Ornavasso – Marble, History and the Linea Cadorna Trails

Ornavasso combines an underground marble heritage, archaeological treasures and trails with a focus on military history. This gives you a destination where culture and landscape can be explored through specific places and experiences. When planning your stay, you can choose between a guided tour underground, historic archaeological sites and a hike with a thematic focus.

Marble Underground and in Milan Cathedral

The Cava di marmo Ornavasso offers a guided tour through two underground tunnel levels. They are connected by a karst shaft equipped with a staircase; the entire tour lasts approximately 60 minutes. From the 1380s onward, the marble vein of the ancient Ornavasso marble quarry supplied marble for the construction of Milan Cathedral.

Archaeological Heritage in the Collection and Necropolis

The Ornavasso branch of the Museo del Paesaggio, with its archaeological collection, is housed in the Palazzo Comunale in Ornavasso. More than 1,500 preserved objects, including grave goods from Ornavasso, provide insights into the development of a small Lepontian community.

Archaeological excavations near Ornavasso uncovered two different necropolises at San Bernardo and In Persona between 1890 and 1893. The Ornavasso necropolis, discovered by Enrico Bianchetti in 1890, is divided between the two sites of San Bernardo, with 181 graves, and In Persona, with 165 graves. An audio guide is available for visiting the Sezione Archeologica “Enrico Bianchetti”; it is activated on site via QR code.

The Circular Trail to the Linea Cadorna

The Ornavasso e la Linea Cadorna circular trail starts at Ornavasso railway station, which can be reached from the bus stop in a few minutes. It follows a path along the rock faces of the Ornavasso climbing wall. Its thematic focus is the Linea Cadorna defence system dating from the First World War. This includes a complex network of roads, trenches, communication trenches and galleries that have been cleared and made accessible thanks to the efforts of the Gruppo Alpini di Ornavasso.

Landscape and Surroundings

The Santuario della Madonna del Boden is situated at an elevation of 475 metres in a commanding position above Ornavasso and the Toce plain. It stands on a level area surrounded by dense chestnut forests. The surrounding area of Ornavasso also includes the Antica cava del marmo di Ornavasso, a cave, and Punta Fenore, a peak. Cima delle Tre Croci and Eyehorn are also peaks in the area around Ornavasso.

The area around Ornavasso includes Villa San Remigio, a palace, and Palazzo Flaim, a palace. The wider regional area around Ornavasso also includes the Museo dell'Arte del Cappello and the Museo Internazionale Design Ceramico, both museums.

Other places in the same destination area are Omegna, Beura, Crevoladossola, Quarna Sopra, Villadossola, Masera, Pontegrande and Trarego Viggiona.

For the higher-level travel overview: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.