The Pink Granite of Baveno and the Via dei Picasass

Discover the stone, the people and the mountain landscape behind Baveno

Baveno is often discovered from the water: from its lakeside promenade, the Borromean Gulf and the islands beyond. But look towards the mountains, and another story begins.

Behind the quiet streets of the village rises a landscape shaped by pink granite, a distinctive local stone that has been quarried and worked here for centuries. It can be found in Baveno's churches, houses, monuments and waterfront, connecting the everyday appearance of the town with the people who once extracted and shaped the stone by hand.

Today, you can discover this story on foot: from the historic centre and the GranUM Museum to the old quarry landscape of Monte Camoscio and the Via dei Picasass. It is a different way of experiencing Baveno — one that gradually takes you from the lake towards the mountains.

The Pink Granite of Baveno

There is a particular warmth to the stone that gives Baveno its name as the town of pink granite. Its characteristic colour comes from the minerals within the rock, while its texture reveals the crystals formed during the slow cooling of the magma from which it originated. The granite of Baveno belongs to the wider group known as the Graniti dei Laghi, found around the lakes of Maggiore, Orta and Mergozzo.

But the granite is more than a geological curiosity. It has shaped the history and appearance of Baveno itself.

Its use became particularly important from the sixteenth century onwards, when granite from the area was employed in important buildings in Milan. Over the centuries, its reputation grew far beyond the shores of Lake Maggiore, and Baveno granite eventually travelled to Europe, the Americas and beyond.

In other words, the stone beneath the mountains of Baveno became part of a much larger story.

The Picasass: The People Behind the Stone

The word picasass comes from the local dialect and refers to the stonecutters and quarry workers who made their living from granite.

Their work was demanding and highly skilled. Generations of families were involved in quarrying and shaping the stone, particularly during the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth. Among the prominent local families were the Adami, Bernasconi, Cirla, Della Casa, Galli, Polli and Tamini.

The story also reflects a period of considerable change. Born in Meride, in the Swiss canton of Ticino, entrepreneur Nicola Della Casa became one of the pioneers of Baveno's granite industry. In the nineteenth century, he introduced more industrial methods to the extraction and processing of granite and developed commercial networks that reached well beyond Italy. Baveno's stone was no longer simply a local building material: it had become a sought-after product in international markets.

The legacy of the picasass can still be felt today — not only in the quarries, but throughout the village.

Discover the Granite in Baveno

One of the nicest ways to understand the story is simply to walk through Baveno and look around.

A good starting point is the GranUM Museum, housed in the historic Palazzo Pretorio in Piazza della Chiesa. The small museum explores the varieties of local stone, mineral specimens, traditional and modern techniques of working granite, and the history of its extraction and use both locally and abroad.

It is also a lovely place to visit on a rainy day in Baveno, offering a chance to discover the town's geological and industrial heritage while staying comfortably indoors. If the weather is not ideal for exploring the lake or mountains, GranUM is a small but fascinating stop to add to your itinerary.

From here, the story continues through the historic centre..

In the church square, pink granite appears in architectural details including the Via Crucis colonnade and the portico of the baptistery. In the old Domo district, it becomes part of the houses themselves. A large mural in Piazza Matteotti tells the story of the picasass and the world of the quarries.

Then comes the lake.

Baveno's waterfront offers one of the most poetic contrasts in the whole story: what was once a place connected with the transport and working of heavy stone has become a place for strolling, resting and enjoying the view. The present-day lakeside still uses local granite, while sculptures such as the Monumento allo Scalpellino and Cristallizzazioni del granito keep the memory of the stoneworkers alive.

This is Baveno seen from the ground up: from the lake, through the village, and into the stone.

The Via dei Picasass

To continue the journey, leave the waterfront behind and follow the Sentiero dei Picasass towards the mountains.

The trail leads towards the quarry area of Monte Camoscio, passing through a landscape where the history of granite extraction becomes tangible. Along the route, an outdoor installation displays blocks of stone at different stages of working, accompanied by photographic panels showing scenes from the traditional quarrying process.

It is almost as if the GranUM Museum has opened its doors and continued into the landscape.

And that is what makes this walk particularly interesting. You are not simply hiking through the hills above Lake Maggiore: you are following an old story through the very landscape that created it.

The route can continue towards Monte Camoscio or connect with the wider mountain itineraries towards Mottarone. For walkers who want to explore more of the area, this also makes a fascinating introduction to the hiking possibilities around Baveno and Lake Maggiore.

From the Lake to the Mountains

The further you climb, the more the perspective changes.

Below, Lake Maggiore opens out between the mountains. The Borromean Islands appear in the distance, while the village of Baveno becomes part of the landscape rather than its centre. The blue of the lake, the green of the woods and the warm tones of the granite create a completely different palette from the one you experience along the waterfront.

For experienced hikers, the route can also lead towards the Via Ferrata dei Picasass, which reaches the summit of Monte Camoscio at 890 metres. The ferrata offers spectacular views towards Lake Maggiore, the Borromean Islands, the Lombard shore and the Alpine chain. It is a proper protected climbing route, however, and requires appropriate equipment and experience.

For a more leisurely experience, simply following the hiking trail is enough to discover this quieter side of Baveno.

A Different Way to Discover Baveno

Baveno is often remembered for its lake views, its beaches and its proximity to the Borromean Islands. But the lake is only one part of the landscape.

Look closer, and you find a town shaped by water, mountains and stone — by the granite beneath the hills, the people who worked it and the paths that once connected the quarries with the village below.

After discovering Baveno from the lake, it is worth turning towards the mountains.

There, among old quarry landscapes, granite walls and panoramic trails, another side of the town begins to reveal itself.

And perhaps that is the most beautiful thing about exploring Lake Maggiore: there is always another perspective waiting just beyond the one you have already discovered.

Acknowledgements & Further Reading

This article was inspired by the work of local institutions, museums and researchers who have documented the geological, industrial and cultural heritage of Baveno and its granite. We are grateful to the people and organisations who help preserve and share this important part of the area's history.

Further Reading

For a deeper look into the history of Baveno's pink granite, the Picasass and the places connected with quarrying, we recommend exploring:

• Baveno Turismo – Il Granito e il Sentiero dei Picasass
  A comprehensive introduction to the history of Baveno's granite, the GranUM Museum and the Sentiero dei Picasass. Baveno Turismo – Il Granito e il Sentiero dei Picasass

• Baveno Turismo – The History of Baveno Granite
  An especially valuable source for the history of the quarries, the Picasass and the development of the granite industry, including the important role played by Nicola Della Casa and the expansion of Baveno granite into international markets. Baveno Turismo – Storia del granito

• Baveno Turismo – The Granite Route through the Town Centre and Lakeside
  Useful for discovering how pink granite appears throughout Baveno's historic centre, including the Church of Saints Gervasio and Protasio, the Via Crucis colonnade, the baptistery portico and the mural dedicated to the Picasass. Baveno Turismo – Il granito per le vie del centro e del lungolago

• Museo del Granito GranUM – Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino
  For further information about GranUM, its collections and its role in interpreting the geological and industrial heritage of Baveno. Museo del Granito GranUM – Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali

Preserving Local Memory

We would also like to thank Custodi della memoria nell'era digitale for its work in preserving and bringing historical photographs and documents from Baveno's past to life through digital restoration and AI-assisted animation. Their work creates a fascinating visual bridge between the history of yesterday and the present, helping local memories reach new generations.