What if I told you Cameri has roots stretching back to ancient times? Cameri is a municipality in the Province of Novara. It sits in the Italian region of Piedmont. Cameri is about 90 kilometers northeast of Turin. It is also about 6 kilometers northeast of Novara.
Cameri borders several municipalities. These include Bellinzago Novarese and Caltignaga. Also Castano Primo and Galliate. Nosate, Novara, and Turbigo are neighboring cities too.
The current mayor of Cameri is Giuliano Pacileo. He was elected on May 26, 2019.
Cameri is home to Cameri Air Base. It is now used for maintenance. The Panavia Tornado and Eurofighter Typhoon are maintained here. These belong to the Aeronautica Militare. Final assembly of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II also occurs here.
Cameri’s history is a tapestry woven from different threads. Some believe its name comes from Roman times. Others think it has Celtic origins. One theory links Cameri to “Campo di Marte”. This was a place near the Ticino River. Scipio stopped here during the battle against Hannibal.
Another idea suggests the name comes from “Campo Raudio”. This is a plain between the Ticino and Sesia rivers. Here, Gaius Marius defeated the Cimbri. The most popular theory connects Cameri with “Castra Marii”. This means Marius’s camp. The commander waited here to fight the Cimbri. The battle later happened near Vercelli.
A Celtic interpretation links the name to two Celts. They are Cam and Bram. This is where the dialect name of the town “Cambra” comes from.
In 1939, Benito Mussolini visited Cameri. He arrived by car from Novara. Mussolini went to the airport. He visited the departments of Cansa. This is Costruzioni Aeronautiche Novaresi Società Anonima. It was born from the cessation of Gabardini’s activities. He participated in the blessing. At the airport, he inaugurated the “Aeronautical Village”. It was named after Giovanni Magistrini. In the afternoon, he went to the town. He participated in laying the first stone of the Casa Littoria. It was dedicated to Costanzo Ciano.
Cameri has many churches. The Madonna di San Cassiano is one. San Rocco and San Giuseppe are other churches. You can also find Chiesa del Santissimo Sacramento and Santa Maria Assunta. The parish church of San Michele Arcangelo is another highlight. It was built between 1845 and 1852.
Cameri is twinned with Vännäs in Sweden since 2003.
Today, Cameri is a continuously progressing municipality. It faces various challenges. These are in restructuring, industry, and logistics. Also social, cultural, and environmental aspects. Cameri is the most active municipality in the Novara area.
Cameri is part of the Piedmontese Park of Ticino. Since 2023, it has been crossed by the 220 km Switzerland-Novara cycle-tourist route. This route runs by bike on the water’s edge.
In 2023, the Italian Air Force celebrated its 100th anniversary. The Cameri airport played a key role. It collaborated with the municipality of Cameri. They organized various events.
Cameri offers a blend of history and progress. It is a place where ancient roots support a modern outlook.