Cavallirio: Trails, Landscape and Sacred Art

Cavallirio: Trails, Landscape and Sacred Art

Cavallirio is one of the municipalities within the 3,378-hectare Parco Naturale del Monte Fenera. In Cavallirio and its surrounding area, you can hike on foot, by bicycle or on horseback along trails in Parco del Fenera and the Riserva Naturale delle Baragge. This gives you several different ways to experience the landscape: you can focus your stay on walking, cycling or horse riding, while making the natural environment the central theme of your days.

Baraggia and Nature Trails

Parco del Fenera has alternative nature trails that can also be explored by mountain bike and regular bicycle. A hike through the Baraggia can begin at the strada vicinale di San Germano in the village of the same name, pass through the Bonda di San Germano depression and continue to open areas with purple moor grass and heather. If you are lucky, you may spot hares, pheasants, larks and thrushes there; signs of roe deer and wild boar may also be found. For nature enthusiasts, this area therefore combines specific trail sections with the opportunity to pay attention to its vegetation and wildlife.

From the Tower to the Centre

On the third stage of the Cammino delle Colline Novaresi, the route reaches the remains of the Torre di Cavallirio, descends to the Casotti delle vigne and then continues into the centre of Cavallirio. The remains of the Torre di Cavallirio are located at 469 metres above sea level. The sequence of stages thus connects historic traces, the Casotti delle vigne and the onward route to Cavallirio; the elevation also gives you a specific reference point for the location of the remains.

Art and History in the Village

The Chiesa Parrocchiale preserves paintings by Andrea Miglio from 1846–1847 and has two side marble altars dating from 1778, attributed to the sculptor Giudice. Outside the Chiesa Parrocchiale, the Ossario contains remarkable 18th-century frescoes. If you would like to view sacred art, the focus here is on paintings, altars and frescoes from different periods.

In the Suloro district, the historic parish house dates back to the 16th century and has sundials from the 17th century. The Oratorio di San Rocco dates from 1770 and was built as a votive offering after an epidemic on the initiative of Don Giovanni Ranzini; it is now privately owned. The two buildings take you from a residential building with historic sundials to an oratory with a clearly documented history of its origins.

The Oratorio dell'Assunta was completed in 1616 and has a marble altar dating from 1753. The chapels of the Tre Madonnine were built in the mid-19th century; the creators of the paintings are unknown, and the chapels are privately owned. The dates here range from 1616 to the mid-19th century.

A Local Connection Dating Back to 1946

The Barbaglia company in Cavallirio traces its tradition back to 1946, when Mario Barbaglia founded the company. This provides another specific local connection, extending beyond the sacred buildings and nature trails into the history of a company based in Cavallirio.

More Places for Your Travel Planning

If you would like to extend your travel planning to other places, you can also explore Colazza, Cameri, Invorio Inferiore, Gattico, Trecate, Mezzomerico, Oleggio Castello and Grignasco.

For the higher-level travel overview: Novara.