Isola Bella

Isola Bella

Written and photographed by Joseph Hillenmeyer

Throughout history, men have searched for awe-inspiring ways to show adoration for the women in their lives. Outside of the Taj Mahal, few men have gone as far as Italian aristocrat, Carlo III of the House of Borromeo. In 1632 the wealthy and influential Carlo paid tribute to his wife, Isabella, by taking a rocky outcropping in Lago Maggiore, located in the lakes region of northern Italy, and created one of the finest palazzo and gardens in Italy. Over the next forty years, and after countless boatloads of topsoil and building materials had been shipped in, the palazzo and garden took shape over the lake in an impressive monument to his beloved wife.

Since its inception, the gardens and palazzo have been enjoyed by the likes of such historic figures as Napoleon, his wife Josephine, and by Caroline of Brunswick, the Princess of Wales. She was so enamored with the island that she offered to purchase it but was turned down, thus creating the construction of the Villa d’Este on nearby by Lake Como. Now, nearly four centuries later Isola Bella remains in the hands of the Borromeo family and has been opened to the public, allowing visitors the opportunity to view this delightful garden.

Horticulturaly, the lakes region of Italy is unique, and Lago Maggiore is no exception. The lake’s prime location, surrounded by the foothills of the Swiss Alps, actually enjoys an almost Mediterranean climate due to the trapping of humidity by the mountains, thus locking in the moist air around the lake.

This climate-friendly area allows for a great diversity of plant material ranging from Palms to Spruce and including specimens of Camellia, Magnolia, and Italian Cypress. Hundreds of Citrus trees in containers and a 200-year-old Camphor Tree also grace the area. As in many Italian gardens, and especially of the period, much of the color in the garden is achieved from the bedding out of annuals.

The expansive Baroque-style gardens of Isola Bella were originally designed by the Milanese architect Angelo Crivelli and later completed by Carlo Fontana. Both architects can be credited for the seamless incorporation of the surrounding lake and mountains as a part of the garden’s extraordinary appeal. Typical for the Baroque period, both the Borromeos and Crivelli wanted to make sure that the scale and ambition of the garden and palazzo were astounding. As he continued to build up and away from the water, he terraced the island into ten distinct levels which form a truncated pyramid. The terracing, with its plantings and custom-made terracotta overflowing with color, have been said to recall the hanging gardens of Babylon.

The terracing culminates with a large series of waterworks constructed of tufa and covered with pebble mosaic. Ornate balustrades and marble representations of Jupiter, Mercury, and Neptune surround the waterworks at its base. Statues of the season summer and Eros, the god of love, atop a unicorn surmount the shrine. The view from the top of the pyramid offers a look out onto the lake and mountains beyond, or down upon the gardens and palazzo. The view of the terracing as seen from a boat is astounding and affords vistas of the arched colonnades that were constructed to support the multiple levels.

The layout of the garden allows it to feel much larger than it really is. Plants or walls block sections from each other, creating a series of rooms, a precursor to the concept of garden rooms so popular in vogue today. Each space is unique, but all use the beauty of the lake and mountains as their unifying backdrop. Throughout the garden white Peacocks and colorful Pheasants roam freely, creating a whimsical, almost playful effect against the otherwise formal surroundings.

The fact that Isola Bella has remained in the Borromeo family all this time has ensured that the garden remains much as it did during the 17th century. Today, it is considered one of the finest examples of a Baroque-style garden still existing in Italy.

Lago Maggiore is situated near the small town of Stresa, surrounded by beautiful homes and villas and fantastic local restaurants. Additional gardens of note such as Isola Madre, Villa Taranto, and Isola di Brissago are all within a day’s travel. For garden lovers and travelers alike, Isola Bella and Lago Maggiore are destinations truly worth visiting, and if just for a while, well worth losing oneself in.