The Olona civilization
This valley, formed by one of the Province's most important rivers, contributed to the radical social and environmental transformations that occurred over the course of past centuries.
The Olona river valley was the location for a civilization whose significance can in part be gauged from important monuments that have survived the passage of time and the work of men, and that are visible still today. In this area, there are monuments dating back to the late Ancient Roman period, and the "barbarian" age that followed immediately afterwards: they include the Torba tower, 4th-5th century; the church of Santa Maria Foris Portas in Castelseprio, 5th-6th centuries; and the group of buildings forming the Basilica of San Giovanni Evangelista, in the fortified town of Castelseprio, 5th-7th centuries.
The Torba tower was a defensive beacon for the territory, built along the river in order to control the road crossing it at that point. Other buildings were added to the tower, including a monastery and the church of Santa Maria dating to the 9th century, with frescoes as old as the tower itself.
In this period hallmarked by dramatic events and important historical figures, closely linked to the period in which the Longobards relinquished power to the Franks, Castiglione Olona grew in importance. This town is situated on a high, isolated hill that guards a considerable distance of the river Olona. It was in fact an ideal location for a castle, protecting the ford and the bridge that would be built later. The other side of the hill, better exposed to the sun, was ideal as a place for a village. It was here, from the 15th century on, that cardinal Branda Castiglioni developed his humanistic philosophy by means of an ambitious and sophisticated project for the political and religious renewal of the ancient Mediaeval settlement. Today it is an important town for its cultural heritage, with important works of Lombard art. The Collegiata (monastery) has some important frescoes by Masolino da Panicale, and the 15th-century Palazzo Branda Castiglioni includes frescoes by Lombard-school painters, with other works by Tuscan masters. The 14th-century Palazzo dei Castiglioni di Monteruzzo is also worthy of note.
The Olona river valley was the location for a civilization whose significance can in part be gauged from important monuments that have survived the passage of time and the work of men, and that are visible still today. In this area, there are monuments dating back to the late Ancient Roman period, and the "barbarian" age that followed immediately afterwards: they include the Torba tower, 4th-5th century; the church of Santa Maria Foris Portas in Castelseprio, 5th-6th centuries; and the group of buildings forming the Basilica of San Giovanni Evangelista, in the fortified town of Castelseprio, 5th-7th centuries.
The Torba tower was a defensive beacon for the territory, built along the river in order to control the road crossing it at that point. Other buildings were added to the tower, including a monastery and the church of Santa Maria dating to the 9th century, with frescoes as old as the tower itself.
In this period hallmarked by dramatic events and important historical figures, closely linked to the period in which the Longobards relinquished power to the Franks, Castiglione Olona grew in importance. This town is situated on a high, isolated hill that guards a considerable distance of the river Olona. It was in fact an ideal location for a castle, protecting the ford and the bridge that would be built later. The other side of the hill, better exposed to the sun, was ideal as a place for a village. It was here, from the 15th century on, that cardinal Branda Castiglioni developed his humanistic philosophy by means of an ambitious and sophisticated project for the political and religious renewal of the ancient Mediaeval settlement. Today it is an important town for its cultural heritage, with important works of Lombard art. The Collegiata (monastery) has some important frescoes by Masolino da Panicale, and the 15th-century Palazzo Branda Castiglioni includes frescoes by Lombard-school painters, with other works by Tuscan masters. The 14th-century Palazzo dei Castiglioni di Monteruzzo is also worthy of note.
