Verbania: D5 … Rocca di Angera (Part I)

Our two-part day had us driving to Rocca di Angera first … the farthest point of our outing.

As we had hoped, there was very little traffic on this section of the lakefront road and it took under one hour to get from the ferry terminal in Laveno to the town of Angera. Next, following instructions from the GPS, we drove roads so narrow that we had to fold the sideview mirrors so as not to break them. The good news? The road was one-way. No oncoming traffic to deal with as we made our way to the top of the 660-foot high limestone hill.

On the way up, we got our first glimpse of the impressive Rocca di Angera … a castle that sits atop the spur of rock … overlooking the Lombardy shore of Lago Maggiore. Built for military control prior to the 10th century, the property was purchased by the Borromeo family in 1449 and still belongs to them.

The castle consists of five buildings constructed during different time periods … including a tower and several wings. Several of the castle halls are used for exhibits that are included in the admission … as is the doll museum.

After purchasing our admission, we walked through the arched gate and up the cobblestone path to another arched gate that opened on to a courtyard. Here, we wandered over to the belvedere to enjoy the aerial views of Lake Maggiore and the town.

A third arched entrance — above which was a fresco depicting some of the Borromeo family emblems … i.e. unicorn for devotion; camel for patience — led us to the Corte Inferiore [Lower Courtyard]. A wander into the former stables revealed an 18th century wine press — one of the largest in Europe — and barrels that were once filled with wine.

From the courtyard we gained entrance into one of the wings. I’m going to limit this footprint to the castle grounds and the medieval gardens, so I’ll skip the halls for now and go straight up the stairs at one end of the Hall of Justice.

The wooden staircase took us to a narrow stone staircase that led to the covered terrace at the top of the Torre Castellana. I’m sure the space was intended as a defensive lookout when it was built. For us, it served as a great vantage point from which to enjoy the expansive views in every direction … and also gave us our first glimpse of the fortified curtain walls enclosing the castle grounds.

Descending the tower, we went outside and wandered over to the Giardino Medievale. The sign at the entrance explained the four quadrants of the garden — the shaded Grove … for rest and relaxation; the small herbs garden … for aromatic kitchen and medicinal plants; the vegetable garden … the smaller size of which indicates the rise in prominence of ornamental gardens among the well-to-do classes; and the Prince’s Garden … strictly for pleasure and to delight the senses.

At this point, I should stop writing. But one other part of the castle that I am going to squeeze into this footprint is the museum founded in 1988 by a member of the Borromeo family for the express purpose of exhibiting a collection of dolls and toys from the 18th century to today. Housed in 12 rooms in the Visconti and Borromeo wings, the museum is the first of its kind in Italy. I’m going to share a few photos from the museum in this footprint as well.

Next up … the halls of Rocca di Angera

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For those interested in toy museums … extra information from a panel at the entrance to the museum …

“ … there is a clear connection between antique and modern dolls and social and education behavior, as well as strong ties with the customs and fashions of the past and present. … Without detracting from their ancient charm, the museum intends to follow paths that are strictly connected to history and the specific technology to make these items, in order to provide an essentially limited, educational overview that leaves any other interpretation to the visitor.
… For this reason, the dolls are displayed in strictly chronological order, showing the different materials used in various periods and phases, from the age of handcrafting to the advent of the mass toy industry.Read more