Lake Maggiore
Encyclopedia
Lake Maggiore is a large lake
located on the south side of the Alps
. It is the second largest of Italy
and largest of southern Switzerland
. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno
and Arona.
The climate is mild in both summer and winter, producing Mediterranean vegetation, with beautiful gardens growing rare and exotic plants. Well-known gardens include those of the Isola Madre
, Isola Bella
and the Isole di Brissago
, that of the Villa Taranto in Verbania
, and the Alpinia botanical garden above Stresa
.
, where this reaches 10 km. It exceeds all the other Italian lakes in length, but in the extent of surface it falls considerably below the Lake Garda
. Its mean height above the sea level is 193 metres; but as its depth greatly exceeds that measurement, the bed is almost everywhere considerably below the sea-level, and reaches no less than 179 metres below the sea. Its form is very sinuous, so that there are few points from which any considerable part of its surface can be seen at a single glance. If this lessens the effect of the apparent size, it increases the variety of its scenery. While the upper end is completely alpine
in character, the middle region lies between hills of gentler form, and the lower end advances to the verge of the plain of Lombardy
.
The lake basin has tectonic-glacial origins and its volume is 37 km³
. The lake has a surface area of about 213 km²
, a maximum length of 54 km and, at its widest, is 12 km. Its main tributaries are the Ticino
, the Maggia
, the Toce
(by which it receives the outflow of Lake Orta
) and the Tresa
(which is the sole emissary of Lake Lugano
). The rivers Verzasca, Giona
, and Cannobino
also flow into the lake. Its outlet is the Ticino which, in turn, joins the river Po
just south-east of Pavia
.
The lake’s jagged banks are surrounded by the Lepontine Alps
. The western bank is in Piedmont
(provinces of Novara
and Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola
) and the eastern in Lombardy
(province of Varese
), whereas the most northerly section extends thirteen kilometres into the canton of Ticino
, where it constitutes its lowest point
above sea-level as well as that of Switzerland
.
The Sacred Mountain of Ghiffa
is a Roman Catholic devotional complex in the comune
of Ghiffa
, (Piedmont
, northern Italy
), overlooking the Lake Maggiore. It is one of the nine Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, included in UNESCO World Heritage list.
was first discovered and isolated by Alessandro Volta
as he analysed marsh gas from Lake Maggiore, between 1776 and 1778.
In 1936, a Bugatti Type 22 Brescia Roadster, built 1925, was sunk in the lake by employees of Zurich
architect Marco Schmucklerski, when Swiss
custom officials investigated whether he had paid taxes on the car. The Bugatti was attached to an iron chain making it possible to recover it once the investigation was over, yet that never happened. When the chain corroded, the car sunk to the lake bed, where it was rediscovered on 18 August 1967 by local diver Ugo Pillon and became a favourite target for divers thereafter. When one of the divers, Damiano Tamagni, was killed in a hold-up on 1 February 2008, his friends from the Ascona
divers' club decided to lift and sell the carwreck to raise funds for a yet to be created foundation named after the victim. The remains of the Bugatti were recovered on 12 July 2009. The sale took place at the Retro Mobile classic car exhibition in Paris on 23 January 2010. It was sold for 260,500 euros.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
located on the south side of the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
. It is the second largest of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and largest of southern Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno
Locarno
Locarno is the capital of the Locarno district, located on the northern tip of Lake Maggiore in the Swiss canton of Ticino, close to Ascona at the foot of the Alps. It has a population of about 15,000...
and Arona.
The climate is mild in both summer and winter, producing Mediterranean vegetation, with beautiful gardens growing rare and exotic plants. Well-known gardens include those of the Isola Madre
Isola Madre
Isola Madre, at 220 m wide and 330 m long, is the largest island of the Isole Borromee archipelago which falls within the Italian part of the Alpine Lake Maggiore, in the Province of Verbano Cusio Ossola, Piedmont....
, Isola Bella
Isola Bella (Lago Maggiore)
Isola Bella is one of the Borromean Islands of Lago Maggiore in north Italy. The island is situated in the Borromean Gulf 400 meters from the lakeside town of Stresa...
and the Isole di Brissago
Isole di Brissago
The Isole di Brissago are a group of two islands located in the Swiss part of Lake Maggiore close to Ronco sopra Ascona and Brissago, both in the Distretto di Locarno of Canton Ticino....
, that of the Villa Taranto in Verbania
Verbania
Verbania is a city and comune on the shore of Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, in northwest Italy, about north-west of Milan and about from Locarno in Switzerland.-Overview:...
