to Mergozzo, and then up to the peak of the mount Montorfano. This is an all-around walk that allows discovery of a section of historical Cadorna Line.
Italian Lakes Tourist Information Guides – Tourism in Varese.
