Introbio , situated in the center of Valsassina , has a very interesting historic village , thanks to its ancient origins and to the numerous historic testimonies that came to us.
Known since Etruscan and Roman times , Introbio preserves various artifacts , like objects , tombs and ruined walls of ancient fortresses. A good evidence is the ancient Palace of Pretorio’s front door , that was destinated to be the statehouse and the Podestà’s residence.
Walking through the historic village you can see religious buildings like the Church of St. Michele ( that it probably was the first in 1100 ) and the Church of St. Caterina ( 1539 ). But the most important is the Church of St. Antonio Abate , situated in the center and parish’ place , it was rebuilt during 1800 in neoclassical style.
Other important construnctions situated in the historic village are Arrigoni Tower: a medieval tower used to sight barbarians that hanging around the territories of Valsassina , it has some characteristic elements projected by Leonardo da Vinci , and the amazing Villa Migliavacca , that actually hosts the Municipality.
Photos by Graziano Peverelli
The Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Bondo or Sanctuary of the Lady of Pity , about 700 meters on hight , it’s in the locality of Bondo in Vestreno , in Valvarrone.
It is situated in a isolated area into a wood , near the Wanderer’s Trail : thanks to that peculiarity it offers a beathtaking panoramic view on Lake Como and its mountains. The location’s choice wasn’t accidental : in fact , the Blessed Virgin was in charge of protecting the residents , because they used to go to the mountains where they often met bandits and wild animals.
The building is a typical exemple of mountain sanctuary of Baroque age , even though the measures done in the beginning of the 1900 are noticeable. The current construction come from 1677 , even if during the centuries the church was equipped with others interior fixtures and fittings : the altar , the cantine and the board , made with Varenna black marble , are datated 1700 more or less , like the porch and the façade ; while the tower bell was built at the beginning of 1800.
Photos by Paola Massari
The St Martin Church is a religious building situated in Sueglio , in Valvarrone.
The church was a reference point also for the communities of Introzzo and Vestreno , because the village was very important to all the valley. The dedication to a Saint that was venereted by the Franchis and the strategic and panoramic location testifies the antiquity of the original building , that probably come from Longobardians age , in which it was a paramilitary function.
From 1583 , its consecration year , the construction was expended and modificated few times with the influence of the differents styles in the course of time. The church presents a cries to Latin cross and is costitueted by only one nave , by one transept and by an apse for the major altar and the presbitery.
On the left side there are some traces of the medieval church , thanks to the baptismal font from 16th century and to the painting of the baptismo of Jesus Christ. In the apse you can find the precious major altar that come from 1660 , it is presented like a little golden temple shaped like a tower , decoreted by a crown of Saints and angels that surround Christ. The altar is the representation of the triumph of paradise in the earth and it reproduces the ” Sacred Mount “.
The façade presents instead a neoclassic structure. The entrance portals are three , one central and two on the sides ; on the central portal there are the symbols of Martin soldier ( helmet and sword ) and of Martin bishop ( mitre and pastoral ) contained in a frame. The mighty tower bell was built near the church between 1697 and 1705.
Photos by Lombardia Beni Culturali.
Camisolo Mines , in Val Biandino of Introbio , are considereted of the biggest and of the oldest in Lombardy. On Camisolo’s top , near Rifugio Grassi on the Dorsale Orobica Lecchese , near Pizzo dei Tre Signori , at the height of the valley and at the borders of Valsassina and of Val Torta , today you still find some deposites of refusals of lead mine.
All began on Agoust 5th, 1862 in ” Palazz de Valbona “, when a Society knowed as ” La Virginia ” was inaugurated in Bergamo , this society took care of the dig and the estraction in the copper and lead mines in Valsassina. In the beginning it engaged to built recidences for the miners at the opening of the road , you actually can see some trails , to allow the transfer of the mineral until Introbio , using carts and sleights. Here , the society had built and expanded a workshop ( Fornett ), that previously was one of the most important iron melting furnace , in which the mineral was pulverized and washed.
The companies have abandoned soon Valsassina’s mines ; but Camisolo mines were reopened in the beginning of 1900 thanks to an english society named ” The Camisolo Mines Limited “. The mining activity take place between autumn and spring and it was complementary to pastoralism , a very important activity that still practiced in Valsassina.
Photos by Matteo Ceruti and from the sites mapio.net e www.prgamici.eu/
The church of St. Antonio Abate is in Crandola, a little panoramic hamlet in the hight Valsassina , and it’s situated at the entrance of the village on the way that goes up from Margno.