, and the Alpinia botanical garden above Stresa
Stresa
Stresa is a town and comune of about 5,000 inhabitants on the shores of the Lago Maggiore in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy; it is situated on the road and rail routes to the Simplon pass, about 90 km north-west of Milan. Since the early 20th century, the main source of income has been the...
.
Geography
Lake Maggiore is 68 km long, with a breadth which varies from 3 to 5 km, except at the bay opening westward between Pallanza and StresaStresa
Stresa is a town and comune of about 5,000 inhabitants on the shores of the Lago Maggiore in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy; it is situated on the road and rail routes to the Simplon pass, about 90 km north-west of Milan. Since the early 20th century, the main source of income has been the...
, where this reaches 10 km. It exceeds all the other Italian lakes in length, but in the extent of surface it falls considerably below the Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. It is located in Northern Italy, about half-way between Brescia and Verona, and between Venice and Milan. Glaciers formed this alpine region at the end of the last ice age...
. Its mean height above the sea level is 193 metres; but as its depth greatly exceeds that measurement, the bed is almost everywhere considerably below the sea-level, and reaches no less than 179 metres below the sea. Its form is very sinuous, so that there are few points from which any considerable part of its surface can be seen at a single glance. If this lessens the effect of the apparent size, it increases the variety of its scenery. While the upper end is completely alpine
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
in character, the middle region lies between hills of gentler form, and the lower end advances to the verge of the plain of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
.
The lake basin has tectonic-glacial origins and its volume is 37 km³
1 E10 m³
To help compare different orders of magnitudes this page lists volumes between 10 and 100 cubic kilometres . See also volumes or capacities of other orders of magnitude....
. The lake has a surface area of about 213 km²
1 E8 m²
To help compare different orders of magnitude and geographical regions, listed below are areas between 100 km2 and 1000 km2. See also areas of other orders of magnitude.* Areas less than 100 km2* 100 km2 is equal to:** 1 E+8 m²...
, a maximum length of 54 km and, at its widest, is 12 km. Its main tributaries are the Ticino
Ticino River
The river Ticino is a left-bank tributary of the Po River. It has given its name to the Swiss canton through which its upper portion flows.-The course:...
, the Maggia
Maggia River
The Maggia is a river in the Swiss canton of Ticino.The springs are near the Cristallina mountain and the river runs through the Val Sambuco, the Val Lavizzara, and the Valle Maggia, and enters Lago Maggiore between Ascona and Locarno. The village Maggia is situated on the river.The river is used...
, the Toce
Toce
The Toce is a river in Piedmont, Italy, which stretches the length of the Val d'Ossola from the Swiss border to Lake Maggiore into which it debouches near Fondotoce in the Commune of Verbania. The river is c. 76 kilometres in length and is formed in the upper Val Formazza by the confluence of a...
(by which it receives the outflow of Lake Orta
Lake Orta
Lake Orta is a lake in northern Italy west of Lake Maggiore.It has been so named since the 16th century, but was previously called the Lago di San Giulio, after Saint Julius , the patron saint of the region; Cusio is a merely poetical name...
) and the Tresa
Tresa
The river Tresa leaves Lake Lugano at a point between Lavena Ponte Tresa in Italy and Ponte Tresa in Switzerland and flows into Lake Maggiore near Luino, a few hundred metres after joining the Margorabbia...
(which is the sole emissary of Lake Lugano
Lake Lugano
Lake Lugano is a glacial lake in the south-east of Switzerland, at the border between Switzerland and Italy. The lake, named after the city of Lugano, is situated between Lake Como and Lago Maggiore...
). The rivers Verzasca, Giona
Giona (torrent)
The Giona is a ‘torrent’, or intermittent stream, which rises on the slopes of Monte Tamaro, in the Swiss canton of Ticino. After about 2 km it enters the Italian province of Varese, foming the Val Veddasca before entering Lake Maggiore at Maccagno...
, and Cannobino
Cannobino
The Cannobino is a little river or stream located in the province of Verbano Cusio Ossola in the region of Piedmont in the north of Italy, which by the local population often is simply called 'Il Fiume' .-River basin:...
also flow into the lake. Its outlet is the Ticino which, in turn, joins the river Po
Po River
The Po |Ligurian]]: Bodincus or Bodencus) is a river that flows either or – considering the length of the Maira, a right bank tributary – eastward across northern Italy, from a spring seeping from a stony hillside at Pian del Re, a flat place at the head of the Val Po under the northwest face...
just south-east of Pavia
Pavia
Pavia , the ancient Ticinum, is a town and comune of south-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 35 km south of Milan on the lower Ticino river near its confluence with the Po. It is the capital of the province of Pavia. It has a population of c. 71,000...
