The castles boast a history of war and vendetta worth of a fantasy film. Restored and re-opened to the public this year they have always played a centre-stage role in an ancient local legend
They seem to be rising directly from the water, suspended between reality and imagination. On a foggy day it’s said that a phantom sailing ship silently plies the waves with the castles in the background. But it’s not the set of a fantasy film. It’s the Piedmont side of Lake Maggiore, in front of Cannero Riviera, where the mysterious and fascinating Cannero Castles are located.
A dive into the past
Two of these rocky islets host the ruins of ancient fortifications which, while strictly part of Cannobio, have always been bound up by name and popular perceptions with Cannero. Their history is interwoven with banditry, battles, ruling families and ancient vendettas. A visit to these places – even from far away, from the lakeside or a boat – means a leap back into an epic story, as fascinating as it is true. The castles most probably date to the 11th and 12th centuries and were originally called the Malpaga forts.
They were initially used by local brigands to control trade between Italy and Switzerland. But their fame dates to the 15th century when they were taken over by the much-feared Mazzarditi brothers, five local aristocrats turned tyrants. Taking advantage of the instability of the Duchy of Milan and the Guelf-Ghibelline wars, the Mazzarditi was a violent, arbitrary rule which terrorised the lake’s peoples. For ten years they ruled over the whole lake, until 1414, when the new Duke of Milan, Filippo Maria Visconti sent an army to drive them away and bring their rule to an end, at least officially. A few decades ago, in 1441, the castles passed into the hands of the powerful Borromeo family as a donation.
In 1519, the latest member of the Borromeo dynasty, Count Lodovico Borromeo, had a fort built on the ruins of the earlier buildings and called it Vitaliana in honour of his family. This new structure became a defensive bastion against Swiss raids, but when Lodovico died it was abandoned, and silence and legends took over. It is, in fact, said that on foggy days a phantom sailing ship is sometimes seen. It is said to be the Mazzarditi brothers returning to look for a mysterious sunken treasure they had hidden from the Duke.
Fantasy or reality notwithstanding a trip to Cannero Riviera is certainly not just a tourist experience. It’s a journey in which history and legend meld. In 2019 the Borromeo family – still owners of the islets – launched restoration work designed to promote the Cannero castle ruins, an ambitious initiative which ended this year, making visits to the whole site now possible.
