The long history of Angera documented by books, articles and conferences began in prehistory 15,000 years ago and started being documented in the testimonies of the Vicus (local Roman administrators) in the Roman period; many finds of which are collected in the Civic Archaeological Museum.
The ancient origins of this rich territory have given rise to a great number of legends and memories of people who actually existed or were created in the popular imagination.
The oldest evidence of human presence in the territory of Varese is in Angera and dates back to the Upper Palaeolithic. Important archaeological finds were made at the beginning of the 20th century in Tana del Lupo, a cave located on the southern slopes of La Rocca. Though there is archaeological evidence from the Neolithic period in several inland locations, no finds from the Bronze Age, the era of the culture of Golasecca, have yet been identified in Angera.
The coat of arms used today in Angera is from the Visconti family who held Milan and its territory from the end of the 13th century to 1447, first as Lords and then from 1395, as Dukes and imperial leaders. Their emblem is of a shield depicting a seven-coiled serpent that is holding a human being in its mouth. The origins of this image are unknown though there are a number of legends that attempt to justify and explain the meaning.
There are a great many legends that have been passed down to children and grandchildren. These oral tales have been kept alive through collections written by local inhabitants keen to preserve the many legends and life stories that should not be forgotten. We want to tell you some of these stories...
