The town of Orta San Giulio. Italy. Lake Orta. What to see in Northern Italy

The magnificent four Northern Italian lakes (Maggiore, Lugano, Como and Garda) have younger brother- lake Horta(Orta).

Less has been written about it, it is not as accessible and not as visited as its counterparts. Located in Piedmont to the left of all the others, it is smaller in size, but no less beautiful. Around the Alps, from which wonderful panoramas open up. We climbed high, it was not difficult to walk down to the lake, but back... But the view right from the room was worth it. The most interesting placethe lake is without a doubt a town ( Orta San Giulio Orta San Giulio) , located on a peninsula, and a nearby island San Giulio .

(Isola San Giulio)The entire peninsula can be walked around along the embankment. First, at the entrance, at its narrowest part, you can see an unusual structure, shaped like something Turkish, similar to a minaret. This is Villa Crespi, built in 1897 as a private residence by a rich manCristoforoCrespi, and now a luxurious 4-star hotel http://www.villacrespi.it/

with a Michelin star restaurant.the lake is without a doubt a town . Further, moving along the path along the lake clockwise, you will come to the historical part of the city

Unwittingly comparing similar coastal lake towns - Stresa on Maggiore, Bellagio on Como, Malcesine on Garda, I still give preference to Orta. And this is due primarily to its less touristy character, or rather less glossiness compared to the others. It looks more natural and natural.

From here you can and should sail to the mini-island of San Giulio. Its dimensions are 275 by 140 meters. You can use the services of boats for 4-50 euros per person, or you can sail on a regular boat that runs according to a schedule for 3-15. Swimming will take no more than 5 minutes.

A narrow circular street allows you to get around the entire island in about 20 minutes. For the most part, it is sandwiched by the walls of the territories of villas and other buildings, but in some places there are branches leading to the lake. There is one restaurant, one gift shop, one St. Basilica. Giulio, where he actually rests, and one Benedictine monastery. The monastery is female and active. About 70 nuns are particularly involved in restoring old tapestries. There is a museum at the monastery.Returning from the island back to Ortu , it's worth climbing the mountain. At the turn of the 16th-17th centuries in Piedmont and Lombardy, special places of prayer were erected everywhere, mainly on the mountains - groups of chapels, churches and other buildings for religious purposes. It was planned that they would replace Palestine, which was difficult to access in those days, from the point of view of pilgrimage. Nine of these places, and in particular here on the peninsula, are included in the UNESCO list of protected sites. The chapels are quite worn out and are not very interesting to the average tourist. But the views from the mountain are wonderful.

To fully complete your tour of the peninsula, it’s worth going back to the city and walking along it. northern shore. The path basically goes right along the edge of the water. It is extremely picturesque and pleasant. Coming out again to “Villa Crespi”, you will close the circle and finish exploring the main attractions of Lake Orta.

We drove around the lake by car. Other cities were not impressive. We stayed at Omenye (Omegna) And Pelle ( Pella) .

The first one is completely uninteresting, and the second one can be stayed if you don’t find a suitable hotel near Orta San Giulio. From Pella it is easy to sail to the other side of the lake using the same regular boat.

Result: A beautiful pre-alpine lake, less often visited by tourists and therefore more natural and cozy.

If you want to go on a trip to Europe organized by me, look at the current offers for joining groups on my website www.dmitrysokolov.ru

Dmitry Sokolov

• Unusual travels to Europe http://www.sokolovcz.ru/
• Our boarding house in South Moravia http://www.pansionnalednicke.ru/
• My travel blog

From Stresa via Baveno to summer season There is a SAF bus to the town of Orto San Giulio. There are only three buses a day. Stresa is located in the middle part of the lake opposite the Borromean Islands, and can be reached directly from Milan (there is also a bus directly from Milan-Malpensa airport). It's almost as convenient to be based in Baveno, and hotels may be cheaper there, but not all trains stop in Baveno. Morning again.. On one of these 3 days on Lake Maggiore we also went to Lake Orta,
located about half an hour from the city (40 kilometers from Milan, in the province of Piedmont) ...
Road. First we drive along Stresa along the embankment.

Since I hardly saw Stresa, I watch the landscapes with all my eyes.
Very beautiful!! The blue of the lake
blue sky and mountains.
My favorite mountains!! Yachts, pleasure boats.

Weightless clouds.
We turn left..
We are already beyond Stresa.
The forest and lake remained somewhere to the right...

Some kind of river.

We are already approaching our destination .

The bus takes us to Villa Crespi.

ABOUT!! Building in oriental style.
The owner of this amazing building was inspired by Persia and in 1879 he built a small Baghdad on Orta. You can look at the interiors of the villa and even live in them - now there is a 4-star hotel with a restaurant with 2 Michelin stars.
From here you can climb up the Holy Mountain and go down the winding walking trail.
The climb is not steep at all. We go up the mountain on a tourist train (We still have to walk and walk..) and then we walk

The very perception of the park and the mountain is not clear to me. Everything is simple here.
Just a forest, slightly landscaped with rocky paths. Shadow, silence...
In the 16th century, its own replacement for Jerusalem appeared here - the Holy Mount of Sacro Monte (sanctuary of Sacro Monte (1591-1770), dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi). At that time, not just individual churches were built, but entire complexes of churches and several chapels - the Holy Mountains. The most beautiful and scenic spots. All Holy Mountains are architectural monuments Italy and included in the list of objects World Heritage UNESCO. The Holy Mountain of Sacro Monte is dedicated to Saint Francis. The project included 36 chapels, but 21(20?) were built. We walk between them.

