Noro Ornithology Collection

The Municipality of Graglia has made available a facility in the centre of the village to house a collection of birds sold by the Noro family to the municipality itself.

Graglia is also known for its shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Loreto, dating back to the early 17th century.

Along the path from the shrine to the San Carlo hill, one of the most fascinating acoustic phenomena known to man takes place: the hendecasyllabic echo.

By reaching a suitably marked spot and turning towards the shrine, the echoing of the shouted word can be heard after a fraction of a second.

The echo can reverberate an Italian word of eleven syllables (try shouting: precipitevolissimevolmente!).

Experts, who have been familiar with the phenomenon since the 18th century, explain it as due to both the structure of the shrine's monumental complex and the peculiar climatic and environmental conditions.

It is a rare phenomenon and an opportunity not to be missed: only one other Hendecasyllabic Echo exists in the world, in the Grand Canyon, United States.

It is worth mentioning that in Graglia a water known to be the lightest in Europe – with only 14 milligrams of dissolved solids per litre – flows directly from the mountain springs: the Lauretana water. Bottled on site, it is renowned for its therapeutic properties.

The Noro ornithological collection includes over 600 specimens from Piedmont and several European countries, dating from the late 19th to early 20th century.

Rare birds, such as the eagle owl, great bustard, great crested grebe and little curlew are part of the collection.

Also on display:

• a herbarium of the Upper Elvo Valley flora;
• a small collection of rocks and minerals;
• a collection of shells.