Sass della Preja Buja

The "sass della Preja Buja" is a huge megalitic stone which is in the small city of Sesto Calende (VA).

The stone was declared natural and national monument, preserved by law, belongs from the Quaternary period, when it was transported near the lake during glaciations. In ancient periods on its rock, little valleys were created to gather precious oils employed to officiate antique cults.

Preja Buja is in dialect, and it means "dark stone" but even "pagan prayer". Here in facts it is thought Witches and Wizards had their rituals and celebrated sabbath.

The most popular legend linked to this place tells that Jupiter decided to punish Venus for her relationships with a fisherman; the man was turned into a dragon that burnt all the places around. Because of the fire population tried to leave the territory, but many died. The fisherman's wife fell crossing a wood and died protecting her kids with her body. Because of that she was transformed with a spell into a big stone with a hen shape protecting the chicks.

Another legend tells that in ancient times there would have been a bad flood; water -of lake- arrived to sink all the hills around this place. Escaping from the flooding and under a violent storm a young mother with her kids were hit by a lightening and they all was turned into stones.

Because of the legendary origins of this stone it was considered like a witnesses maternal love and here women went to pray for fertility. "The Preja Buja stone" even today is an anwser given by some mothers to children who ask "Where did i come from?"

An interesting and curious aspect of this stone is that near or over, it has the ability to disrupt the compass.

Angera's Castle

The Castle

View of a part of the castle and Lake Maggiore

Panorama from the castle