Arona is one of the most important towns on the Piedmont side of Lake Maggiore, closely linked to the Borromeo family and one of its most celebrated members: Saint Charles Borromeo.
The Rocca where Saint Charles was born
Arona was one of the Borromeos’ first fiefs on Lake Maggiore, and Saint Charles Borromeo was born in the town’s Rocca on 2 October 1538. The fortress, of medieval origin, was partly destroyed on the orders of Napoleon Bonaparte: today, its ruins overlook the town, offering wide views of the lake and the surrounding mountains.
The Sancarlone, the giant overlooking the lake
At the summit of the Sacro Monte of Arona stands the Colossus of Saint Charles Borromeo, known as the “Sancarlone”: a colossal 35-metre-high statue, created between 1624 and 1698 at the behest of Cardinal Federico Borromeo to a design by Giovanni Battista Crespi. The monument’s distinctive feature is that it can be visited from the inside: a staircase runs through the pedestal and the body of the statue up to the saint’s head, from which it is possible to look out over the lake through small openings, including the eyes.
Who was Saint Charles Borromeo
Nephew of Pope Pius IV, who appointed him bishop and cardinal at just twenty-two years of age, Saint Charles was elected Archbishop of Milan in 1565. He died on 3 November 1584, was beatified in 1602 and canonised in 1610, just twenty-six years after his death: a journey that bears witness to the immense popular devotion he inspired during his lifetime.
Arona on Lake Maggiore
Arona lies on the Piedmont side of the lake, a short distance from Stresa and the Borromean Islands. To find out more about the history and visiting hours of the Sancarlone, refer to the monument’s official website.
From Arona, it is possible to head inland towards the Ossola area, with its vineyards and tastings.
A port and a municipality of almost 14,000 inhabitants
With over 13,600 inhabitants, Arona is now a lively tourist and service centre, benefiting from its location along the Simplon route and its motorway and rail links with Milan. It is the largest port on Lake Maggiore and the official headquarters of Navigazione Lago Maggiore, as well as an important hub for the area’s road and rail connections. Its economy rests on several pillars: tourism, trade, mechanical and optical industries, Piedmontese crafts and boating.
From the Torriani to the Borromeos
Inhabited since prehistoric times and home to Roman fortifications, Arona was ruled in the Middle Ages first by the Torriani, then by the Visconti, before finally becoming a Borromeo domain in the first half of the 15th century. In the second half of the 12th century, it became a free commune, a refuge for numerous Milanese fleeing the rule of Barbarossa: the town’s traditional market, still part of local life today, dates back to that very period.
A bridge between the two shores of the lake
Thanks to frequent boat connections, Arona also serves as a bridge to the Lombardy side of Lake Maggiore, particularly to Angera and its Rocca: a link that shows how, despite belonging to different regions, the lake has always united rather than divided the communities along its shores.
A town that deserves more than a brief stop on the way to the Borromean Islands.
A rich cultural heritage
Beyond its best-known monuments, Arona preserves an urban fabric rich in historic buildings and lesser-known artistic treasures, rewarding those who take the time for an unhurried stroll through the streets of the centre, away from the most popular routes to the Sancarlone and the Rocca.
A town that can still surprise those who visit it with curious eyes.
A story that continues, glass after glass.
History, faith and views, in one lakeside town.
