Artist’s giant benches

The hunt is on. Discover six of the brightly coloured, supersized Big Benches by Chris Bangle that are adding to the scenery in Lombardy.

Where

Alpe Chiaro, Giumello (LC)

Imagine a brightly-coloured giant bench at the top of a mountain, a great piece of art, design and craftsmanship, looking out onto a stunning panorama. Imagine being able to sit there, on your own or accompanied, admiring the view and making memories of this unique, special moment.

It’s not a surrealistic dream, but an art project that began in 2010, devised by US designer, Chris Bangle, who has become famous for his Big Bench project.

To date, there are 379 all over the world and 63 currently being built as part of the Big Bench Community Project, a charity association founded by Chris Bangle and his wife to promote and make the most of the different sites where they are located. You will find quite a few in Lombardy alone, where they have attracted the attention of genuine treasure hunters, who even have passports that can be purchased to collect the stamps of every bench they visit.

From the valleys to the mountain peaks, through to the enchanting views over Lombardy’s lakes, these Big Benches are all to be found in locations that are perfect for a trip out in the fresh air. Let's take a look together.

The red and white Big Bench #223 on Alpe Chiaro, an idyllic mountain pasture near Giumello, just above Bellano, in the province of Lecco. Installed on 19th June 2022, this is Chris Bangle's first bench in the Como area. It is 2.80m x 3.30m and offers panoramic views of great natural beauty. To get there by car, head to Giumello, a district of Casargo, where you will find a large paying car park.

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Big Bench #53 — The province of Bergamo has quite a few of Chris Bangle’s Big Benches and the one in Riva di Solto e Fonteno is one of the best known. You will recognise it by the number #53 and unmistakable blue and green colours. The colour choice is linked to the idea of capitalising on two local treasures: Lake Iseo and the mountains, including Corna Trentapassi, Monte Guglielmo and Punta Almana among some of the area’s most stunning, best known peaks.

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The province of Pavia is also a part of the Chris Bangle’s creative project, with several benches in different locations in the area. They include the red Big Bench #163, with views over woodlands and vineyards. The position of this bench has earned it the nickname “Butterfly” [Farfalla], since it overlooks a vineyard that looks something like a butterfly’s open wings. But it is not just the deep colour and the fascinating history of the name that makes this such an interesting Big Bench.

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The first Big Bench on Lake Comabbio, province of Varese, was installed in December 2023. This glacial lake, between Lake Maggiore and Lake Varese is famous for its canoe races and now also for the lilac and white Big Bench #333, near the municipality of Varano Borghi, along Viale della Repubblica. This is the second Big Bench to come to the province of Varese (after the one in Satrio) with an eye to promoting nature and culture in the local area.

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About 40 km from Bergamo, Colli di San Fermo is a delightful district of the municipality of Grone, and offers memorable views over Val Cavallina. Woods, meadows and pastures, scenery that can be enjoyed from the mountain chain, just over 1000 metres high, looking out onto the Po Valley on one side and the Bergamo Alps on the other. It is in a strategic position for the super-colourful giant bench, Big Bench #97 in yellow and white.

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In 2018, the municipality of Collebeato, in the province of Brescia, won the prestigious “Città per il Verde” award given in recognition of its sound environmental policy. Today it pays tribute to this award and to the stunning local area with the bright green Big Bench #122. It is the first object of its kind in the Colline di Brescia Park which, with its 4000 hectares, forms an essential green ecosystem in the Lombardy region.

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