In the north of Italy, in the province of Piedmont, there is one of the smallest alpine lakes - Horta (Lago d'Orta). Compared to Lake Maggiore, located next door, it is quite small: its length is slightly more than 13 km, and its width is 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.
However, it is not very well known and popular among tourists. Travelers often automatically give preference to a more "hyped" neighbor.
But in vain …
The lake was once formed as a result of the melting of the Sempione glacier. The area of the lake is about 18 km², the length is about 13.4 km, and its maximum depth is 143 m. Almost in the middle of the lake, the island of San Giulio rises alone. Thanks to archaeological excavations, which are carried out with enviable regularity on Lake Orta, it was possible to establish that traces of human presence in this area date back to the Neolithic era (more than 4 thousand years before our era). Scientists managed to find the remains of ceramic products, confirming their hypotheses: archaeologists unearthed fragments of vessels with a square neck, which is a characteristic feature of ceramic products of that time, common in northern Italy. In addition, historians have establishedthat the lake was originally called Lake St. Giulio and only by the seventeenth century was it named after the coastal town of Orta San Giulio.
Orta San Giulio is located on the eastern shore of Lake Orta, opposite the island of San Giulio. It is a small town with a population of just over 1,100, with very narrow streets and an indescribable romantic atmosphere. The central part is pedestrianized and runs parallel to the lake shore. In the center is the Piazza Motta, which offers amazing views of the island of San Giulio. On the square, there is an old building, richly decorated with frescoes, which is currently a local municipality. There is also a pier with many boats and ferries that ferry everyone to the island of St. Julio every 5-10 minutes.
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For a long time this place has served as an inspiration to famous writers and artists: Balzac called this charming corner of Italy "a gray pearl in a green box". Friedrich Nietzsche drew inspiration from the shores of a wonderful reservoir to create his creation "Thus Spoke Zarathustra." The world famous children's writer Gianni Rodari was also born here, in whose books you can find references to the lake. The amazing landscapes and serenity of these places are truly capable of opening up creativity.
There are about 10 hotels in the town itself, the most famous of which is Villa Crespi. This mansion was built in 1879 at the initiative of the entrepreneur Cristoforo Benigno Crespi, who wanted to use it as a summer residence. The villa was dedicated to his wife Pia Travelli and was actually called Villa Pia. The author of this building was one of the most famous architects of that time, Angelo Colla. The mansion was created in the Moorish style, as Cristoforo Crespi was fascinated by the buildings of the Middle East. The building is divided into three floors, the walls are covered with stucco, typical for Islamic countries. At one time the best rooms of the villa were used to receive royal persons - Margaret of Savoy and King Umberto I. In the 1980s, the mansion became a hotel and, today,this quirky luxury hotel includes a chic restaurant, chefed by the famous Italian chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo, two Michelin stars. By the way, the semi-final of the Junior Masterchef Italia competition was recently held here.
The Legend of Saint Julio
Legend has it that in the fourth century A. D. Giulio and his brother Giuliano arrived from the Greek city of Aegina in Italy with the aim of Christianizing the local population and, with the permission of Emperor Theodosius I, stopped in Novara, devoting their lives to building churches and fighting paganism.
According to legend, Giulio left his brother during the construction of the ninety-ninth church and went in search of the ideal place to build the hundredth. Seeing a small island in the middle of the lake, he realized that he could not find a better place for future construction. He only had to get to the island, but the local pagan inhabitants were in no hurry to help with the crossing. Then Giulio spread out his raincoat on the water and sailed on it to the island like a boat, thus surprising the locals. On the island, he met fierce serpents and dragons with which he fought bravely and, having won, laid the foundations of a church in the same place where the Basilica of San Giulio now stands. Scholars argue whether this story is a myth or an embellished reality. One thing is certain: under the modern temple, the remains of a church were actually found, which was built here in the 5-6th century. Currently, the saint is the patron saint of Masons and, due to his activities (building churches) during his lifetime, is often depicted with tools in his hands.
The island is approximately 275 meters long and 140 meters wide. Almost the entire territory of the island is occupied by a Benedictine nunnery, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In addition, on the only street on the island, called the "Path of Silence", there is the Episcopal Palace and the Basilica of St. Giulio, in which his relics are kept. An interesting observation: there are a lot of inscriptions left by vandals on the basilica, the earliest dating back to 1513. The Latin inscription says: "gusty wind, a lot of snow, frost" (impetuositas ventorum, pruina maxima, nix maxima). You will need a maximum of an hour to get around the entire island, but the desire to leave it will not arise very soon. On this island, striking in its beauty and history, you can often meet newlyweds,diligently posing for the photographer and couples sitting in an embrace near the pier.
Getting to the lake is not so easy: it is located about 60 kilometers from Milan and you need to make several changes to get to it by train. We reach the central station, (Milano Centrale), then you need to take a train and get to the Novara station (Novara-Domodossola line). Next, at the Novara station, you need to change and get to the Orta-Miasino station (Domodossola-Omegna line). Travel time is approximately one hour. In addition, there is a bus service between Novara and Horta.
The beauty of Horta is best seen on a clear sunny day, when its calm emerald surface reflects the slightest detail of the coastal landscape. This is how it is captured on the canvases of artists and in this way it is 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 distinctive than its more eminent compatriots - Maggiore and Como - there is almost no technological progress and tourist reality. In the city of Orta San Giulio, road traffic is prohibited and silence and serenity reign most of the day.
Perhaps, the banks of the Horta guarantee visitors one of the quietest recreation options, but it does not exclude active pastime. In addition to admiring the medieval streets, you can take quite long walks through birch and chestnut groves, as well as parks and gardens of old villas. The infrastructure of the lake also has everything you need for water sports, but it is never noisy and crowded here, even in the midst of the tourist season.