The Rebirth of the Castelli di Cannero: a Conference on Their Restoration in Verbania

On Friday, October 10, from 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Verbania, a public meeting will be held to present the restoration and enhancement project of the Castelli di Cannero. The event is organized by the Order of Architects of Novara and Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, in collaboration with the Museo del Paesaggio, the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Biella, Novara, Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, and Vercelli, and with Terre Borromeo.

The Castelli di Cannero reopened to the public on June 28 following the completion of an extensive project commissioned by the Borromeo family and led by the Turin-based firm Simonetti Architettura. Their revival takes shape through an immersive experience that combines historical research and technological innovation.

All the contributors to this revival will take part in the discussion, from designers and contractors to officials of the Superintendence. The event will open with institutional greetings, followed by presentations from the architects and various professionals and experts who took part in the project. Marina Borromeo, Head of Special Projects at Terre Borromeo, will be in attendance.

Central to the project was the role of the Simonetti Architettura firm and architect Salvatore Simonetti, under whose direction the design and restoration works were carried out. The project stemmed from the intention to preserve both the material and immaterial image of the fortress — a built testimony that lies at the boundary between the action of time and the pursuit of the material’s immortality. The transformations were carried out in full respect of the work’s authenticity, avoiding any distortion of its visual and formal perception. The new volumes along the visitor path, for example, recall the temporary wooden siege structures. They were conceived as temporary, removable, and resting upon the existing architecture.

The meeting thus rewinds the story to the origins of this ambitious project, which today allows visitors to enjoy a dual experience: arriving from the mainland by boat, as a true “landing at the ruin,” and, inside the castle, listening to a narration that transforms the site into an open-air museum.