Gianni Rodari artist Omegna

Gianni Rodari of Omegna is the most important Italian writer for children of the twentieth century, considered the father of modern Italian children’s literature. He was most famous for his nursery rhymes, fairy tales and novels for boys, but his real distinctive trait was another: turning imagination into a technique that anyone can learn, not a gift reserved for a few geniuses.

Gianni Rodari was born in Omegna on October 23, 1920. Although he left Piedmont at a young age, the bond between the writer and his hometown remained deep and alive over time. Today Omegna celebrates its illustrious fellow citizen through a rich cultural heritage that includes the Parco della Fantasia, the Rodari Museum and numerous initiatives dedicated to children’s literature.

The Origins of Gianni Rodari in Omegna

Gianni Rodari was born into a modest family in Omegna, a town overlooking Lake Orta. His father, Giuseppe, was a baker and died when Gianni was only seven years old. In 1929 the family moved to Gavirate, where the young Rodari attended schools and obtained a master’s degree in 1937.

Despite the transfer, the bond with Omegna remained strong. The hometown represented for Rodari a constant landmark, a place of imagination that fueled his literary production. The writer’s birthplace, located in Via Mazzini in the historic center, is today one of the symbolic places of the Rodarian route.

The Park of the Fantasy Gianni Rodari

The Park of Fantasy is the heart of the Rodarian celebrations in Omegna. Founded in 2001, this cultural and educational project has transformed the city into a real open-air laboratory dedicated to imagination.

The Park is not a simple physical space, but a widespread system that networks different places in the city. Through nursery rhymes, stories and puns, visitors can retrace the places that marked the writer’s childhood: from the city center to the lakefront, from the “Vatican” area to the birthplace.

The Rodari Museum

Opened in 2021, the Rodari Museum is the last piece of the Fantasy Park. Designed by the Bianchetti Architettura studio, the museum stands out for an innovative approach that combines audiovisual content, interactive installations and immersive technologies.

The museum itinerary tells the “fantastic story” of the writer with lightness and surprise. Visitors can listen to the famous “fables on the phone” by dialing special numbers, seeing Rodari’s television interviews and discovering texts that come to life through moving images. The neon writings suspended on the streets of the historic center, taken from the author’s stories, guide visitors to the museum starting from his birthplace.

The Factories of the Game Gianni Rodari Omegna

In 2026, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Park, the third museum was inaugurated: “The Factories of the Game”. Located within the Forum of Omegna, this interactive space celebrates the industrial tradition of the territory, historically linked to the production of toys and design.

The route develops as a great game of the railway goose, inspired by the “Blue Arrow” of Rodariana memoria. Visitors cross three thematic “country stations”, each dedicated to a local material and production tradition. The initiative was sponsored by Assogiocattoli, confirming the national relevance of the project.
The Festival of Literature for Children

Every year Omegna hosts the Gianni Rodari Children’s Literature Festival, now in its thirteenth edition in 2026. The festival includes meetings with experts, creative workshops, theatrical performances, screenings and narrative walks through the streets of the city.

The highlight is the Rodari Prize ceremony, held every October in conjunction with the anniversary of the writer’s birth. The award represents an important recognition in the panorama of Italian children’s literature.
San Vito Bimbi and the Summer Celebrations

During the traditional Feast of San Vito, Omegna dedicates ten days entirely to children with “San Vito Bimbi”. The 2026 edition, which also celebrates 25 years of the Fantasia Park, offers theatrical performances, creative workshops, meetings with characters such as Bing and the youtuber Parrins, and spectacular fireworks on cartoon music.
Omegna and the Nigoglia: the River that goes to the contrary

A natural element deeply linked to the Rodarian imagination is the Nigoglia, the river that crosses Omegna. Unlike almost all of the waterways, the Nigoglia flows in the opposite direction from the lake, “going up” north. This detail has fascinated Rodari and his fellow citizens, so much so that it becomes a distinctive feature of the local identity.

An ancient Omegnese proverb reads: “The Nigoeuja goes up; and the law la fèm nu!” (Nigoglia flows up; and we make the law!) This spirit of independence and non-conformity seems to have profoundly influenced Rodari’s writing, characterized by an irreverent and creative approach to reality.
The Documentation Center and Donations Gianni Rodari Omegna

In 2022, daughter Paola Rodari donated to the Omegna documentation center books, articles and original essays by the writer. This donation further enriches the cultural heritage of the city and offers scholars and enthusiasts the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the work of Rodaria. Gianni Rodari Omegna.
Conclusion

Omegna and Gianni Rodari are linked by an indissoluble relationship. The hometown has been able to transform the memory of the writer into a lively and dynamic cultural project, capable of involving children, families, schools and scholars. Through the Park of Fantasy, museums, the literary festival and the numerous educational initiatives, Omegna continues to spread the most authentic message of Rodari in the world: that fantasy is not a futile game, but a powerful tool of growth and freedom.