Rocca D'Angera (Rocca di Angera), also called the Rocca Borromeo di Angera, is a medieval castle on the hilltops in the town of Angera. Overlooking Lake Maggiore, the castle consists of five different buildings dating back from the 12th century to the Middle Ages; displaying it's significant history from the architectural style alone. A popular attraction to tourists today, the castle offers breath-taking panoramic views of the lake from the 'Torre Castellana'.
The fortress' construction originally began in the 1100's by the Visconti family of Milan, built in a strategic location for military reasons and in order to monitor trade. After being attacked and besieged numerous times by the Della Torre family, the Borromeo family acquired the castle in 1449 from the Visconti family. Over the centuries, the castle has been refurbished and expanded up until the present day.
Book a tour and discover the great historical halls of the Borromeo Castle, enriched with frescoes, portraits, and paintings that date back over 800 years. In the Hall of Justice (Sala di Giustizia), admire the series of frescoes from the 13th century that depict Visconti at the Battle of Desio and other works from this time. Make your way to the Ceremonies Room (Sala delle Ceremonie) where works from late Gothic painters, dating back to the early 15th century, are on display.
Explore the Museum of Dolls and Toys (Museo della Bambola e del Giocattolo), the most notable of its kind and largest in Europe, and be amazed with the incredible collection of dolls and toys that date back to the 18th century. Founded in 1988, the museum contains more than 1,000 dolls belonging to the Borromeo family throughout 12 rooms. Learn about the history of dolls and toys through the evolution of materials used, the behavioural and educational boundaries, and the fashion of the dolls.
Don't forget to pay a visit to the castle's exquisite Medieval Garden. Created in 2008, the garden is full of symbolic meaning as it was built following studies on old documents, ancient codices, and images on illuminated manuscripts, in hopes of replicating the original garden that was once there! The colourful garden is organized into different zones with different medical herbs, plants, and a fountain: a place to disconnect and gaze at the lake.
Rocca d'Angera is open to the public March 20 - November 1 every day from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with the last entrance at 5:30 PM. The fortress can be accessed by car and there is a free parking lot just outside the entrance, by boat from the nearby town Arona, or train. If you take the train, you will have to get off at the Arona stop and take a boat over to Angera.
