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Orrido of Bellano. A canyon on Lake Como
Bellano is a village on the eastern side of Lake Como nearby the more famous Varenna and in this article we will talk about the main attraction of this village: the Orrido, a natural canyon that is located just in the centre of Bellano.
"Orrido" in italian means "horrific". A local poet, Sigismondo Boldoni, defined this natural gorge as a "Orrore di un’orrenda orrendezza” which means “Horror of horific horridness!"
This gorge was formed about 15 millions years ago thanks to river Pioverna that carved out the rocks by erosion and its waters now run thorugh steep rocky walls creating a scary though evocative atmosphere.
In the 19th century Cotonificio Cantoni was built next to the canyon. It was a huge textile factory that secured a job to lots of workers from Bellano and other towns on the lake. The building exploited the huge amount of water coming from river Pioverna and it can be easily seen while walking through Bellano, even though it has now been abandoned.
So, the Orrido and its waters are part of the bellanese identity for centuries. And not only is the Orrido a recent tourist attraction, but also boosted a local and international tourism during the 19th century when, in order to visit this steep rock walls, there were a little track and a wagon that allowed you to go through the path in a short time. The wagon doesn't exist anymore, but nowadays the Orrido can be visited thanks to catwalks fixed in the rocks.
The scenery is breathtaking and the nature is wild inside: the foamy waters, the waterfall, the vegetation, the caves carved into the rock, are a spectacle of great beauty where you get the feeling of being inside a rebellious and ungovernable place.
Walking through the walkways can be a little scary at first, especially if you are afraid of heights, but the path is not long and in the final part you will walk up to a scenic place where you can admire the Orrido and its waterfalls from above.
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Some advice, a curiosity and a legend about the Orrido of Bellano: ✅We suggest you visit the Orrido after a thunderstorm or in a rainy day because the force of the running water will be more powerful and you will get a more evocative experience.
✅ At the beginning of the path, there is a four-floor hexagonal tower.
Local people call it Casa del Diavolo (House of the devil) and inhabitants are not completely sure about when it was built or what its function was over the centuries. This mistery gave birth to a lot of legends about this place. On its walls there are a lot of esoteric symbols that can be linked to some sanatic rituals that were probably held inside. Other rumors connect Agostino Lorla, local gentleman who lived in the 19th century, to the Casa del Diavolo. It is said that he secretely met women in this place during the night and according to a legend there is a woman walled up inside, standing and with a ring on her finger.
The Casa del Diavol has been recently renovated and inside you can visit a multimedia exhibition about the history of the bellanese territory. It is possible to purchase a cumulative ticket to vist both the Orrido and the Ca' del Diavol.
✅ An ancient but not very known legend, talks about the warrior Taino Cameroni that is buried in the waters of the Orrido together with the treasure he obtained during battles. It is said that his loyal men diverted the course of a branch of the Pioverna to be able to bury Taino in the depths of the waters. If you see a ghost, you'll know who he is! The Orrido is a unique attraction that can't be easily found elsewhere, not only for its geographical and morphological features, but also for all the mysteries, curiosities and legends connected to it.
A visit to the canyon "Orrido" of Bellano is really worth it, if you are looking for a new and exciting experience on the eastern shore of Lake Como.
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