The church was consacreted in 1474 and it’s popularly named also “ del purcel ” ( of the pig ), because the patron saint is the protector of this animals.
The building’s façade presents two frescoes very deterioreted that represent the Saints Antonio Abate and Cristoforo to the side of a Crucifix.
Going inside, you can see that it has only one aisle and three altars : the mayor one, the Immacolata’s Concezione one (on the right) and the Sant’ Antonio da Padova one (on the left). Even now these are collocated in their respective chapels , with statues that represent differents saints.
On the background there are three niches that contain statues : with Saint Lorenzo and Sebastiano in the sides, and with Saint Antonio Abate with bishop’s suits in the centre.
Besides, the aisle’s walls were frescoed with Vergine’s life episodes in the eighteenth century, just like the frescoes with the Annunciation that represent remarkable moments to the religious beliefs.
Manzoni’s Palace is an interesting historic building of Barzio , a lively tourist destination in Valsassina , and it hosts the Municipality and the library.
The historic palace belongs to the late seventeenth-century and has been declared national monument in 1930 ; besides, it is named Manzoni’s Palace thanks to one of its owners : Pasino Manzoni , of the branch of Manzoni’s Family , to which belongs also Alessandro Manzoni.
From the wooden front door, that is bordered by an amazing eighteenth-century portal in stone , you reach the main courtyard where you can find a family crest , a well with eardrum in classic style and a cruis porch on pillars.
The Civic Room is particularly interesting ; it is situated to the left to the entrance, where you can admire the frescoes in Baroque style and the crest engraved in the marble.
On the external façade there is an headstone with bronzy medallion dedicated to Tranquillo Baruffaldi , a nobile man from Barzio , voluntary among the thousand of Garibaldi and descendant of Baruffali’s family , that became the building’s owner in 1800.
The church of St George is an ancient religious monument situated in Cremeno , in the Valsassina’s highland.
In olden times the congregation of Cremeno was really important and it extended his jurisdiction to all the southern valley, on Pasturo , Barzio , Moggio , Culmine di San Pietro and Maggio.
The cardinal Federico Borromeo , during a pastoral visit in 1614, held that the curch was going to be demolished and rebuilded newly , in accorde to the drawing that the Prefect of the Factories was going to sent from Milan. Because of the plague , the building work lasted almost a century , but the new church was really majestic. Except the bell tower , that was raised , the old church was completely disappeared.
The inside part presents a single aisle accompanied by four lateral chapels and a semicircular apse with an altar (from 1793) and nineteenth-century choir. The chapels , internally , host a lot of artworks including frescoes dedicated to the Titular Saint , biblical episodes and a work that is attributed to the school of Bergognone (1535).
Externally you can admire the chapels of the Way of the Cross erected in 1772 , as the headstone sets on the arc of access reminds.
From 1836 , every year on Agoust 16th the residents celebrate Saint Rocco making a solemn procession that starts from the Church of St George and continues following the main streets until the church of Saint Rocco.
The church of St Quirico and Giulitta is situated near a bridge over the Varrone , in Dervio , in proximity of the Tower of Orezia’s Castle and of the Wanderer’s Trail.
The building was declareted national monument since the beginning of 1900 , thanks to its valuable Romanesque’s tower bell , attributed to XI century and perfectly preserved. Instead , the rest of the church has been reworked several times over the centuries.
The construction was mentioned for the first time in a testament in 814 , so we can presume that it already existed like private chapel and then it was donated to the Church of Dervio.
The church is dedicated to the two martyrs of IX century , whom are represented in the frescoes and onto canvas that you can find internally. Traditionally Quirico is represented like the son of Giulitta , both deads because they don’t want deny the Christian faith. But really this martyrs’ life events are not known ; their cult is usually connected to the presence of Franchi. The Quirico and Giulitta’s party was on July 16th.
With the vote of December 1629 , the people of Dervio undertook to celebrate Saint Carlo’s party (November 4th) in solemn way in the Church of St Quirico and Giulitta.
Saturday, March 16 at the Orrido di Bellano there will be the maestro Carlo Borlenghi available to participants to provide tips and suggestions on how to get the best shots.
The most beautiful shots will be chosen by Carlo to compose the Orrido calendar for 2020!
A beautiful opportunity for all those who love the art of photography.
Limited partecipation, sign up via email until March 10th. Information and contacts in the poster.
© 2020 Lago di Como e Valsassina. All Rights Reserved. – Copyright Ideas All rights reserved – Informativa sui cookie