Arona

Have been founded in Gaul, Arona was Roman territory, mentioned in documents only by the Saxon period (sec X).

Amizone he built the great abbey of SS. Gratiniano and Feline entrusted to the Benedictines, these large fortress and walls, exerted a profound influence on religious, cultural and political about the area, until the advent of the Visconti (late 200), that the end of the 300 reduced the abbey in commendam.

The fortress dismantled by Visconti, it was rebuilt and enlarged by the Borromeo, Arona and new lords of the district from 1493, the castle was the birthplace in 1538 San Carlo Borromeo.

Although ‘the continued prevalence of Borromeo, came the Spaniards (1535) and remained there until the end of their war of succession (1714), when the Austrians took over.

The Treaty of Worms (1748) are included in Arona possessions of Savoy, which, except for the Napoleonic period, when the fortress was razed to the ground (1800), held it up to the establishment of the kingdom of Italy.

The large lake is cultivated in gardens (monument to the poet and patriot aronese Luigi Boniforti) to chestnut and pergola.

From the lake, toward the way of theater, flows into the San Graziano square at the bottom of the square, high property rises the baroque facade of the collegiate church of the martyrs Gratiniano and Feline, on the site of the disappearance Benedictine abbey.

By Garelli, go up to the square of Philippi (war memorial), then the path to the right leads to the collegiate church of San Carlo Santa Maria (XV-XVIII century) present parish, carried out by Cardinal Federico Borromeo and restored in 1857.

The square of the people finally found the house of the fifteenth Podestà, then the residence of the Borromeo, with a portico adorned with round terracotta and the Renaissance facade of the church of Our Lady of the square, or the Madonna of Loreto designed by Pellegrini (1592), in which is preserved the manuscript of the famous Sanctuary of Loreto.

Sailing from Arona to Stresa takes about 50 minutes, excursion to Arona can accompany the visit of the fortress Borromeo Angera.

Arona on Tuesday is market day in the morning that lasts only until 13.00 on