La Pietra Racconta
The cultural festival dedicated to granite between Mergozzo and Baveno, on Lake Maggiore
About La Pietra Racconta
The festival that gives voice to stone
In Mergozzo, a small village overlooking the lake of the same name in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola (Piedmont), stone is more than just scenery: it is identity. The Montorfano granite and Candoglia marble, used to build the Milan Cathedral, have defined the life and work of this community for centuries. La Pietra Racconta was created to give voice to this history through a widespread cultural festival that unites the towns of Mergozzo and Baveno in a journey of exhibitions, meetings, music, and excursions.
The 2026 Tenth Anniversary Themes
In 2026, the festival celebrates its tenth edition, revolving around two main themes:
- Fuoco alle polveri — an exhibition and series of meetings dedicated to the history of gunpowder factories and the large mines used to extract granite in local quarries between the 19th and 20th centuries, a little-known chapter of the territory's labor history.
- Archeologia e Mito — an original contemporary art exhibition by GP Colombo, hosted at the Antica Latteria and the Mu.Me. Archaeological Museum, in dialogue with local artifacts and mythological figures of antiquity.
A widespread calendar in Mergozzo
From spring to winter, La Pietra Racconta brings Mergozzo and its hamlets — from Bracchio to Montorfano and Candoglia — to life with a program designed for diverse audiences. Highlights include evening concerts in the churches of San Carlo in Bracchio and San Giovanni in Montorfano, scholarly lectures at the Antica Latteria, presentations on the "pink marble route," and guided excursions to the famous Candoglia Quarry, suitable for all ages. The calendar also features exhibitions dedicated to figures linked to the village, such as the Steiner couple, artists and partisans who left their mark on Mergozzo.
Organizers
The festival is jointly promoted by the Ecomuseo del Granito di Montorfano, the Mu.Me. Archaeological Museum of Mergozzo, and the GranUM Museum of Baveno, with the support of local institutions. It is now one of the most anticipated cultural events on the Piedmontese shore of Lake Maggiore, successfully combining the discovery of geological and archaeological heritage with the pleasure of a summer of events by the lake.
La Pietra Racconta — edition 2026
For its tenth anniversary, La Pietra Racconta offers a rich calendar in Mergozzo that weaves together archaeology, contemporary art, and labor history. The exhibition "Archeologia e Mito" by GP Colombo dialogues with the artifacts of the Mu.Me. and is accompanied by a series of thematic meetings dedicated to the flavors, scents, and sounds of myth. There is no shortage of evening concerts in local churches, scholarly lectures at the Antica Latteria, and guided excursions to the Candoglia Quarry, also designed for children.
Programme La Pietra Racconta 2026
April - May
- April 19, 5:00 PM — Presentation "The Pink Marble Route" with excursion proposals
- May 9 — Explorers at the Candoglia Quarry (workshop for children aged 8-12)
- May 23, 5:00 PM — Lecture "Epigraphic Novelties" with G. Mennella (Antica Latteria)
June
- June 13, 9:00 PM — Concert "Nitida stella", Orchestra Zebo (Church of San Carlo, Bracchio)
- June 27, 9:00 PM — Concert "D'amore, d'odio e altre storie", Orchestra Zebo (Church of San Giovanni, Montorfano)
July - August
- July 9, 9:00 PM — Inauguration of the exhibition "Archeologia e Mito" by GP Colombo (Antica Latteria and Mu.Me. Archaeological Museum); open from July 9 to August 31, Thursday-Sunday 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
- July 16, 9:00 PM — Meeting "The Flavors of Myth" (Antica Latteria)
- July 23, 9:00 PM — Meeting "The Scents of Myth" (Antica Latteria)
- July 30, 9:00 PM — Meeting "The Sounds of Myth" with R. Munaretto (Antica Latteria)
- August 6, 9:00 PM — Concert "Tutto Piazzolla", Magasin du Café (Porticato delle Cappelle)
September - October
- September 10, 9:00 PM — Inauguration of the exhibition "Licalbe Steiner e Mergozzo" (Antica Latteria); open from September 10 to October 18, Saturday-Sunday 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM
- September 25, 9:00 PM — Lecture on Luigi Tamini and historical updates (Antica Latteria)
The calendar continues until December 5 with further events between Mergozzo and Baveno.
Highlights La Pietra Racconta 2026
Prices La Pietra Racconta 2026
Practical information — La Pietra Racconta
Location
Events are primarily held in Mergozzo (Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola): the Mu.Me. Archaeological Museum and the Antica Latteria host exhibitions and meetings, while concerts animate the churches of San Carlo in Bracchio and San Giovanni in Montorfano. Other initiatives involve Baveno and the Candoglia quarries.
How to get there
By car: Mergozzo can be reached from the Verbania-Gravellona motorway exit (A26), a few kilometers from the provincial capital. By train: the Mergozzo station is on the Domodossola–Milan line, while Baveno is about ten kilometers to the south.
Tickets and reservations
Most events are free of charge; for some excursions and guided tours, booking is recommended. Information: Ecomuseo del Granito di Montorfano, tel. +39 0323 840809, [email protected].
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Where does it take place — La Pietra Racconta
Mu.Me. Museo Archeologico di Mergozzo