Fontana di Arano

According to legend, in the great monastery built around the Abbey of San Zeno, in Cellore di Illasi, there lived a monk named Ildebrando, born in Arano and entered the monastery at just 18 years old. He loved prayer, especially during the long winter nights, and the work in the fields. He cultivated a piece of land located near Cadalora, rich in olive trees and vines.

One day while returning to the convent after an intense day of work, a group of criminals from Monte Garzon attacked him near the heights of Duello and, after robbing him of the few things he had, left him for dead along the road that descends towards Arano, near an ancient and large stump with a cross.

In Arano lived a man named Giona who was a shepherd. That day, while he was on his way home near Monte Garzon, he saw the poor monk asking for help. The shepherd called a group of fishermen who were rearranging their nets on the shore of the lake (which at the time occupied the depression that reaches the foothills of the heights of Duello and Mount Tabor). Together, they loaded him onto a stretcher and took him to Arano to the shepherd's house. They cared for him, gave him something to drink and eat. Later, they took a cart to transport him to the convent of San Zeno, which was located in the same place where the beautiful Abbey now stands.

The Holy Monk, struck by the great welcome he received from that family and from the whole Community of Arano, before going back to the convent, expressed his intention to repay all the assistance he had received. He looked towards the intersection in the center of the small village and said, “From this place, from now on, the clearest, freshest, and mineral-rich water will spring forth for the entire valley, and this water will never run dry”. Then, turning his gaze towards the lake of Arano, he continued: “Do you see all this water? One day it will turn into wine!” Suddenly, right where the historic fountain now stands, water began to flow that still quenches the thirst of all the villagers and passerby who come and go from those places.

The people, while the monk moved away to return to the convent, shouted loudly: “Today God has visited us!” and, in memory of all that had happened, they built a great shrine, the Shrine of the “Visitation,” which can still be admired today. And the lake has now transformed into one of the most beautiful vineyards in Cellore.