Angera is a town known in Roman
times as Angleria, it was an important lake port and road station.
Today its major feature is the Rocca, an imposing castle of
very ancient origin.
The castle is a medieval fortification built on a spur of
calcareous rock which dominates this area of Lake Maggiore.
Thought to have been founded on the site of an earlier Roman
fortification, in the Middle Ages the fort passed into the
hands of Milan's bishops, the Visconti family. Under the Visconti
it was rebuilt and improved upon and increased in size. In
1449 it came into ownerhsip of the Borromeo's family.
The castle has a number of fanmous rooms such as the The "Sala
di Giustizia" which has frescoes dating back to the 13th
century.
Since 1988 the Rocca Borromeo has been home to the "Museo
della Bambola" (The Dolls' Museum). This impressive collection
is made up of dolls, toys, books, miniature furniture, board
games which, with over 1.000 pieces and is one of the largest
in Europe dating back to the 15th century. |