Each chapel (painted with frescoes) is accompanied by a description of a scene from the life of St. Francis.
My photos are very unimportant, of course, inside the chapels. That's why I didn't take a lot of photographs.
Only the most illuminated places and frescoes.

All this is like a guide to the life of the saint - from birth to the appearance of Christ, who blessed the Franciscan order.
The complex includes more than 900 frescoes and 375 sculptures. According to the guide, all the chapels were built at the same distance from each other so that the pilgrims could read the “Our Father” 10 times while moving from chapel to chapel. All of them (chapels) are numbered. You can study the life of St. Francis by moving between them in a certain order.
Artists and sculptors decorated these chapels with frescoes and groups of life-size statues depicting scenes from the life of St. Francis.
We also try a little while examining to adhere to the numbering of the chapels.
My eyes, as always, are more occupied with the surrounding landscape than with the guide’s story or contemplation of the chapels and works of ancient masters. With age, my interest in painting disappeared.
In Madrid, an hour later I escaped from the Prado Museum. But in my youth I was actively interested in painting, artists, I read a lot about them and their creations too. She wasn't bad at drawing herself. And now I’m somehow not interested in either artistic paintings or distant history. Alas, I now prefer the well-kept cities and villages of Germany, Switzerland and the nature of these countries. I’ve already seen enough of the devastation and tattered houses in Russia!! But I love Spain.. Especially the park of Ordessa and Madrid.. This is a “lyrical digression.”
We go upstairs to the church. We didn’t go into the church—there was a service going on. But they peeked out of the corner of their eyes. Beautiful.
The winding path leading to the church offers beautiful views of Lake Orta and the island of San Giulio.
Silence. In Orta San Giulio you immediately immerse yourself in an atmosphere of romance and tranquility. Yes, there are tourists, but they are somehow unnoticeable against the backdrop of old streets and a lake bordered by mountains. Near the embankment there are boats transporting those interested to the island of San Giulio (price 4.5 euros round trip). The captain sells tickets, the boats sail quite often. The chapels are no longer fresh - antiquity, antiquity, history. How many centuries have they been? There are also frescoes that are almost “unreadable”. The lighting is very poor (natural) - that’s why the photo is not best quality with my soapbox. Everything for history buffs. There are plenty of such places (and even more beautiful ones) in Russia. On the sides of the path there are 21 chapels. Next to the church - Observation deck. The population of the island of San Giulio in Italy is only 110 people.
Lake Orta - absolutely amazing lake! Compared to Lago Maggiore (we came here from Stresa) it is very small. The water in the lake is a completely deep blue color.
This small Lake Orta is one of the most romantic places in Italy. It is 13 km long and 2.5 km wide. The wonderful nature and preserved atmosphere of antiquity give these places a unique charm, making Lago d'Orta popular for tourists and a favorite holiday destination for Italians. Silence, peace, tranquility. It seems as if time has simply stopped. Despite receiving the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, there are no large crowds of inquisitive tourists here to admire this silent theater, which is perhaps unparalleled in the entire history of culture.
When traveling to Lake Orta, be sure to have comfortable shoes, because... although the climb is small, it goes along paths paved with cobblestones. Here we are walking along the paths. Shady.
In the heat, it should be comfortable here.

Fence, cottage.
Let's take a look at the territory out of the corner of our eyes. Well-groomed territory and view Beautiful. And the tail of the island of Orta is visible.
Next is this metal sculpture. Guess for yourself. I really didn't take many photographs. Which I regret a little now... The lighting in the chapels is poor, and I just wanted to enjoy nature and silence.. In conclusion, a few words about the holy mountains in general: Italian monasteries and the Holy Mountains (Sacri Monti) - a real guide to European history. They are not as popular among tourists and not as promoted as the creations of the Renaissance masters, but they are definitely worth a visit. 1. Unique frescoes, statues and bas-reliefs (for those who are interested). 2. These mountains offer breathtaking views of the lakes Northern Italy.3.For centuries, people believe that prayers are fulfilled here and the sick and suffering are healed. There are 9 holy mountains in Italy - the main ones are in Piedmont and Lombardy. And the energy here is truly amazing! It’s not just that people have believed for centuries that it is here that all prayers and cherished desires are fulfilled! Faith is a big deal...
So - the wonderful town of Orta and Mysterious Island silence. The town is very small, very quiet and calm.

We walk along the narrow streets, looking at the houses with interest,

looking into every picturesque gateway.
Let's go, let's go...
Now the hydrangea has decided to bloom - and it’s already September!!

We go down the narrow cobbled streets to the pier..

We go out to Motta Square, which since the 15th century has served as the center of political power and commercial center of the Lake Riviera. Since then, weekly markets have been held here, and on the square itself and around it there are a great many tiny cafes, shops, and benches. What is there? The building with frescoes on the walls in Piazza Mota is the main attraction of the city of Orta San Giulio, built in 1582 (the courthouse where the church fathers administered justice to the Inquisition.) The walls of the building are decorated with frescoes depicting the Madonna.

