Gignese: Churches, Umbrella Museum and Hiking Route

Gignese appeals to travelers with a range of interests: churches with several phases of construction, a museum dedicated to umbrellas and parasols, and a designated hiking route are all specific options to explore. The Golf Club Alpino Di Stresa is another distinct point of interest. When planning your trip, you can consider these interests separately rather than combining them into a single outing.

Hiking and golf as separate highlights

The Itinerario Stresa – Gignese (VL3) is classified as an E-difficulty hiking route. If hiking is part of your trip, this classification gives you a concrete point of reference when choosing a route. The full route name also helps you identify it unambiguously in your plans.

The Golf Club Alpino Di Stresa is another distinct highlight. It is located on a natural terrace between Gignese and Vezzo; the first work began in 1924. If you plan to play golf, check the current playing options before your trip. The hiking route and the golf club therefore represent two different ways of incorporating activities into your travel plans.

Churches with different histories of construction

The Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Maurizio stands above Gignese. A broad staircase made of pink Baveno granite leads up to it; the staircase was built in the 1960s. The present-day church was built between 1707 and 1725 on the remains of an earlier building, probably dating from the 15th century, with two naves. The bell tower and a side chapel are all that remain of the older building. San Maurizio thus brings together several periods: the presumed earlier building, the church from the early 18th century, and the staircase built later.

The artistic decoration adds to the story of the building. The pronaos, added in 1829, was decorated with frescoes by Andrea Francinetti, a painter from Gignese. Together with his son Giovanni, he created numerous other murals in the surrounding area. At the Chiesa di San Rocco, by contrast, a single feature takes center stage: a small 18th-century organ made by organ builder Brunelli and restored in the 1980s.

The Chiesa Parrocchiale dei SS. Giovanni e Paolo was built around 1790 in the Corinthian style. In 1781, don Carlo Bartolomeo De Antonis of Vezzo donated the land. At the Chiesa della Madonna della Neve, the building’s history is connected with the large erratic boulder known as Sasso Papale: the church beside the boulder was completed in early summer 1928. These dates refer to different events—a land donation, a construction, and a completion—and are therefore best considered separately.

The Museo dell’Ombrello e del Parasole

The Museo dell’Ombrello e del Parasole offers a different cultural highlight. It houses around 1,500 items, including handles, shafts, umbrellas, and parasols. The exhibition shows how fashion has influenced the style of these accessories from the 19th century to the present day. The focus is therefore less on individual phases of construction and more on objects and their changing forms.

The museum was founded in 1939 and has been housed in its permanent building since 1976. The building’s design is modeled on three umbrellas arranged side by side. The collection and the building thus offer two different perspectives on the same subject: the exhibits trace the development of the accessories, while the architecture itself takes up the umbrella motif. When choosing your accommodation, these cultural highlights, together with the hiking route or golf club, can help you decide what to focus on during your trip to Gignese.

Discover more destinations: Cannobio, Mergozzo, Antrogna, Masera, Beé, Traffiume, Bognanco, Someraro.

For the broader travel overview: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.