San Giulio - an island of silence and cathedrals in northern Italy

In the province of Piedmont in northern Italy, in the middle of the Alpine mountains lies the spectacularly beautiful Lake Orta (Lago d'Orta) of glacial origin. Its area is 18 square kilometers, and the depth does not exceed 143 meters. The most amazing place on the lake is a small island on which the whole city is built. The city on the lake and the island opposite have the same names: Orta-San-Giulio (Orta-San-Giulio) and San Giulio (Isola San Giulio). The latter, undoubtedly, can be called one of the smallest inhabited islands in the world.

This piece of sushi got its name in honor of the Greek saint Julius, who arrived here in the 4th century with the intention of erecting the first Christian church in the region. There is only one street on the island called the “Path of silence”, so it is impossible to get lost or miss any attraction here. The main treasure of San Giulio is the Episcopal Palace, which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In addition to it, here you will also see the Benedictine Convent and the Basilica, the construction of which was undertaken by St. Julius himself.

In total, the whole island can be reached in less than an hour. However, we would not advise you to rush, but to penetrate as much as possible the atmosphere, silence and tranquility of the amazing city. During the walk, pay attention to the houses of the priests, some of them have signs with wise phrases, such as: “In silence you can comprehend everything” or “All walls exist only in your mind”.

Watch the video: European Travel Skills with Cameron Hewitt (May 2024).