The house has only a second floor, which is supported by columns. For me, mushrooms and macaroni (pastes) of all kinds of colors, shapes and sizes were especially interesting.
But I’m not a fan of buying everything in my path and then dragging it all home, rolling my eyes. The cafes here are all tempting. But where to find time? He is always sorely lacking... People here are happy. This is certain. All Italians love to enjoy life - simply because life is unique and beautiful for everyone. Food, weather, wine. Simple decorations - pots, decks with flowers. Yes, any vessel always has flowers and greenery!! A very sad sketch. Either an aquarium, or a huge glass goblet right next to the wall of an old house.
It contains a touching, painfully familiar green “flower.” Lives (lived) in water, like in a vase. Some lop-eared tourists, having stumbled, broke the little cozy house of the “flower”. And before our eyes, he was already lying helplessly among the fragments, silently calling for help.. I found on the Internet a photo of this “flower” still alive.. And during our arrival he was lying in a puddle of water next to a broken “glass”. How could it be so reckless to place a glass vessel under the feet of tourists... Italians are always happy, living every moment of their lives in pleasure. We go out again to Piazza Motta. From the square there is a view of the nearby island of San -Giulio, shining through between the crowns.
There is a boat pier right on the square. We are waiting for our “ship”. From here you can clearly see the white chapel and tower, clinging to the very edge of the rock - this is a female active monastery Sanctuary Of Madonna Del Sasso, which tourists are not allowed into. You can only walk around it in a circle along the so-called “road of silence,” along which wise quotes hang in four languages. The island changes colors throughout the day. In the evenings, the façade facing the lake is illuminated by spotlights and appears to be hanging over the dark abyss of the lake. They say it looks very impressive. Here comes our boat. We sit down and sail to the mysterious island of silence San Giulio. It’s only 400 meters away...
We sail on a boat to the island and can’t stop admiring the lake. Compared to Lago Maggiore, it is quite small, however, the charming island of San Giulio still found a place here.
The island is completely occupied by churches, turrets and private villas.

And it is named after the Greek Saint Julius, who settled here in the 4th century and built the first Christian church in Piedmont. (According to legend, in ancient times these waters were inhabited by giant snakes, which terrified the entire area. Arriving on the island, Saint Julius destroyed the snake den located here and founded a small church.) When Julius arrived at the lake and wanted to cross to the island, the boatman refused him, citing huge monsters with wings and a spiky tail. Then Julius spread out his traveling cloak and, as if on a raft, crossed to the shore, and then, having defeated the dragons, settled on the island.
Church of Santa Maria Assunta from the 15th century with a Romanesque portal, richly decorated with frescoes and paintings from the 17th century. We passed her...
There she is visible in the distance on the shore of the town. We make a circle around the island and
We moor to the shore.
The main attraction of the island of San Giulio is the Basilica of San Giulio, built here in the ninth century, famous for its black marble pulpit, decorated with images of wild animals and birds and amazing 15th-century frescoes, including the Madonna and Child enthroned, attributed to Gaudenzio Ferrari. Entering the arch, we immediately find ourselves at the entrance to the Basilica, where the relics of St. Julius are kept.
Let's go inside. Nobody here. The basilica is very beautiful. Light penetrates the windows from above. We go down the stairs and find ourselves in the crypt where the relics of St. Julius are kept. There is a large thick book on a high stand. Everyone can write down their most secret things in it, pray and ask Saint Julius to help fulfill their cherished desire. (I remember that the guide here said that only drunkards are healed here). But I didn’t really listen... And I didn’t make any wishes. As, indeed, in other places... The island is very small - 275 meters long and 140 meters wide... There is only one street here, which is called the “Path of Silence”. Here are all the sights of the town. Benedictine convent occupies almost the entire territory of the island. The doors of the monastery are tightly closed. Nuns have a vow of silence. But I think they sometimes violate this prohibition with pleasure. The monastery is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, as are the Episcopal Palace and the Basilica of San Giulio. The Basilica of San Giulio, built in the 9th century by the Bishop of Novara, is the largest building on the island. Interestingly, the Church of St. Julian has become the largest among modern newlyweds popular place for a wedding, and this finally secured the glory of the picturesque Lake Orta as the most romantic place in Italy. The popularity of the small lake in this regard cannot be compared with either Milan, located less than an hour’s drive from here, or the impressive Lake Maggiore, which is even closer. (The famous Italian writer Gianni Rodari was born in one of the houses in the town in 1930.) Pedestrian The street runs along the entire perimeter of Isola di San Giulio, by walking along which you can get acquainted with all the attractions of the island. It is very narrow.
I walked down the street... Silence, closed space - only the sky above my head. No - it's not mine. I love open spaces with wide views. It's scary here. (Although, in the summer heat, it’s probably very comfortable here.) Of course, you can think here... If you get into the habit of living here. On the island, along the church walls, the nuns came up with the idea of ​​hanging signs with philosophical inscriptions - so that tourists, walking along this road of silence, would reflect on the meaning of life. “Listen to the silence” “In silence you will get everything you need” “Listen to the water, the wind and your own steps "Silence in itself is Peace"

