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You are here: Pettenasco
Pettenasco is situated along the route that links Gozzano to Omegna, after Orta San Giulio; its small centre has about 1300 inhabitants. At half way, just after a little inlet beyond Orta, you proceed into the village which is crossed by the provincial road. The railway bridge linking Novara to Domodossola dominates the built-up area, while the city-centre directly faces Lake Orta, with its Lido and the wharf for the landing of lake navigation lines.The history of Pettenasco is related to the same events of all Lake Orta suburbs: firstly member of the Lombard Dukedom of the Island, then to the independent Cusio Feud, and finally possession of Novara Count-Bishops.
Some local legends tell that Audenzio lived there: he was the Prefect who helped St. Julius in his evangelization of Cusio area, and now his body is buried in St. Julius Basilica.
The ancient Romanesque church of the suburb was consecrated to St. Audenzio: it was situated on the borders of the built-up area, and just the medieval tower bell is still intact, one of the oldest in the whole country. The parish church of St. Audenzio and St. Caterina was rebuilt during the XVIIIth century upon the remains of the former Romanesque chapel, and beside another bell tower was established in the same period. The interior conserves some valuable paintings such as a canvas by Giulio Cesare Procaccini.
The promontory of Crabbio, from where the sight sweeps both over Orta and Omegna, divides Pettenasco from Omegna, which shut in the Lake to the north.
Today, Pettenasco’s economy is based on Omegna’s industrial activities and on the flow of tourism, but in the past the suburb activities were more traditional, such as fishing, agriculture and handicraft. Pettenasco, in the second half of the XIXth century, specialized in the art of woodturning, thanks to watermill power engines: during the same century, 5 mills fed by the waters of Pescone stream became real “factories”. Woodturning generally produced house gifts and fancy goods (and in the following century the near Omegna became the productive centre of household items).
Pettenasco has dedicated a museum to this traditional profession, the Woodturning Art Museum (Museo dell’Arte della Tornitura del Legno).
In Pettinasco you can also find the seat of Ecomuseo Cusius, which was established by Piedmont Region in 1997 after the will of local authorities. An initiative whose purpose was the valorisation of the rich and varied Cusio environment.