- ROCCHE, CASTELLI, FORTIFICAZIONI
- CHIESE, SANTUARI, LUOGHI E PERCORSI SACRI
Locarno
The Ticinese city of Locarno (the biggest of the Swiss cities overlooking Lake Maggiore) is appreciated for its Mediterranean climate and is nestled in a favourable position at the northern inlet of the delta of the Maggia River. Spring comes early here and the city and its surrounding landscape sparkle with multicoloured flowers in a super performance, which culminates with the annual event Locarno Camelie.
Locarno: camellias, festival and music
Seat of the Swiss Camellia Society, every spring Locarno hosts the most important European Rassegna Internazionale delle Camelie (International Camellia Event) in Camelie Park, which was inaugurated at the mouth of the river in 2005.
However, the events traditionally associated with the town are held in the heart of the old city in Piazza Grande: the Locarno Film Festival has been hosted here in August for over 60 years.
The music of Moon & Stars entertains in the piazza in July: 10 days of pop and rock music and concerts, which has become a popular stage for international stars in just a few years.
Visiting Locarno and its history
Locarno was a fief dominated by the Visconti family, as many other towns on Lake Maggiore. Therefore, as the other Italian towns on the lake, its vicissitudes are associated with the arrival of the lords of Milan and Como. However, the first evidence of the Rusca feudal lords dates back to the 15th century.
Piazza Grande in the heart of the old city is surrounded on four sides by buildings and the typical porticoes of medieval Lombard cities. Just a short distance away is Castello Visconteo (Visconti castle), which together with nearby Palazzo Casorella, now host the Museum of Archaeology. One hall also tells of the historic signing of the so-called Treaty of Locarno. This pact (1925) was an attempt to obtain increased balance between European countries after the Treaty of Versailles. From 5-16 October, the conference worked at a series of treaties and conventions, which were later ratified by several countries.
The town is also home to the 14th-century Church of Sant’Antonio Abate and to several buildings: exclusive and typically local casa del Negromante (house of the Negromante), casa Rusca (Rusca house), which is the seat of the Municipal Art Gallery, and Palazzo Morettini, which is now the Canton library.
Past Locarno
The name of Locarno is also tightly associated with other towns: the adjacent town of Muralto ideally continues the lakeside promenade, as does Minusio. Orselina and Brione are above the city, while Brè is in a privileged position at 1,000 m asl, where there is a magnificent view over the Verbano area. The Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso is in Orselina. It dominates the city and can be reached from the centre of town in just 6 minutes on the funicular railway.