“In silence you can understand everything” “If you can be yourself, you are everything” “In silence, accept everything” “Silence is the language of love”

“Silence is peace with yourself” “Silence is music and harmony” “Silence is truth and prayer” “In silence, meet the Maestro” “In silence, breathe God”

If you follow the street in reverse direction, this will no longer be the “Road of Silence”, but the “Path of Reflection.” (Path of Meditation)

The guide reads the signs to us from the other side.. Here are the expressions for understanding this path

“Every journey begins close” “Walls exist only in your mind” “Open your being”

“The moment is now, here, now” “Leave yourself and mine” “Accept, grow, mature (improve)” “Be simpler, be yourself and people will be drawn to you”

“The wise man makes mistakes and smiles” “Come to yourself that you are you, that is everything” “When you are aware, the journey is over.” good thoughts. I'll think about it. We return along the Path of Reflection back to the pier... You can get to the island from central square you can take a twenty-seater boat for 4.5 euros per person round trip or on a city boat - it costs about 1-2 euros. They run quite often, every 20 minutes, so there won’t be any problems with that..... I prefer it myself Orto-san town. Giulio!! It's so cool here.. Orto San Giulio..

Such a friendly, kind grandfather..

of advanced (very) years in a shabby suit, but powdered and pomaded.
Old, with slightly shabby houses,

but so sweet and cozy Ortho - San Giulio!!

With narrow streets covered in flowers,
with a beautiful view of the lake!! And a monastery on the island where a Russian emigrant lives, the owner of a souvenir shop. She is 84 years old. Never in her life did she leave this island.. And she didn’t even know that there was a second World War! (She lived well!!) But she seems to be happy... It’s kind of like the balcony of her house.
I, too, would be happy in the town of Orto San Giulio. And on the island?? I don’t know.. Maybe - if you have a villa on the shore with a wide view of the surrounding places and a boat. Cozy Lake Orta and the Island of Silence.. And the town of Orto San Giulio.. You remained in my heart.. And, it turns out, a lot remains in my heart after traveling around Europe. The realization of what you have seen comes later.. The horizons expand, and the sadness deepens from the realization that you cannot see even more on the beautiful planet called Earth.. For a banal reason - lack of sufficient finances..
And no matter how much you save, it’s not enough. The euro is growing catastrophically.. The dollar too.. And this means a very strong decrease in the opportunity to see the planet... And they keep assuring us that we live, supposedly, better..

In the north of Italy, in the province of Piedmont, there is one of the smallest alpine lakes - Orta (Lago d'Orta). Compared to Lake Lago Maggiore, located next door, it is very small: its length is just over 13 km, and its width - 2.5 km However, in its waters there was a place for the charming island of San Giulio, completely built up with churches, turrets and private villas.

The island was named after the Greek Saint Julius, who settled here in the 4th century and built the first Christian church in Piedmont. According to legend, Lake Orta was inhabited by dragons who were feared local residents. When Julius arrived at the lake and wanted to cross to the island, the boatman refused him, citing huge monsters with wings and a spiky tail. Then Julius spread out his traveling cloak and, as if on a raft, crossed to the shore, and then, having defeated the dragons, settled on the island.

The island of San Giulio is very small - 275 meters long and 140 meters wide, so the walk will take no more than an hour. There is only one street here, which is called the “Path of Silence”. All the attractions are located on it - the episcopal palace, the Benedictine convent, which occupies almost the entire territory of the island, and the basilica, built by Julius in the 4th century.

The monastery on the island of San Giulio was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. A significant part of its buildings is closed for restoration, but tourists can visit the monastery library and explore several churches built between 1583 and 1788. The Basilica of St. Julius is also open to the public. Here you can see frescoes from the 15th-16th centuries with scenes from the life of the saint, for example, one of the scenes is Julius’ expulsion of the dragon from the island.

Tourists walking along the streets pay attention to every house; on their walls you can see signs with a variety of philosophical inscriptions, for example, “In silence you can comprehend everything,” “If you can be yourself, you represent everything,” “Walls exist.” only in your mind" and others.

The island of San Giulio is located in the waters of the Alpine Lake Orta // Frank Bach

You can get to the island by small ferry or boat taxi // Frank Bach

The ferry to the island of San Giulio departs from Piazza Motta in the town of Orta San Giulio // Captblack76

According to legend, Lake Orta and the island were inhabited by sea ​​monsters and dragons // pcruciatti

Along the perimeter of the island there are luxury private villas // Crisferra

The Benedictine convent is surrounded by magnificent private villas, the territory of which tourists are, of course, prohibited from entering. However, all buildings can be viewed from the water by booking a boat tour or renting a rowing boat. Tourists on the forums advise not to be shy about bargaining with taxi boat drivers - this way the cost of the trip will be slightly lower. A taxi boat ride can cost about 50 euros for half an hour, and renting a boat can cost 12-15 euros per hour.

The island of San Giulio is opening beautiful views from Piazza Motta in the town of Orta San Giulio, located on east coast lakes. So what can tourists do while waiting for the ferry? beautiful photos, as well as drink coffee and have a snack, sitting on the open terraces of the cafe.

