Discover Borgomanero!

 Strolling through this town in the northern part of the Novara province.

Borgomanero is a municipality in the Novara province (Piedmont), located 308 metres above sea level, on the left bank of the Agogna river. It is just a few kilometres away from Lake Orta, Lake Maggiore, and the Mottarone Massif, and is situated 30 kilometres from the provincial capital.

The town has ancient origins, with roots that almost certainly date back to the Roman era and definitely to the medieval period.

An old legend tells of thirteen people, known as the "Thirteen Ogres", who, on their way back from a pilgrimage to San Giulio Island, founded the small village on the banks of the Agogna river. The same legend also explains the origin of the tapulon, a stew made from donkey meat, a typical dish of Borgomanero. These thirteen individuals created what is now a famous and delicate dish using the humble ingredients they had at hand, namely the meat of the donkey that had carried their luggage.

Initially, the town was named Burgus Sancti Leonardi, "San Leonardo's Village", after the church of San Leonardo, which dates back approximately to between 1125 and 1150. Since 1231, the name Borgo San Leonardo no longer appears in any documents.

The toponym "Borgomanero", however, comes from Jacobus de Mayneriis, who was the mayor of Novara between 1193 and 1194. He considered this location the most suitable for building a military fortress between the Sesia and Ticino rivers, and he imposed his own name on it, replacing that of Borgo San Leonardo. The small village later grew in importance and withstood many sieges during the armed conflicts between the Visconti and Paleologi families in the 14th century.

Borgomanero lost part of its autonomy when the Dukes of Milan granted it as a fief to the noble Piedmontese family Tornielli, and later to the Trivulzio family.

In 1449, the surrounding area was the site of the "Battle of Borgomanero", which took place on 22 April of the same year. It was fought between the army of the Duchy of Savoy and the troops of Francesco Sforza, led by the condottiero Bartolomeo Colleoni on behalf of the Republic of Venice.

Later, it became a fief of the noble Este family for more than two hundred years, from 1552 to 1757.

Borgomanero was not affected by the bubonic plague epidemic that ravaged the region in 1630, despite the surrounding areas being involved. This was because a strict order was issued to seal all the city gates, preventing both entry and exit, and thus it remained completely isolated until the end of the epidemic. This decision proved to be a successful strategy for preserving the health of its inhabitants.

In the 19th century, Borgomanero lost its city walls and transformed into a thriving commercial and industrial centre.

The Church of San Bartolomeo Apostolo is the parish church of the town, built in the 15th century while preserving the bell tower of the pre-existing church. It was consecrated on 12 May 1499. The building was later modified and expanded in the 17th century and was granted the title of "collegiata" on 16 April 1681. Inside, there are many valuable works of art: a triptych from 1566, probably attributed to Giovanni Rapa and Gerolamo Varotti; the high altar, built by Antonio Pini in 1680; a depiction of "San Carlo Borromeo in Glory", created in 1616 by the painter Pier Francesco Mazzucchelli, known as "Il Morazzone", and another by the same artist titled "San Rocco and the Plague Victims"; "The Martyrdom of Saint Fortunato" by Michele Cosa, 1844; "The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew" by Antonio Tosi, 19th century; and "The Last Supper" by Andrea de Bugnate, 1537.

Borgomanero boasts numerous religious, civil, and military buildings of considerable architectural, historical, and cultural interest.

The town is well known for its history related to the silk industry and is an important cultural centre.

The famous "Grape Festival" is a major tourist attraction, as it is a popular event featuring floats and musical bands parading through the streets of the town during the harvest season.

Photo: View of the Piedmontese town