Orta San Giulio is an Italian town in the province of Novara with a population of 1,280. It is part of the “Most Beautiful Villages of Italy” circuit and has been awarded the Orange Flag by the Italian Touring Club.
Located halfway along the eastern shore of Lake Orta, it sits at the tip of a hilly promontory sloping down to the water, about 45 kilometers from Novara.
The historic center lies directly on the lake, facing San Giulio Island, which is also part of the municipality. Further up the hillside is the hamlet of Legro, while Imolo consists of just a few homes along the lakeshore, near the State Road 229 leading to Gozzano. The small settlement of Corconio is located a few kilometers further south, hidden from the main road, perched on a terrace about fifty meters above the lake.
History
The history of Orta is closely tied to that of Lake Orta. It has always been the main center of the “Community of the Riviera,” an autonomous federation of towns that existed from the Middle Ages until the mid-18th century. Orta was once fortified, but its defenses were destroyed in 1311 and never rebuilt, as its secluded position provided sufficient security. In fact, the town suffered only one raid in its history, in 1524, at the hands of the Sforza.
The historic center of Orta is entirely pedestrianized, featuring picturesque narrow streets. The main street runs parallel to the lake and intersects with steep alleys leading uphill toward the Sacred Mount (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) or the large parking areas.
At the heart of the town lies Piazza Motta, a stunning open-air lounge overlooking the lake, from which boats depart for San Giulio Island. The square is surrounded on three sides by well-proportioned, arcaded buildings. On the north side stands the Broletto, or Palazzo della Comunità della Riviera di San Giulio, built in 1582. This historic building features an open arcade on the ground floor, formerly used as a market, and a meeting hall upstairs, where the General Council—comprising representatives of the bishop’s fief—exercised both legislative and executive power. The structure is a blend of classical and rustic elements, with frescoes on the facade, an irregular external staircase, small columns in the portico, and a stone-slab roof. A small bell tower crowns the building.
Facing the Broletto, a broad cobblestone street called “Motta” (Via Caire Albertoletti) ascends towards the Church of Santa Maria Assunta, built in 1485 and reconstructed in the late 18th century. The street is lined with historic buildings, including Palazzo Gemelli, a 16th-century mansion with three distinct sections, rounded cornices, and frescoed facades. On the opposite side stands the neoclassical Palazzo De Fortis Penotti.
Orta San Giulio is also home to the only island on Lake Orta, San Giulio Island, which lies about 400 meters from the shore. The island is dominated by the former seminary, built in 1844 on the ruins of an ancient castle. Today, it houses the cloistered Benedictine abbey Mater Ecclesiae. Also on the island is the Basilica of San Giulio, the most important Romanesque monument in the Novara region.