Visiting time

The island of San Giulio is open to tourists all year round, and each season has its own advantages. For example, in February it is shrouded in fog, so it best time for those who want to take beautiful pictures. In June, Villa Tallone hosts a festival of early music, and in September there are Sunday recitals. In the midst tourist season It is recommended to book in advance.

How to get there

Closest to Lake Orta Big City- Milan (about 80 km southeast). At Milano Centrale station, tourists need to connect to the train on the Novara - Domodossola line and get to Novara station. The cost of the trip is about 10 euros one way.

At Novara station you need to change trains on the Domodossola/Omegna line and get to Orta-Miasino station. Travel time is 55 minutes. Train schedules and ticket prices can be found on the website www.trenitalia.com. You can also take a bus from Novara to Horta.

The best way to get from Milan Malpensa Airport is to take a taxi. A distance of 36 km will not cost much more than the road public transport with several connections. For a taxi company, it is even more profitable. And the travel time will be about half an hour, and not 2-3 hours, taking into account transfers.

Those arriving at Bergamo airport must first travel to the central railway station(Milan Stazione Centrale). Shuttle Buses depart from the arrival terminal every half hour, travel time is about an hour. The cost of a one-way ticket is 10 euros. Tickets can be purchased both at the airport terminal and directly from the driver. Then tourists need to take the train, any of three directions will do - Central Station Novara, Turin, Domodossola, you need to get off at the Novara platform.

Location

The island of San Giulio is located in, 40 kilometers from, in the province, in the middle of Lake Orta.

July 6th, 2009 , 11:00 pm

 
ORTA SAN GIULIO

I'm having a conversation with the evening lake
The high mode of the song. In a thin thicket
Tall pines, from sandy ledges,
From beyond the graves and crypts, where the lights are
Lamp and smoky-gray twilight -
I send him songs in love.

It doesn’t see me - and it doesn’t need to.
Like a tired woman, it
Spread below and looking into the sky...

– A. Blok, Above the Lake

Orta is a deep recess left in granite by a passing glacier (as evidenced by moraine deposits on south coast lakes) between ledges Monte Orfano And Mottarone.

When, having descended from the mountains, you see the panorama of Horta for the first time, it will take your breath away. wild beauty. Markus Werner in the book "Terraferma" called this painting “God’s watercolor”

In the middle of the lake, opposite the city where the hotel was waiting for us, is the island of San Giulio - a tiny piece of land rich in history.

The first known settlers on the shores of the lake were the Ligurians, then the Gauls, who were replaced by the rule of Rome. The Romans left almost no traces of their rule on this land: the shores of the wild lake, isolated from the rest of the world, looked unsuitable for Roman colonization - there were no open spaces here, usual for the construction of military settlements.

Historical civilization came to the shores of Orta sometime around 390 AD, when two brothers - Julius And Julian(Piedmontese version of Cyril & Methodius) arrived here from Greece on an apostolic mission. It is believed that Julian stayed in Gozzano, where he founded a church dedicated to St. Lawrence, and Julius ( Julius, Giulio) walked deeper into the mountain gorge and managed to reach an island in the middle of the lake - the island that today bears his name. There he built his hundredth church, and there, having completed his travels, he died and was buried in the sanctuary he built...

According to legend, Julius could not find anyone on the shores of the lake who would undertake to transport him to the island - local residents were deathly afraid of the monstrous dragon snakes that allegedly inhabited the waters of the lake (most often they were seen in the bay Bagnera- north of the peninsula on which the city of Orta San Giulio stands today). That's why Julius He took matters into his own hands: he spread his monastic robe across the lake waters and swam to the island on it. And so it was, my Catholic friends. But there are still people who refuse to believe in miracles!

In the year 488, Victor, Bishop of Novara (those who are curious will find Novara on the map - south of the lake) began to build a fortified castle on the island, and on the site of the destroyed church built by San Giulio - a new temple. The construction was completed by the next Bishop, who transferred the remains of San Giulio to the basilica, dedicating the temple to the apostles Peter and Paul.

In 575, Lombardy archers arrived on the banks of the Orta. Minolf, Count of Upper Novara, threw out the Bishops from all the territories he had occupied, took possession of the island and settled in the castle built there, further strengthening it in anticipation of the invasion of the Franks. Minolf built towers and small forts at strategic points along the coast of the lake and on all roads leading to it (the ruins of these structures can still be seen in Pella, Bucchione and Mount Mesma). These preparations did not help Minolf very much: he was unable to protect his possessions from the new Lombard king Ajigolf, and in 591, by royal decree, he was beheaded “for treason” (isn’t that ancient history Western Europe terribly reminiscent of the new history of some countries in Eastern Europe? The difference is only about 1300 years... ;)))

In 774, Charlemagne expelled the Lombardians and revived the Bishops' hopes for the return of their previously owned property... but not for long! In 840, Lothario the First, who came from Pavia, asserted his power over the entire lake region. In 950, Berengario the Second declared his power anti-people (okay, I'm kidding), but then Otto the First came and everything changed again. In February 962, in Rome, Otto the First was declared Emperor; this was the culmination of the history of San Giulio. It was at this time that the island became the place where the fate of the Empire was decided. Otto sent his son Litolf to besiege the island fortress, and then he himself arrived to lead the military operations. It took many months to break the resistance of the island's defenders. After this, Orta enjoyed a period of blessed peace for some time, during which it became the center of commerce for all of Piedmont.