.
The lake’s jagged banks are surrounded by the Lepontine Alps
Lepontine Alps
The Lepontine Alps are a mountain range in the central part of the Alps. They are located in Switzerland and Italy .On the north the upper Rhône valley separate them from the Bernese Alps and the Furka Pass and the upper Reuss valley separates them from the Urner Alps; on the west the Simplon Pass...
. The western bank is in Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
(provinces of Novara
Province of Novara
Novara is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Novara.It has an area of 1,339 km², and a total population of 365.156 . There are 88 communes in the province.-External links:*...
and Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola
Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola
Verbano-Cusio-Ossola is the northernmost province in the Italian region of Piedmont. It was created in 1996 through the fusion of three distinct regions which had previously been part of the Province of Novara...
) and the eastern in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
(province of Varese
Province of Varese
The Province of Varese is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Varese but its largest city is Busto Arsizio....
), whereas the most northerly section extends thirteen kilometres into the canton of Ticino
Ticino
Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language...
, where it constitutes its lowest point
Extreme points of Switzerland
-Elevation:See also:*List of highest points of the cantons of Switzerland*List of tallest structures in Switzerland-Latitude and longitude:See also: Geographical centre of Switzerland-See also:*Extreme points of Earth*Geography of Switzerland...
above sea-level as well as that of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Climate
Lake Maggiore weather is generally mild. It is known for its Mediterranean-like climate where tropical and sub-tropical plants can grow year-round. During winter, the lake helps to maintain a higher temperature in the surrounding region (since water releases heat energy more slowly than air). The temperatures are cooled down in summer by the breezes that blow on the water's surface changing its colour. The area enjoys nearly 2300 hours of sunshine a year and an average annual temperature of 15.5 °C (60 °F). The water of the lake has a comfortable temperature of 20 °C (68 °F) to 22 °C (72 °F) in July and August. In winter snowfall is erratic and primarily affects the higher elevations. Rainfall is heaviest in May and lowest during the winter months.Towns and villages on the lake
| Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition.... , Canton of Ticino Ticino Canton Ticino or Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. Named after the Ticino river, it is the only canton in which Italian is the sole official language... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... , Piedmont Piedmont Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of... Region Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola Verbano-Cusio-Ossola is the northernmost province in the Italian region of Piedmont. It was created in 1996 through the fusion of three distinct regions which had previously been part of the Province of Novara... and Province of Novara Province of Novara Novara is a province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Novara.It has an area of 1,339 km², and a total population of 365.156 . There are 88 communes in the province.-External links:*... |
Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... , Lombardy Lombardy Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe... Region Province of Varese Province of Varese The Province of Varese is a province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Varese but its largest city is Busto Arsizio.... |
|---|---|---|
|
Cannobio Cannobio is a town and comune on Lago Maggiore in Piedmont, Italy.-History:The local inhabitants probably became subject to Roman rule by the time of the emperor Augustus. Sarcophagi from the 2nd-3rd century CE have been found and conserved in the "Palazzo della Ragione".The first documented... Cannero Riviera Cannero Riviera , is a comune with a population of 1,073 and an area of 14.46 km²in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont... Oggebbio Oggebbio is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 130 km northeast of Turin and about 11 km northeast of Verbania.... Ghiffa Ghiffa is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 120 km northeast of Turin and about 7 km northeast of Verbania on the western shore of the Lake Maggiore.... Verbania Verbania is a city and comune on the shore of Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, in northwest Italy, about north-west of Milan and about from Locarno in Switzerland.-Overview:... Baveno Baveno is a town and comune in the province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, part of Piedmont, northern Italy. It is located on the west shore of Lago Maggiore, 13 miles North West of Arona by rail.... Stresa Stresa is a town and comune of about 5,000 inhabitants on the shores of the Lago Maggiore in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy; it is situated on the road and rail routes to the Simplon pass, about 90 km north-west of Milan. Since the early 20th century, the main source of income has been the... Belgirate Belgirate is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about 110 km northeast of Turin and about 11 km south of Verbania.... Lesa Lesa is a comune in the Province of Novara in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about 110 km northeast of Turin and about 45 km north of Novara... Meina Meina is a comune in the Province of Novara in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about northeast of Turin and about north of Novara, on Lake Maggiore.... Dormelletto Dormelletto is a comune in the Province of Novara in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about 100 km northeast of Turin and about 30 km north of Novara... Castelletto sopra Ticino Castelletto sopra Ticino, also referred to by locals as Castelletto Ticino or just Castelletto, is a comune in the Province of Novara in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about 100 km northeast of Turin and about 30 km north of Novara.It is the birthplace of immunologist Serafino... |
