ORTA’S SACRO MONTE : A JEWEL OF TREASURES

The Sacro Monte of Orta was began in 1590, in emulation of the Sacro Monte of Varallo, on the iniziative of the community of Orta, as a result of the direct intervention and generosity of the Abbot Amico Canobio of Novara, who encouraged the citizens to undertake the project, and had the first chapel built at his own expense. Other rich patrons were to follow his example.
Between 1593 and 1615, a decisive role in the continuation of the project was played by the Bishop of Novara, Carlo Bescapè; he was concerned that the complex should be a strictly organised centre of devotion, in line with the ideas which had inspired the Council of Trento, and more particulary with the interpretation of the Counter-Reformation given by Carlo Borromeo in the diocese of Milan.
For example, he took paints to ensure that the episodes of the life of St. Francis of Assisi - the chosen theme of the devotional itinerary - were correctly illustrated, and to encourage the faithful in devotion and the elevation of the spirit, inspecting every stage of the work in progress and giving precise instructions as to the scenes to be represented inside each chapel. Furthermore, he set up a body, the fabbriceria, a kind of committee of works, to administer the funds which were donated or willed towards the completation of the project. The overall plan of work, including the choice of the site of each chapel and the lay-out of the paths and the vegetation, was made by the Capuchin architect Cleto of Castelletto Ticino, who worked in close collaboration with Bishop Bescapè. The first chapels were thus executed with small, intimate groups of terracotta figures representing simple people, and decorated with frescoes whose key characteristic was their descriptive tone, intended as a clear, easily understandable way of recounting to the faithful the story of the Saint who had modelled his life on Christ's.
In each chapel, the terracotta groups were usually separeted from the space where the faithful stood by artistic wooden grills with opening through which the figures could be viewed. This period in the construction of the Sacro Monte saw the partecipation of respected established artists from Milan and Novara, such as the sculptor Cristoforo Prestinari, the painters Giovanni Battista and Giovanni Mauro della Rovere, known as the "Fiamminghini", Morazzone, and craftsmen who had worked on the sacro Monte of Varallo, such as the statuary Giovanni d'Enrico. Towards the middle of 17th century a new style was introduced into the Sacro Monte: unequivocally Baroque, grandiloquent, theatrical, characterised by more highly-coloured paintings, rounded figures, statues in dramatic poses Examples of this new taste are chapels XVI and XVII, which were again the work of artists established in Lombard culturel circles, such as the Nuvolone brothers, Antonio Busca, the sculptors Dionigi Bussola and Giuseppe Rusnati. Some of the already-completed chapels were not exempt from this striking new interpretation of the Sacro Monte as a kind of sacred theatre, and were remodelled accordingly.
Towards the end of 17th century, the Lombard painter Stefano Maria Legnani introduced early examples of the rococo style, which was to typify the additions of the 18th century: refined, airy, with colours softening into pale pastel shades.
Later additions and alterations, from the New chapel built towards the end of 18th century to the reworking of some existing chapels, adhere to the taste for the neo-classic then current. From the late 18th century the role of Bishop in controlling the Sacro Monte declined in importance until, along with the old fabbriceria, it ended at the beginning of this century, when the Burgh of Orta, with the help of the Franciscan friars who serve the sanctuary, took over the task of routine and exceptional maintenance of the complex.
In 1980, the Sacro Monte of Orta was by Regional law declared a protected area with the title of Special Natural Park.

NIETZSCHE IN ORTA

The shy, reserved German man of letters and philosopher Freiedriech Nietzsche changed upon Orta in 1882. During an excursion to Sacro Monte he fell hopelessly in love with Lou Salomé, the Russian poetess and his travelling companion. In the quiet of the wood “where the nightingalis sing” Nietzsche attempted an advance but the girl, surprised and intimated by the boldness of this then unknown man of letters, recoiled.
The poet was to suffer greatly from his first and only disappointment in love; he repeated “Sacro Monte...the most beautiful dream of my life”.
He then wrote “So spoke Zarathustra” and dated it “Von Orta an...” “From Orta onwards”.
He always remembered the force of the rustling of the leaves, the crunching of gravel beneath the soles, the nightingales singing joyfully around the chapels of St. Francis. But if you listen carefully you can hear the same chirping even in the middle of the lake, on the isle of San Giulio, “unique in its kind which immediately evokes marvel and admiration”