Perhaps one of the readers is wondering: Is Calmeyer really so smart that he remembers the dates and names of this entire Italian gang? No, my friends, Calmeyer doesn’t know or remember a damn thing. He simply extracts information from books, and then rewrites it in his journal, so that everyone thinks that he is so smart (as one Russian poetess put it, “very smart”). They always want to show off their education!

In the course of the events of subsequent centuries, after numerous conspiracies and military clashes, the situation changed: now the Bishops were considered the rulers of the Lake Riviera, but local administrative functions were transferred to governors, whose military apparatus could ensure the obedience of the plebs.

In the early 1500s, the Sforza clan invested local population heavy taxes, which caused outbreaks of popular uprisings, bloodily suppressed by Count Visconti, and in 1529 the jurisdiction over the region of the lakes was again officially transferred to the hands of the Bishop of Novara, Archibald... until two centuries later, in 1767, the ruler of Novara didn't Charles Emanuel III Savoy, who declared invalid the rights of the Bishops to govern the Lake Riviera.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the lake area came under French rule. Charles Emanuel III renounced power and went into exile in Sardinia. After the unification of Italy, the entire area was included in Piedmont, and the Bishops were officially deprived of the rights to feudal ownership of the lands of the Lake Riviera - although they were retained the rights to conduct a census of property: land plots and buildings.

But since we need pictures and a plot, then let’s go back to the plot and start squeezing pictures.

Having dragged our suitcases into the hotel, we went out onto the balcony of our room, which overlooked the lake and the island of San Giulio.

Orta San Giulio – absolutely small town, and on the first day we visited almost all the sights (with the exception of the sacred hill Sacro Monte). This is what houses facing the lake look like:

Town Square Piazza Motta Since the 15th century it has served as the center of political, administrative power and commercial center of the Lake Riviera. From then to the present day, weekly markets have been held here. On the square and around it, in the porticoes of old houses, there are a great many tiny shops, cafes, and restaurants.

There is also a building decorated with the Orta coat of arms. Palazzo della Comunita, in which representatives of the Lake Riviera communities met since 1582. The walls of the building are decorated with frescoes depicting the Madonna, Saints Francesco, Giulio, etc.

From the cafes located on the square there is a view of the nearby island, shining through the pruned crowns of horse chestnuts. The island changes colors throughout the day

There are boats tied right next to the cafe. The whole life of the town is inextricably linked with the lake...

Despite the snowy winters, the microclimate of Orta San Giulio allows the cultivation of subtropical plants, and the city is surrounded by greenery. This is such a somewhat unusual bindweed, 4 floors high.

By mid-afternoon, people - locals and tourists - flock to the square: drink beer, have a snack, chat about this and that and plunge into the sleepy ritual of siesta

Further from the center, the streets become so narrow that there is no point in driving a Ford there: you can drive through, but parking or simply opening the door and getting out of the car is a problem. But tiny Italian cars are perfectly suited for a medieval city. Pedestrians also know their responsibilities: when a car appears, you need to quickly jump into the nearest entrance - and no one will run over you!

When it gets hot in the afternoon, in the hallways old houses luxurious coolness reigns

The statue in the hotel courtyard depicts San Giulio. There are many of these images everywhere on Orta. A variant of a personality cult that does not pose the slightest danger to the population...

The next morning we decided to go to the island - to get acquainted with the basilica and the fortress, for which so much blood was shed at one time. We arrived at the piers at Piazza Motta too early: there was still half an hour left before the first boat, and I had nothing left to do except take pictures of those showing off nautical uniform"Captains" of the fleet of lake boats. Noticing that they were being photographed, the captains proudly posed in front of the lens (Italians are made for such dramatic moments!... ;)

Finally the first boat appeared. Apart from Tonya and me, there were no tourists yet: the boat was carrying restaurant servants and workers engaged in repairing two buildings to the island.

From the lake, the white chapel and tower are clearly visible, clinging to the very edge of the sheer cliff rising on the western shore. This is a convent - Sanctuary Of Madonna Del Sasso. In the evenings, the façade facing the lake is illuminated by spotlights and appears to be hanging over the dark abyss of the lake. Very impressive. I tried to shoot at night from the city, but I couldn’t get anything except a couple of light spots... This is what it looks like during the day, from the island.

It turned out that it was a great idea to arrive at San Giulio before the tourist groups arrived. The basilica was still closed, but deserted island was given to the two of us, and we set off along the only street that encircles the island.

