"Il Carlone" Statue Of San Carlo Borromeo

Saturday, June 17, 2017

"Il Carlone" Statue Of San Carlo Borromeo

1:12 AM |

Dana Kaplan, Stresa Sights |

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Have you visited "il Carlone" (Big Carlo) yet? It's fascinating. Interesting facts about this hollow bronze statue: It was built to commemorate San Carlo Borromeo, who was born in 1538 in the Borromeo fortress that at that time stood where now the ruins of la Rocca are. His parents, Lord Giberto II and Lady Margherita Medici of Marignano, ruled over much of the lake. Choosing a religious life, San Carlo was appointed Archbishop of Milan on 12 May 1564, and, some years after his death in 1584, Pope Paul V canonized Carlo on 1 November 1610. This statue built in his honor was completed in 1698, a collaboration between the designer Giovan Battista Crespi, better known as “Il Cerano” and the sculptors Siro Zanella and Bernardo Falconi.

It is truly a masterpiece of engineering. Until the building of the Statue of Liberty this was the tallest hollow bronze statue in the world, and is still number 2. In fact, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty, came to Arona to study the statue’s structure. A plaque can be found at the foot of the Statue of Liberty commemorating the inspiration given by the ‘Sancarlone’, now no longer the largest statue in the world.

The statue is 90 feet (35 meters) tall. You can climb to the top, with a fascinating view of the internal structure, and, at the top, gaze through various windows. The climb consists of a spiral staircase, and then a long ladder to the top.

Ready for it? Intrigued? Get all the information on the website. San Carlo is just outside Arona, easily reachable by car.You can also visit the gardens, the church, and the small Sacre Monte. Directions, ticket information, and much more can be found here: www.statuasancarlo.it

all photos courtesy of the main website