Away from San Carlo
The path of San Carlo ( Italian Cammino di San Carlo ) is a historical-artistic hiking route and at the same time a pilgrimage route that follows in the footsteps of St. Charles Borromeo of Arona on the Via Francigena in the area from Biella to Viverone .
The route is divided into twelve foot stages with a total length of approx. 200 km. The route can also be covered by bike and for this it can be divided into four stages. It is the fundamental part of the Coeur project - In the heart of Europe's roads .
history
The hiking route is based on a study of the travels of St. Charles Borromeo in the north of Piedmont and especially in the Biella area. With the help of bibliographical and archival research, it was possible to reconstruct some of Borromeo's visits to these valleys, which are often confirmed by the numerous dedications of churches, altars and oratorios along the entire current route between 1610, the year of canonization , and 1640.
St. Charles Borromeo and the north of Piedmont
St. Charles Borromeo crossed the north of Piedmont several times on his pilgrimages and journeys. There are some places that bear traces of his passing through and of which there are descriptions in his letters.
In 1571, 1578 and 1584 he visited the Sacro Monte di Varallo and supervised its construction. He often stopped here on his numerous journeys between Milan and Turin to find the Shroud of Christ. In 1571 the saint stayed at the Sacro Monte in order to recover from the malaria fever that weakened him.
In September 1584 St. Charles Borromeo in the Biella area to visit a relative, the Marchese Besso Ferrero Fieschi of Masserano , who was seriously ill. After leaving Masserano, the saint went to Vercelli and from there to Turin to look for the shroud of Christ. Then he was again in Biella, where on October 10th he was hosted by Count Alberto Bertodano and was informed of the death of Marchese Besso. The following day he went to Masserano to celebrate the funeral service. He dined in the Crevacuore fort of the Marchesi of Masserano and spent the night there; in the morning he left for Varallo .
He reached Sacro Monte on October 12th and stayed there until the 29th of the month, spending much time in the chapels praying. Despite his malaria fever, he went to Ascona , Switzerland , to sign a document and then returned to Milan, where he died on November 3rd.
The stages
- 1st stage: Arona (statue of St. Charles Borromeo) –Orta . It unites Lake Maggiore with Lake Orta through a pleasant route that leads through the villages of the lower Vergante area and through the Vevera and Agogna valleys . In the direction of Cusio you will find the pilgrimage routes that climb up to Monte Mesma, the seat of the monastery of the same name from the 17th century.
- 2nd stage: Orta – Varallo . The stage follows the Peregrinatio , the historic pilgrimage route between the Sacri Monti on the old connecting paths between the Valsesia and Cusio valley .
- 3rd stage: Varallo – Guardabosone . The route crosses the central part of the Valsesia between Varallo and Borgosesia and touches sites of religious and artistic interest such as the Madonna di Loreto by Varallo and S. Giovanni al Monte by Quarona .
- 4th stage: Guardabosone – Coggiola . The stage runs entirely in the Valle Séssera with its villages, forests and quiet valleys.
- 5th stage: Coggiola – Brughiera di Trivero . Industrial scenarios and green landscapes alternate on this section, which unites three pilgrimage sites: Cavallero , Novareia and Brughiera with their respective pilgrimage churches . On this stage you reach the foothills of the Oasi Zegna, which is characterized on this side by the hollow of the rhododendrons .
- 6th stage: Brughiera di Trivero – Pettinengo . It goes through the upper part of the Strona valley past villages, farmhouses and gentle landscapes.
- 7th stage: Pettinengo – S. Giovanni d'Andorno . You leave the Strona Valley and enter the Cervo Valley to finish the route at the San Giovanni di Andorno sanctuary .
- 8th stage: S. Giovanni d'Andorno - pilgrimage church of Oropa . The route follows a part of the tracciolino , a road planned by Ermenegildo Zegna and never built, which connects the pilgrimage church of S. Giovanni with the largest Marian pilgrimage site in the Alps.
- 9th stage: Oropa – Sordevolo pilgrimage church . It goes from the Oropa valley to the Elvo valley and the Parco Burcina nature park to the town of Sordevolo , which is famous for its passion plays.
- 10th stage: Sordevolo – Graglia pilgrimage church . In this section you come across two branches of the Ecomuseo del Biellese (Ecomuseum of the Biella Territory) (Trappa di Sordevolo and Borgata Bagneri), before reaching the pilgrimage site of Graglia .
- 11th stage: Graglia – Chiaverano . The route enters the Canavese area in a short section , passes the Serra d'Ivrea in the direction of Chiaverano and S. Stefano di Sessano.
- 12th stage: Chiaverano – Viverone . The stage combines the Cammino di San Carlo and the Via Francigena and touches the town of Magnano with its ricetto (fortified district), the church of S. Secondo and the community of Bose .
The bicycle tour
The Cammino di San Carlo also offers the possibility of cycling the route in four stages.
- 1st stage: Arona (colosso di San Carlo) –Sacro Monte di Varallo (66 km)
- 2nd stage: Sacro Monte di Varallo – Santuario della Brughiera (52 km)
- 3rd stage: Santuario della Brughiera – Santuario di Oropa (45 km)
- 4th stage: Santuario di Oropa – Via Francigena (54 km)
UNESCO sites
The hiking route unites and connects five sites that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Three Sacri Monti:
Two prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps:
- Viverone
- Lagoni di Mercurago
Nature reserves
Along the hiking route you come across numerous parks and nature reserves and cross them.
- Lagoni di Mercurago Natural Park
- Monte Fenera Natural Park
- Special nature reserve Parco Burcina - Felice Piacenza
- Special nature reserve Bessa
- Special nature reserve of the Sacro Monte di Varallo
- Special nature reserve of the Sacro Monte di Oropa
- Special nature reserve of the Sacro Monte d'Orta
- Oasi Zegna nature reserve
- Alta Valle Séssera
Web links
- ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: Official website of the path (ital.) )