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You are here: Pella
The village, having a little more than 1000 inhabitants, is situated just in front of Orta, on the West shore of the lake, at the foot of the huge granitic precipice upon which lies the sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso, and near the mouth of the Pellino river, which can be crossed through an ancient cambered bridge made of stone dated back to 1587.Pella was a fortified suburb, as well as many other villages in this area of the Riviera which had to protect themselves against the invaders who menaced the independence; yet, very little remained of the ancient walls, that’s to say a keep on the bank of the stream in Piazza Motta. Just outside the city centre, towards Alzo, one of Pella`s hamlets facing South, is another evidence of Romanesque art, the church of San Filiberto, one of the oldest Romanesque churches of Cusio, with its high stony bell tower dated back to XIth century, in front of the church’s façade which, on the contrary, has been renewed later.
Pella is a typical suburb of Cusio shores: it is by far less known than Orta, the village on the opposite side once fulcrum of the Riviera, but Pella is worth a visit for the views on the lake and the peculiarity of the granitic precipice dominating it and which attracts the tourists. From Madonna del Sasso, just up there, the sigh is amazing: the rock dominates the built-up area and it seems to protect it as a mother.
Pella, at the foot of the precipice on the West shore, more steep and huge than any other village, is rocky and fierce. Miners and stone-dressers, together with the fishermen, used to live and work nearby and their testimonies accompany the visit to these places still today, both in the city centre and in its hamlets such as Alzo, Ronco Sotto and Ronco Sopra.
Pella: a discreet view on the Lake and on Cusio.