Bell tower of the Basilica of San Giulio:

Entrance to the church library:

Bishop's Palace:

Former monastery, later an abbey building:

Street around the island:

I don't know what it's like official name this street, but judging by the signs hanging on the houses, the monks called it Path of Silence:

Silence is one of the rarest and therefore precious commodities in our hectic world, and walking along the deserted street of the island, you can fully appreciate the content of the monastic tablets:

"Listen to the silence"
“Accept yourself as you are, grow, mature”
“In silence you will get everything you need”
“Listen to the water, the wind and your own steps”
“Silence in itself is Peace”

The greatest impression was made on me by the carved pulpit, on which a griffin, a lion with wings, San Giulio and Saint Guilhelmo da Volpiano are carved. The latter was born in the island fortress during the siege of it by Emperor Otto in June 962; he was subsequently destined to become one of the early adherents of St. Benedict; then he went to France, served as abbot in Dijon, built several churches and radically rebuilt the abbey Saint-Germain-des-Prés. This is how the sculptor depicted Saint Guilelmo in the Basilica of San Giuliano:

I was going to photograph the temple frescoes that I liked, but the basilica gradually filled with people, and photography is officially prohibited there, and we went out into the air.

The day turned out to be quiet. In the clear lake water, right near the shore, schools of fairly large trout were walking.

Narrow passages led from the street to the lake, in some of them there were boats, in other openings the city could be seen, but the inhabitants were still nowhere to be seen

We went through one such gateway to the shore, but even there we didn’t find anyone except ducks

The only person we encountered was a statue of an unknown gentleman pointing his finger at some apparently very important book. Tonya asked: “Who do you think it could be?”, and I, not wanting to lose the aura of an all-knowing husband, lied that it was Charles Emanuel III Savoy. My wife looked at me doubtfully and said: “Surely, as always, you’re lying...” This woman cannot be deceived!...

In one of the houses I was impressed by the door knockers, made in the shape of bronze female hands...

...in another house I liked the majolica tiles embedded in the wall, depicting a horse-drawn carriage of the 19th century

Having walked around the entire island twice, we sat down to wait for the boat. Fish played in the water, and delightfully nimble lizards scurried along the stones of the embankment. A cook in a tall white cap came ashore from the only restaurant and squatted down, staring at the trout at the pier - probably thinking: “yes, yes, and certainly with garlic sauce...” On the pier, under the walls of the fortress, the teacher was telling the class noisy Italian children about the history of the island, and I was captivated by her gestures; No one knows how to use their hands to express thoughts better than the Italians. Unique art!

Finally the boat arrived and we headed back to town

Here you go. We should also tell you about the contents of the twenty chapels on the sacred hill Sacro Monte(the Catholic establishment are true masters of a rare applied art: conveying God-pleasing legends with the help of a theater of popularly painted dolls!):

...but the fighters’ hands are tired of stabbing, and besides, it’s time to talk about something else.

For a long time, even before the trip, I wondered: how do Italians differ from other peoples of central and western Europe?

The answer came unexpectedly (at least one of the possible answers). In Pasignano, in the Castle where we settled, there lived an elderly couple of professors from Chicago, specialists in physical chemistry: a woman named Lee and her husband, whose name was Felix. Both are several years older than Tonya and me, but, to their credit, they are in excellent physical shape. We met and made several trips together to the surrounding towns. Felix and Lee have been coming to spend their holidays for 13 years now. spring break in Pasignano - every year for two months, and always stay at the Castle. Lee – a true midwesterner in God knows what generation. Felix was born in 1932 in Hamburg, grew up in Nazi Germany and in 1943, as was customary in those days, became a member of the Hitler Jugend. In the spring of 1945, he, along with others, was conscripted and for some reason sent to Bavaria. There, Felix was given a machine gun and cartridges and assigned to a stable to guard army horses, forbidden to leave his post under pain of a tribunal, after which all contacts with his superiors were severed. For eight days Felix constantly guarded the horses. First he ran out of food supplies, then he ran out of horse feed. On the ninth day, a hungry 13-year-old boy decided to go outside to find someone who could tell him what was happening and what to do next. “Everything was so good at the very beginning,” Felix says with a poisonous grin, “our people came close to Moscow, everyone was happy that from the trenches they could already see the Moscow suburbs with binoculars, and then suddenly - pfft! - The war is already on German territory. We were deceived. Since then I realized: you can’t trust any government!”

Having learned that I was Jewish, Felix asked if I understood that he, as a member of the Hitler Jugend, had not committed any crimes. I reassured him that I myself was a member of the Komsomol, and that he and I bear equal responsibility for what two aggressive powers, where we were unlucky to be born, had done.

One evening, a professorial couple and I sat on the balcony with a bottle of wine, watching the sunset. It must be said that both Felix and Lee speak and read Italian fluently and feel at home in Italy. Felix at some point admitted that he would like to be Italian, that this country is much closer to him in spirit than any other. Then I asked him a question: what attracts him to the Italian nation?

