ITALIA	ITALY
autonome Region: Trentino-Südtirol / regione autonoma: Trentino-Alto Adige	Trentino – South Tyrol
provincia / Provinz: Arco / Trient

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• el: Άρκο
• bg, be, mk, ru, sr, uk: Арко

Arco is situated at an elevation of 91 m on the river Sarca about 5 km north of Lake Garda and about 26 km southwest of Trento, the capital of the Italian autonomous region Trentino-Südtirol/Trentino-Alto Adige. The municipality has a population of about 17,700 (2024).

Arco was first mentioned in 771 as Arqno. In the second half of the 19th century, Arco gained an excellent reputation throughout Austria-Hungary as a health resort and spa due to its mild Mediterranean climate and fresh air. Arco was particularly popular as a winter retreat among the Habsburgs and the Central European nobility. The mild climate was also ideal for the treatment of tuberculosis, which is why numerous sanatoriums were built where patients were often treated for long periods. Many spa facilities were built, serving both the recreation and entertainment of spa guests. Some of these facilities, such as the Casino Municipale with its veranda and ballroom, have survived to this day. The casino is currently used for conferences and events. At the end of the 19th century, the famous poet Rainer Maria Rilke stayed in Arco several times. Here he found inspiration for some of his works and wrote poems about Arco and some of the surrounding areas. Today, the Rilke Panorama Trail commemorates him.

The parish church of Santa Maria Assunta [left, no. 4892: background centre], often referred to simply as La Collegiata, is located in the heart of the old town. It was first mentioned in 1144, but was demolished in 1613 and rebuilt by 1630. It was not consecrated until 1671, as work was halted for decades due to the plague epidemic that broke out in 1630. It is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary.

The ruins of Arco castle [background top left], located on a steep rock above the old town, are the ancestral seat of the Arco family. They were first mentioned in a document in 1144. The castle was the center of disputes between parties from Verona, Tyrol, France, Bavaria and Milan in various centuries. For centuries it was considered impregnable, but in 1703 it was destroyed by French troops during the War of the Spanish Succession.

[https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arco_(Trentino)]