Lake Orta
Encyclopedia
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
(4th century), the patron saint
of the region; Cusio is a merely poetical name. Its southern end is about 35 km by rail NW of Novara
on the main Turin-Milan line, while its north end is about 6 km by rail south of the Gravellona-Toce railway station, half-way between Ornavasso
and Omegna
.
Its scenery is characteristically Italian, while the San Giulio island
has some very picturesque buildings, and takes its name from the local saint, Julius of Novara
, who lived in the 4th century.
Located around the lake are Orta San Giulio
, built on a peninsula projecting from the east shore of the lake, Omegna
at its northern extremity, Pettenasco
to the east, and Pella to the west.
It is supposed that the lake is the remnant of a much larger sheet of water by which originally the waters of the Toce
flowed south towards Novara. As the glaciers retreated the waters flowing from them sank, and were gradually diverted into Lake Maggiore
.
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,...
in 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...
west of Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
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...
.
It has been so named since the 16th century, but was previously called the Lago di San Giulio, after Saint Julius
Julius of Novara
Julius of Novara was a missionary priest to northern Italy.His cult is centered at Lake Orta in the Novarese highlands, and in particular on the island which has been named for him since at least the eighth century, Isola San Giulio, and where his presumed relics are preserved in the crypt,...
(4th century), the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of the region; Cusio is a merely poetical name. Its southern end is about 35 km by rail NW of Novara
Novara
Novara is the capital city of the province of Novara in the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, to the west of Milan. With c. 105,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in Piedmont after Turin. It is an important crossroads for commercial traffic along the routes from Milan to Turin...
on the main Turin-Milan line, while its north end is about 6 km by rail south of the Gravellona-Toce railway station, half-way between Ornavasso
Ornavasso
Ornavasso is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 110 km northeast of Turin and about 11 km northwest of Verbania....
and Omegna
Omegna
Omegna is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 100 km northeast of Turin and about 13 km southwest of Verbania at the northernmost point of Lago d’Orta and traversed by the Nigoglia, the lake’s sole outflow.-History:The presence...
.
Its scenery is characteristically Italian, while the San Giulio island
San Giulio Island
Isola San Giulio or San Giulio Island is an island within Lake Orta in Piedmont, northwestern Italy. The island is 275 metres long , and is 140 metres wide . The most famous building on the island is the marvellous Basilica of Saint Giulio close to which you can see the monumental old Seminary...
has some very picturesque buildings, and takes its name from the local saint, Julius of Novara
Julius of Novara
Julius of Novara was a missionary priest to northern Italy.His cult is centered at Lake Orta in the Novarese highlands, and in particular on the island which has been named for him since at least the eighth century, Isola San Giulio, and where his presumed relics are preserved in the crypt,...
, who lived in the 4th century.
Located around the lake are Orta San Giulio
Orta San Giulio
Orta San Giulio is a town and comune in the Province of Novara in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about 100 km northeast of Turin and about 40 km northwest of Novara....
, built on a peninsula projecting from the east shore of the lake, Omegna
Omegna
Omegna is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 100 km northeast of Turin and about 13 km southwest of Verbania at the northernmost point of Lago d’Orta and traversed by the Nigoglia, the lake’s sole outflow.-History:The presence...
at its northern extremity, Pettenasco
Pettenasco
Pettenasco is a comune in the Province of Novara in the Italian region of Piedmont, located about 100 km northeast of Turin and about 40 km northwest of Novara...
to the east, and Pella to the west.
It is supposed that the lake is the remnant of a much larger sheet of water by which originally the waters of 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...
flowed south towards Novara. As the glaciers retreated the waters flowing from them sank, and were gradually diverted into Lake Maggiore
Lake Maggiore
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...
.
External links
- Orta.net Pictures, history and curiosities about lake of Orta