Ornavasso
Encyclopedia
Ornavasso is a comune
(municipality) 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
.
Ornavasso borders the following municipalities: Anzola d'Ossola
, Gravellona Toce
, Mergozzo
, Premosello Chiovenda. In the area there are two necropolis
es of the Lepontii
-Celtic culture, dating to 2nd century BC-1st century AD. From the 14th century to the late 19th century, Ornavasso and its frazione
of Migiandone were a language island of Walser German
, due to the presence of immigrates from the Simplon
area. Traces of the German culture persist in the local dialect and the Carnival tradition.
During World War II, Ornavasso was the base of the Valtoce Partisan Division.
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:...
(municipality) in the 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...
in the Italian
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...
region 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...
, located about 110 km northeast of Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
and about 11 km northwest of 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:...
.
Ornavasso borders the following municipalities: Anzola d'Ossola
Anzola d'Ossola
Anzola d'Ossola is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 110 km northeast of Turin and about 15 km northwest of Verbania. It occupies a small alluvial plain near the Toce river: its name derives perhaps from a meander once formed...
, Gravellona Toce
Gravellona Toce
Gravellona Toce is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 110 km northeast of Turin and about 8 km west of Verbania.-Main sights:*Gallo-Roman necropolis...
, Mergozzo
Mergozzo
Mergozzo is a comune in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 120 km northeast of Turin and about 9 km northwest of Verbania....
, Premosello Chiovenda. In the area there are two necropolis
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
es of the Lepontii
Lepontii
The Lepontii were an ancient people occupying portions of Rhaetia in the Alps during the time of the Roman conquest of that territory. The Lepontii have been variously described as a Celtic, Ligurian, Raetian, and Germanic tribe...
-Celtic culture, dating to 2nd century BC-1st century AD. From the 14th century to the late 19th century, Ornavasso and its frazione
Frazione
A frazione , in Italy, is the name given in administrative law to a type of territorial subdivision of a comune; for other administrative divisions, see municipio, circoscrizione, quartiere...
of Migiandone were a language island of Walser German
Walser German
The Walser language , also known as Walliser German , is a group of Highest Alemannic dialects spoken in Walser settlements in parts of Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, and Austria and in the German-speaking part of the Canton of Wallis , in the uppermost Rhône valley.The terms Walser and...
, due to the presence of immigrates from the Simplon
Simplon
Simplon is the name of a region in the Alps. It can refer specifically to:* Simplon Pass and Tunnel* Simplon , a former French département corresponding with modern Valais, Switzerland* Simplon, Valais, a Swiss municipality...
area. Traces of the German culture persist in the local dialect and the Carnival tradition.
During World War II, Ornavasso was the base of the Valtoce Partisan Division.