San Carlo
The Colossus of San Carlo Borromeo in Arona
The Colossus of San Carlo Borromeo, also known as the Sancarlone or Sancarlòn, is an impressive 35-meter tall statue located in Arona, a beautiful town on the western shore of Lake Maggiore, in the province of Novara. This wonder of art is situated on the top of the Sacred Mountain of Arona and was erected between 1624 and 1698 by the design of Giovanni Battista Crespi.
San Carlo
San Carlo Borromeo was an Italian prelate born in Arona in 1538, who became bishop and cardinal at the age of twenty-two. In 1565, he was elected Archbishop of Milan and focused mainly on the material and spiritual assistance of people affected by plague and famine. He died on November 3, 1584, was beatified in 1602, and was then canonized in 1610, only 26 years after his death.
Construction of the statue
The statue was commissioned by San Carlo Borromeo's cousin, Federico Borromeo, Archbishop of Milan, and his successor. The construction of the statue began in 1624, simultaneously with the construction of the Sacred Mountain of Arona. The project also included the construction of a huge statue that would be visible from Lake Maggiore. The statue was designed by Giovanni Battista Crespi, known as the Cerano, and was made with hammered copper plates joined using iron nails and tension rods. The sculptors who worked on the statue were Siro Zanella from Pavia and Bernardo Falconi from Bissone.
Characteristics
The statue of San Carlo Borromeo stands on an 11.70-meter high granite pedestal, while the statue itself measures 23.40 meters in height. With a total height of 35.10 meters, it is equivalent to a 10-story building and was, for almost two centuries, the tallest visitable statue in the world. However, in 1886, it was surpassed by the Statue of Liberty in New York, which measures 46 meters from foot to torch tip. The Colossus was precisely surveyed during the restoration conducted in 1975 by engineer Carlo Ferrari Da Passano, director of the Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano. The length of the statue's hand index finger is 1.95 meters, the hand's width is 1.45 meters, and the length of the thumb is 1.40 meters. The height of the prayer book is 4.20 meters. The internal supporting skeleton consists of a column of overlapping stone blocks from the quarries of Angera. Within this column, a supporting iron frame is anchored with the copper plates that give shape to the colossus.
The statue's right-hand blessing arm is actually a complex semi-elastic metal structure, designed to withstand strong winds that hit the area during bad weather.
Conclusions
The Colossus of San Carlo Borromeo statue is an impressive monument that celebrates the memory of an important historical figure of Christianity. It represents an icon of Italian art and attracts numerous visitors from all over the world. The grandeur of the statue represents an imposing work of art and a unique experience for anyone who visits it.
