The Sancarlone or San Carlone of Arona, is a giant colossum of copper and bronze built in memory of St. Charles Borromeo, Holy Bishop of Milan from 1560 to 1584, born in Arona in 1538.
The Colossus dedicated to San Carlo is situated on a hill behind the town , just outside the center of Arona.
High 23.40 meters, over a pedestal of 11.70 meters, it is second only to the Statue of Liberty of NY (in referred to statues that can be visisted inside).
The Construction
Sancarlone was built in 1697 by Bernardo Falconi and Siro Zanelli, on request by Cardinal Federico Borromeo, cousin of Saint Charles.
The design was by Giovanni Battista Crespi, called Cerano.
The statue was made of copper sheets hammered and assembled using nails and iron rods . The work was completed in 1698 and on May 19th of the same year Cardinal Federico Caccia, archbishop of Milan, gave the solemn blessing to the monument.
The face of San Carlo, seen from inside the statue
Sancarlone and the Statue of Liberty
Sancarlone was the model of the Statue of Liberty of New York, designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi.
In fact Bartholdi lived in the town of Arona, to study the structure of the colossus.
Today a plate at the base of the New York Statue reminds that it was built taking inspiration fron the Colossus of Arona.
A visit to the colossus of St. Charles
Sancarlone can be visited inside.
There are two ladders that lead in different parts of the head, where up to 6 persons can stay.
The statue is open to the public , who can go through a spiral staircase first and then pegs , arriving inside the head of St. Charles.
The climb is turn-based and is not available to everyone .