Sesto Calende Sesto Calende is a town and comune located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.It is located at the southern tip of Lake Maggiore, where the Ticino River starts to flow towards the Po River. The main historical sights is the Abbey of San Donato, built in the... Angera Angera is a town and comune located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. In Roman times, under the name of Angleria, it was an important lake port and road station. Angera received the title of city by Duke Ludovico il Moro of October 7, 1497. Today its major feature... Ispra Ispra is a comune and small town on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore, in the province of Varese .Some of the main Institutes of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission are located there, including the Institute for the Protection and the Security of the Citizen , the Institute for... Brebbia Brebbia is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 60 km northwest of Milan and about 14 km west of Varese.... Besozzo Besozzo is a town and municipality located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy.-Overview:Besozzo hosts a small historical centre with churches and noble houses, so-called Palazzi, in its upper part which is in part pedestrian zone, and a vivid modern centre with... Monvalle Monvalle is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region of Lombardy, located about 60 km northwest of Milan and about 15 km west of Varese. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 1,812 and an area of 4.1 km².Monvalle borders the following municipalities:... Leggiuno Leggiuno is a town and comune in the province of Varese, Lombardy, Italy.It is the birthplace of Gigi Riva, a footballer of Cagliari and Italy. The great Italian operatic tenor Giuseppe Borgatti died there in retirement in 1950.-Main sights:... Laveno-Mombello Laveno-Mombello is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 60 km northwest of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Varese... Castelveccana Castelveccana is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 70 km northwest of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Varese.... Porto Valtravaglia Porto Valtravaglia is a comune of c. 2,400 inhabitants in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 70 km northwest of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Varese.... Brezzo di Bedero Brezzo di Bedero is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 70 km northwest of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Varese.... Germignaga Germignaga is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 70 km northwest of Milan and about 20 km northwest of Varese... Luino Luino is a small town and comune near the border with Switzerland on the eastern shore of Lake Maggiore, in the Province of Varese .... Maccagno Maccagno is a comune of c. 2,000 inhabitants in the province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located in the Val Veddasca about 70 km northwest of Milan and about 25 km northwest of Varese.-History:... Tronzano Lago Maggiore Tronzano Lago Maggiore is a comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 80 km northwest of Milan and about 30 km north of Varese, on the border with Switzerland.... Pino sulla Sponda del Lago Maggiore Pino sulla Sponda del Lago Maggiore is a village and comune in the Province of Varese in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 110 km northwest of Milan and about 70 km northwest of Varese, on the border with Switzerland.... |
Islands
- Borromean IslandsBorromean IslandsThe Borromean Islands are a group of three small islands and two islets in the Italian part of Lago Maggiore, located in the western arm of the lake, between Verbania to the north and Stresa to the south...
(three islands and two islets located between VerbaniaVerbaniaVerbania is a city and comune on the shore of Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, in northwest Italy, about north-west of Milan and about from Locarno in Switzerland.-Overview:...
to the north and StresaStresaStresa is a town and comune of about 5,000 inhabitants on the shores of the Lago Maggiore in the region of Piedmont, northern Italy; it is situated on the road and rail routes to the Simplon pass, about 90 km north-west of Milan. Since the early 20th century, the main source of income has been the...
to the south)- Isola BellaIsola Bella (Lago Maggiore)Isola Bella is one of the Borromean Islands of Lago Maggiore in north Italy. The island is situated in the Borromean Gulf 400 meters from the lakeside town of Stresa...
- Isola MadreIsola MadreIsola Madre, at 220 m wide and 330 m long, is the largest island of the Isole Borromee archipelago which falls within the Italian part of the Alpine Lake Maggiore, in the Province of Verbano Cusio Ossola, Piedmont....
- Isola dei PescatoriIsola dei PescatoriIsola dei Pescatori is an island of Lago Maggiore in northern Italy. As the most northerly of the three principal Borromean Islands it is also known as Isola Superiore and, with a population of about 50, it is the only one to be inhabited all year round...
