Giampiero opened his shop, Wunder Kammer, on Isola Bella just last year. You could call it a souvenir shop I suppose, but, it's so much more. For many years before this, Giampiero owned a restaurant on this same island. And so each day, coming and going, he saw the tourists and the kiosks and the souvenir shops lined along the docks. Being an artist himself, and an organizer of art shows, Giampiero knew that visitors would want something better than the usual snowglobes and keychains to remember the island and Stresa by, if only there were something better to choose from. But there wasn't. And so he opened Wunder Kammer.

The word "wunderkammer" is German; it means room of wonders. Wunderkammers were all the rage among the rich and the aristocracy during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Sometimes called "The Age of Enlightenment,' that was an era when the general population began to develop an interest in objects of a scientific nature. And so the wealthy displayed their collections, which they had gathered on travels, or which had been brought back for them, commissioned from adventurers and explorers, in their wunderkammers.

There couldn't be a better name, in any language, for Giampiero's shop. What he has done here is collected together items, handmade and unique, created by different artists, including himself. The island is a common and recurring theme. For example, old photographs of the island are copied onto the lids of beautiful handcrafted wooden boxes. Other old images are framed in all manner of interesting materials. They transcend mere postcards however, they have become far more than just a picture of this place.

Particular favorites of mine are the dreamy, soft colored photographs of different places on Isola Bella. The photographs are then superimposed with the old handwriting from old postcards sent from here long ago. Usually not all the writing is legible, but this adds to the mystery. The effect is... I don't know... evocative and haunting.


Wunder Kammer is located in a 500-year-old building, up a steep flight of stairs in the maze of streets and alleys behind the Borromeo Palace. Giampiero is usually at the shop, and will explain everything to you. He has a good eye, I think. And an interesting mind. There is a very large photograph of him; I don't know whether it is at Wunder Kammer just now; it has words written across it that say "Non Ho Avuto Il Tempo," I haven't had the time. I wrote a story about this picture once, you can read it here. I still haven't discovered what it is Giampiero hasn't had the time to do; he's clearly done a lot, here at Wunder Kammer and elsewhere. And a piece from this shop will always help you remember the emotion, the wonder, and the very special atmosphere of this very special place.

Wunder Kammer
Via del Fornello, 3
Isola Bella, Stresa

The shop is open every day, from 10.00 until 17.00, throughout the season, which is from the nd of March to the end of October.

There are other places to shop that sell things a bit more unique. Take a look at Antiques and Collectibles, the Alessi Outlet, and all the shopping posts.



www.wunderkammer-isolabella.it