Uninhabited Isola Madre, a jewel in the waters of Lake Maggiore and the largest of the Isole Borromee, is famous across the globe for its significant botanical collection which contains samples from a wide variety of latitudes. In the past it was dedicated to San Vittore, later becoming Isola Maggiore, and then taking on its present name.
The area, dense with olive groves in the 16th century, was converted into a garden and later into an English garden of almost 8 hectares. Further modifications provided its present appearance with terraces offering views of rare plants such as a two-hundred-year old cypress from Kashmir and a Jubaeae Spectabilis palm many centuries old.
On the southern shore and highest part of the island is Palazzo Borromeo, built in 1590 on the ruins of the church and cemetery dedicated to San Vittore. It conserves prestigious furnishings belonging to the Borromeo family and a display of marionette theatres dating from the 1600s to the 1800s. Outside the Palazzo is the family chapel which has a pretty façade of terracotta panels.
Film Commission Torino Piemonte
Via Cagliari 42 — 10153 Torino
Phone: +39 011 2379201
Fax: +39 011 2379298
Email: info@fctp.it
