The Ferriera ( o Ferrera ), named also Cave of Copper or Acqua Bianca Cave in Mandello del Lario , is one of the most known caves of Grigna, outside of speleology world.
Even Leonardo Da Vinci in the Atlantic Code mentions the charm of this natural cave , in which you still see the excavations , that are past activities tracks of iron hydroxide extraction.
The cave , formed by karst phenomena and composed by Limestone of Esino , is criss-crossed by one creek that disperses in the underground. The void that you can find in the current entrancy has recentrly opened , it is possible that in the past it was composed by a combination of galleries. The presence of water courses in the lateral tunnels and of big water sources (like the Acqua Bianca one ) under the cave are testimonies of underground circulation of water , but unfortunately it cannot be explored.
The cave is reachable from Rongio , in 30 minutes following the trail way 14 or 18.
Discover also the path of the River and Alpe Era and the Zucco of Manavello.
We are grateful to CAI Grigne – Mandello del Lario section for the information and the pictures , for more details go to the website : www.caigrigne.it
Zucco of Sileggio ( 1368 m ) is an interesting panoramic point on Mandello del Lario , and a good trip destination in all the seasons , especially thanks to its suggestive views on Lake Como , on its mountains and on the surrounding area.
Once that you arrived to Zucco of Sileggio , you can find the characteristic cross in steel , embroidered with a magnific view on the city , and a friendly bell ; going to the north , you can see a bivouac , dedicated to the professor Mario Sforza.
There are different itineraries to reach Zucco of Sileggio : the easier one is on the southwest side and going through Zucco of Tura :
Discover also the route from Mandello to Zucco of Manavello.
We are grateful to CAI Grigne – Mandello del Lario section for the information , for more details go to the website : www.caigrigne.it
Photos by Marco Pugliese and Leonardo Panzeri
Sunday, September the 29th, will take place the 2nd edition of “Trail Grigne Sud”, race that will bring the runners to discover the majesty of the southern slopes of the Grigne.
Athlets can choose between the long path -38km +3600m- and the short one’s -19km +1800m-, that will draw an arch from the center of Mandello del Lario and from the water of the lake to the peaks in the shade of Sasso Cavallo.
Can take part to the race all athlets over 18 years old with certificate of physical fitness for agonistic sports.
The inscription is possible only by web service of wedosport filling in the form in all of its part. The payment must be done through the online service with a credit card.
Costs are:
The athlets that doesn’t have an individual insurance will have an increase of € 5,00 and they will be inscripted like temporary member of CSEN Outdoor .
As soon as possible will be load the complete program.
The path of the River is a very suggestive loop route , that runs from Mandello del Lario along the Torrent Meria , a watarcourse that have several waterfalls , pools and fords and that is particularly approprieted during the warm summer days.
Starting to Somana ( 350 m approx. ) , you follow the path n. 15 B , along Valle of Era and the river , to reach in about 1 hour and half Alpe of Era ( 832 m ), that is situated in a quite laver where you can find also a little church dating 1938.
There is a loop route that you can cross to go back , walking through Val Meria , until Rongio ( 350 m approx. ), following the trail sign n. 15 C , with a totally journey time of about 3 hours.
Nearby you can also visit the Acqua Bianca Cave and the Church of St. Mary.
For more information go to CAI Grigne – Mandello del Lario Section website: www.caigrigne.it
Photos by Elena Landoni, Marzia Riva e Rosy Bonardi
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.
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