Borgolavezzaro: Baroque Churches, Palazzo Longoni and Agogna Morta

Borgolavezzaro Between Culture and Landscape

If you are looking for a place with architectural traces and natural-history attractions for your trip to Italy, Borgolavezzaro offers a variety of points of interest. Churches from several centuries, a palace of military-historical significance and the Agogna Morta wetland stand alongside environmental education projects. Depending on your interests, the town can therefore be explored through architectural history, landscape or the observation of plants and animals.

Churches with Baroque Forms and Clear Architecture

The parish church of Saints Bartholomew and Gaudentius was designed by Antonelli in 1835. It was later built according to a new design that had been developed between 1856 and 1863. The interior has a single nave. A barrel vault rests on two rows of columns along the sides of the enclosing walls. This combination of architectural history and spatial design is precisely what makes the church interesting to visitors who want to appreciate architecture not only through façades but also through its construction.

Santa Maria and San Rocco also contribute to Borgolavezzaro's architectural character. Santa Maria features Baroque forms, dates from 1634 and has origins in the 16th century. San Rocco also features Baroque forms, dates from 1742 and has a Neo-Gothic bell tower from 1881. The two churches thus combine Baroque design with different historical dates, while San Rocco additionally has a tower built at a later time.

Palazzo Longoni and the History of the Town

Palazzo Longoni is an 18th-century palace in the town center of Borgolavezzaro. During the First Italian War of Independence in 1849, it housed the headquarters of Marshal Radetzky. The palazzo thus represents a local history in which representative architecture and a specific event of the 19th century coincide. Those interested in historical connections will find here a single place where the history of Borgolavezzaro can be organized in a tangible way in both time and space.

Wetland and Ecological Projects

Agogna Morta is a wetland with an abandoned meander of the Agogna River and is located in the municipalities of Borgolavezzaro and Nicorvo. At Agogna Morta, the project for an open-air ecology laboratory and a wildlife observation center was advanced through restoration and rehabilitation works.

Further nature-related attractions include the Campo della Sciurä initiative and the Il Campo della Ghina botanical garden. Campo della Sciurä serves to protect the area's distinctive geological features and reconstruct the original English oak forest. Il Campo della Ghina supports visitors, particularly school groups, in identifying and studying trees and shrubs as part of environmental education excursions. The nature islands created by the Associazione Culturale Burchvif serve as a nature laboratory that can be used by school groups as part of ongoing environmental education.

Geographical Orientation for Your Stay

The different locations of some places provide useful guidance when choosing accommodation in Borgolavezzaro. Palazzo Longoni is located in the town center, while Cascina Caccia lies outside Borgolavezzaro's built-up area, on the road to Nicorvo. Lago dell’Olmo also offers a distinctive feature: it is a fenced body of water for sport fishing.

Further Destinations for Your Travel Planning

If you would like to plan your trip beyond Borgolavezzaro, here are further destinations: Arona, Tornaco, Novara, Colazza, Miasino, Cameriano, Gozzano and Case Sparse.

For the higher-level travel overview: Novara.