(or Isola Superiore) - Isolino di San GiovanniIsolino di San GiovanniThe Isolino di San Giovanni is a small island belonging to the Borromean group of Lake Maggiore, one of the main subalpine lakes of northern Italy. It is situated some way to the north of the others in the group, 30 metres west of the shoreline of Pallanza, a frazione of Verbania...
(in front of VerbaniaVerbaniaVerbania is a city and comune on the shore of Lake Maggiore, Piedmont, in northwest Italy, about north-west of Milan and about from Locarno in Switzerland.-Overview:...
) - Scoglio della Malghera (between Isola Bella and Isola Pescatori)
- Isola Bella
- Brissago Islands (close to BrissagoBrissagoBrissago is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.-History:An ax and ceramic pieces from the Neolithic era as well as Roman coins and other finds, discovered in 1846 in Brenscino, indicate that the area was prehistorically settled. In 1863, during the...
)- San Pancrazio (or Grande Isola)
- Isolino (or Isola Piccola or Isola di Sant’Apollinare)
- Castelli di CanneroCastelli di CanneroThe Castelli di Cannero are three rocky islets of Lake Maggiore in northern Italy. They are located off the shoreline of Cannero Riviera while administratively forming part of the Commune of Cannobio...
(three small islands just off the shore from Cannero RivieraCannero RivieraCannero Riviera , is a comune with a population of 1,073 and an area of 14.46 km²in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont...
) - Isolino PartegoraIsolino PartegoraIsolino Partegora is an islet situated at the centre of the gulf of Angera on Lago Maggiore, the only island on the lake to fall within the Italian region Lombardy...
(in the gulf of AngeraAngeraAngera is a town and comune located in the province of Varese, in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. In Roman times, under the name of Angleria, it was an important lake port and road station. Angera received the title of city by Duke Ludovico il Moro of October 7, 1497. Today its major feature...
)
Sacro Monte di Ghiffa
Sacro Monte di Ghiffa
The Sacred Mountain of Ghiffa is a Roman Catholic devotional complex in the comune of Ghiffa, , overlooking the Lake Maggiore. It is one of the nine Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, included in UNESCO World Heritage list....
is a Roman Catholic devotional complex in the comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Ghiffa
Ghiffa
Ghiffa is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 120 km northeast of Turin and about 7 km northeast of Verbania on the western shore of the Lake Maggiore....
, (Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, northern Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
), overlooking the Lake Maggiore. It is one of the nine Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy, included in UNESCO World Heritage list.
Events
The Spirit of Woodstock Festival is an annual open air festival at the end of July/beginning of August at Mirapuri.Historical events
MethaneMethane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
was first discovered and isolated by Alessandro Volta
Alessandro Volta
Count Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Gerolamo Umberto Volta was a Lombard physicist known especially for the invention of the battery in 1800.-Early life and works:...
as he analysed marsh gas from Lake Maggiore, between 1776 and 1778.
In 1936, a Bugatti Type 22 Brescia Roadster, built 1925, was sunk in the lake by employees of Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
architect Marco Schmucklerski, when Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
custom officials investigated whether he had paid taxes on the car. The Bugatti was attached to an iron chain making it possible to recover it once the investigation was over, yet that never happened. When the chain corroded, the car sunk to the lake bed, where it was rediscovered on 18 August 1967 by local diver Ugo Pillon and became a favourite target for divers thereafter. When one of the divers, Damiano Tamagni, was killed in a hold-up on 1 February 2008, his friends from the Ascona
Ascona
Ascona is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland.It is located on the shore of Lake Maggiore.The town is a popular tourist destination, and holds a yearly jazz festival, the Ascona Jazz Festival....
divers' club decided to lift and sell the carwreck to raise funds for a yet to be created foundation named after the victim. The remains of the Bugatti were recovered on 12 July 2009. The sale took place at the Retro Mobile classic car exhibition in Paris on 23 January 2010. It was sold for 260,500 euros.
External links
- CIPAIS Commissione Internazionale per la Protezione delle Acque Italo-Svizzere limnologic reports on the Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano
- 360° information Lake Maggiore
- Informations over the lake
- Official Tourism Gateway Lake Maggiore Official Tourism Gateway
- Ferry Services on Italian Lakes - Lake Maggiore
- Sacro Monte di Ghiffa
- Magazzeno Storico Verbanese Historical bibliography on the region
- Waterlevels at Brissago from the Federal Office for the Environment
- Waterlevels at Locarno from the Federal Office for the Environment
- Verbanofun Luino Webcam Meteo News
- Monate's lake canned peaches Le pesche del lago di Monate