The 'town of the leaning bell tower'

Massino Visconti is an Italian town of about 1000 inhabitants in the province of Novara, in Piedmont. The town overlooks Lake Maggiore and offers a wonderful view over the Lombard shore of the lake and over other Lombard lakes, such as that of Varese. Despite this proximity to the lake, the municipality touches completely different points of altitude, ranging from 200 to 900 meters above sea level. Massino Visconti is a rather lively tourist center, and is called the 'town of the lost bell tower'. One of its most famous monuments is the Visconteo Castle, initially born as a defensive bulwark, but transformed into a residential villa during the 1500s, by powerful families. Even today it is possible to admire the stone balls that adorn the walls and the frescoed vault in the entrance originally intended for carriages. It is precisely from the window of the Castle that it is possible to see a leaning bell tower. This belongs to the Church of San Michele and takes its name from a landslide that caused the structure to yield. Along the streets of the town there are many testimonies of faith, through the numerous churches and frescoes inside them. In addition to the monumental aspect, it is possible to take a walk in nature by climbing Mount Salvatore, which in ancient times housed a monastic settlement with four churches.