- Italian nation? - he asked, - this is an oxymoron. The Italian nation never existed and still does not exist. Go out onto Pasignano Street and ask any person who they think they are. They will answer you: an Umbrian, or, for example, a resident of northern Umbria, or, in extreme cases, a resident of Pasignano, but no one will say “Italian”. In Rome they will say - Roman, in Venice - Venetian, in Palermo people know that they are Sicilians, not Italians. In this country you will find Calabrians and Abruzzos, but you will not find Italians.
“How,” I doubted, “do you claim that Italians do not exist as a nation at all?”
– Italians have never understood themselves as a single nation. Unlike the Germans or the French.
“You can’t tell this by watching them during sports competitions.” Fans Squadra Azzurra They are unlikely to agree with you.
– During sports competitions, artificially inflated mass psychosis manages to temporarily drown out the historical memory of residents Italian provinces and make them root for the “country-representing” Roman “Lazio” or the “blue team”. But then, when the TV is turned off, everything returns to its place.
- But there is a common Italian language?
– Official language exists, and thanks to newspapers and television it may someday become a unifying factor, but in the provinces even today people speak in local dialects. In fact, the reason lies not even in the language, but in the historical memory of each region. The cruel history of the Apennine Peninsula is covered with such a thin layer modern history that all the grievances and claims against neighbors and Rome have not yet been forgotten, they still hurt.
– Are you talking about medieval civil strife?
- Yes. But not only about that. Italy has never had a firm government that unites the entire country. At different times, its different provinces were ruled by Africans, Germans, Austrians, French, Spaniards, Swiss, visiting bishops... Their power was no worse than the power of Rome. Or the Vatican authorities. On the contrary, very often rulers who came from outside the Apennine Peninsula treated the population much better than their closest neighbors. The Perugians will not forget the violence and abuse to which they were subjected by the Romans and the inhabitants of Lombardy. The historical memory of the Tuscans preserves a long list of cruelties of the Venetian court. And Sicily generally considers itself separate state.
“I saw how enthusiastically the Italians sing their national anthem.
– Italians love to sing, what’s true is true. From 1861 to 1946, the national anthem was considered the anthem of the Kingdom of Savoy, but after 1946 the current anthem was adopted, sounding like an opera aria, or rather like a parody of an opera aria.
– How do you explain that the Italian green-white-red tricolor flutters everywhere here?
– Southern emotionality seeks outlet in artistic expression. Plus, these colors look great when paired with blue, so talk about the love for multi-colored identification.

“What do you think,” I asked, “is the absence of a nation a positive or negative factor?”
– For me it’s positive. German childhood with the Hitler Jugend and Deutschland über alles That's quite enough for me. I don't need a country that Uber alles.
“I have to communicate on the Internet from time to time with Russians, for whom the existence of the Russian nation is a painfully important issue,” I said, “It is a nation that realizes itself in the form of a religion-power.” For the sake of this “Russian idea” they are ready to give up even democratic freedoms.
– Send them to Bavaria to guard the horses and tell them that the Fuhrer will take care of the feed...

To be continued

Lake Orta (its second name is Kuzio) belongs to the high-mountain category. It is traditionally deep and calm and, like most alpine lakes, very popular with tourists. Orta is called the most romantic lake, probably because of its small size and very beautiful nature. Until the 16th century, the lake had a different name - San Giulio (Isola di San Giulio), in honor of St. Julius, one of the two Greek brothers who came here to preach Christianity. From that moment until the 17th century, the lake bore the name of its patron, after which it was renamed in honor of the main city located on the green peninsula - Orta San Giulio (province of Novara). The name of the saint still bears small island in the middle of the lake, which became last refuge his remains. According to legend, water monsters used to live here. In the 4th century, the Greek missionary Julius managed to set them on the right path. Since then, order has reigned on the island.)

The most romantic lake in Italy, it is always shrouded in a veil of mystery. They say that even the splash of its quiet waves is like the gentle whisper of lovers. It is not known when the first wedding ceremony for visitors was held on the banks of the Orta, but since then the number of people wishing to have a wedding here has only been growing. The popularity of the small lake in this regard cannot be compared either with the dazzling Milan, located less than an hour's drive from here, or the impressive Lake Maggiore, which is even closer.

The town of Orta San Giulio is located on the shore of the lake and despite the snowy winters, the microclimate allows the cultivation of subtropical plants, and the city is surrounded by greenery.

A walk around the island will not take you much time, but it will be a pleasure: small narrow streets hidden in the shadows of small houses rickety from time to time. There is one on the island interesting feature- “silence” signs. There are signs on the walls of houses with calls for silence and philosophical inscriptions, so that while walking you can reflect on your life. Here is an example of some of them: “Walls exist only in your mind”, “If you can be yourself, you can be everything”, “In silence you can understand everything”, “Be simple, be only yourself.”

You can get to the island from the central square (Piazza Principale), and there are quite a lot of options: on a 20-seater boat for 4 euros per person round trip or on a city boat - it costs about 1-2 euros. They run quite often, every 20 minutes, so there will be no problems with this.

Horta's beauty is best seen on a clear, sunny day, when its calm emerald surface reflects the smallest details of the coastal landscape. This is exactly how it is captured on the canvases of artists and in this image sung by poets. Construction here was almost completed by the 17th century, so the first glance at the Baroque buildings takes us back to the Middle Ages. Horta is much more original than its more famous compatriots - Maggiore and Como - it is almost not felt here technical progress and tourist reality. Traffic is prohibited in the town of Orta San Giulio road transport and most of the day there is silence and serenity.

Perhaps the shores of Orta guarantee visitors one of the most relaxing holiday options, but it does not exclude active pastime. In addition to admiring the medieval streets, you can take quite long walks hiking through birch and chestnut groves, as well as parks and gardens of ancient villas. The infrastructure of the lake includes everything you need for classes. aquatic species sports, but never, even at the height of the tourist season, is it noisy or crowded here.