Valganna is
an attractive town in the province of Varese made up of four small hamlets , picturesquely nestled between the
Martica, Piambello, Poncione, Minisfreddo, Monarco and Chiusarella mountains
that form a splendid crown of the Varese Prealps around a verdant valley with
dense woods, gentle hillsides and very suggestive rocky spurs.
A territory loved by trekking fans for the numerous paths that wind through its surroundings and photographers for the unforgettable landscapes in every season of the year and with the presence of two small lakes such as Ghirla and Ganna that increase the charm of this location which boasts a relevant fine art patrimony.
Historically, Valganna was inhabited by Celtic populations who settled in the local territory before the Roman colonization, which was an important stage for the conquest of Gaul, and then passed under the dominion of the Lombards and Franks and officially entering the Middle Ages as a fief of the Abbey of San Gemolo from where you can start our visit.
This medieval jewel erected in the 12th century, consecrated in 1160 by Umberto IV da Pirovano, a Milanese nobleman of Brianza origin who was Cardinal and Papal subdeacon, is one of the best architectural-abbey structures of the twelfth century existing in Upper Lombardy.
According to narratives, where this abbey was erected, it is the place where in the 10th century the saint was killed after chasing brigands from the Seprio area together with Sant'Imerio da Bosto, who controlled the Italian-Swiss passes and the areas leading to Milan who had robbed a caravan.
The body of San Gemolo was buried in this place in 1095 by Attone, Arederic and Inghizone by concession of the archbishop of Milan Arnolfo III.
A masterpiece of high artistic school that boasts a magnificent Romanesque stone tower dating back to the twelfth century and simply superlative is the image of this imposing structure that dominates the entire agglomeration, suggestively integrating into the landscape with the beautiful peaks that surround it including the fascinating silhouettes of Monte Martica and Monte Piambello.
The wonderful pentagonal cloister of the fourteenth century, which originally had a purely Gothic appearance with pointed arches, was largely modified in the following centuries and is a further shining highlight, equipped with a stupendous perimeter portico adorned with refined columns with capitals.
The church was enlarged in 1500 with the addition of chapels and works that continued in the seventeenth century with a reconstruction of the apse and a restoration of the splendid nave and where we can admire a beautiful floor and a large altar that still maintains some medieval details and of great importance in the interior a neoclassical organ of the Lombard school.
Continuation with the small Lake Ganna located next to the state road Varesina SS233 today a wildlife reserve located at 452 meters of altitude with a surface area of 0.07 square kilometers and a maximum depth of 3.0 meters which has as a tributary the Margorabbia stream which becomes an emissary and then flows underground into the nearby Lake Ghirla. (In case you are interested I have published an article about this lake)
Since 1984 Lake Ganna has become a nature reserve and is part of the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park which includes two wetlands, this small lake and the Pralugano peat bog.
For lovers of trekking around this lake there are spectacular paths that descend from the valley floor crossed by the Margorabbia stream with various chestnut, oak and beech woods to reach the area of the Olona river to the south which has one of its six springs in this area.
Continuation with Villa Cesarina which was the residence of the aristocratic Calegari family built in 1906 in liberty style which has kept intact its original architectural structure that stands on a picturesque hillside overlooking Lake Ganna surrounded by a vast garden and a wooded area composed of beech, chestnut, ash, lime and maple trees.
The building developed on a rectangular plan on three levels with a suggestive belvedere tower characterized on all four sides by large elliptical windows in Tiffany style.
The beautiful façade has been developed with the use of different materials including the rustic rustication in granofiro of Cuasso al Monte.
The interiors are enlivened by a beautiful living room called "the piano room" due to the presence of a splendid, historic grand piano and the ceiling completely frescoed with geometric tones in soft and delicate colors ranging from sage green to cream white.
On the first floor there is a library with two large communicating halls and the "wall fireplace room" due to the presence of an imposing decorated stone fireplace also beautifully frescoed with floral and geometric motifs.
A visit to Valganna is recommended to all those who wish to enjoy the enchanting landscapes of the Varese Prealps, with history, art, in an area that offers all that and much more.
Link : https://www.comune.valganna.va.it/
Where to Stay | Recommended Accommodation in the area
Agriturismo il Balcone sulla Valle
Al Picchio Verde A.P.S.
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