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Un giro tra le chiese di Campodolcino e dintorni Nel territorio di Campodolcino, che conta 12 frazioni, sono presenti numerose Chiese e Cappellette, soggette nel tempo a interventi di restauro e mantenute tutt´oggi in buone condizioni. La Chiesa Parrocchiale di Campodolcino, consacrata nel 1528,  è dedicata a San Giovanni Battista. Esistente già nel ‘400, subì lavori di ampliamento, restauri e modifiche fino all’attuale struttura a 3 navate. Al suo interno si trovano alcune pregevoli opere, come due altari settecenteschi in legno intagliato, l´Altare maggiore e l´Altare del Crocefisso. Qui il piccolo Luigi Guanella fu battezzato il 20 dicembre 1842 dal cugino don Gaudenzio Bianchi al fonte battesimale ancora oggi esistente, a quei tempi però ... [read more]

Museum of the Via Spluga and Val San Giacomo A 16th century inn representing the original building (Tavern plus two adjoining floors) known as ‘Palàzz’, was rebuilt in 1777 and restored as recently as 2002, becoming the Museum base. The Museum of the Via Spluga bears splendid ... [read more] Casa Natale San Luigi Guanella San Luigi Guanella nasce a Fraciscio di Campodolcino, diocesi di Como, il 19 dicembre 1842, da Lorenzo e Maria Bianchi. Nel giorno della Prima Comunione, l´8 aprile 1852 a Gualdera - frazione di Campodolcino - gli appare la Madonna che gli ... [read more]

Il Ponte Romano e la Caurga della Rabbiosa Nei pressi di Campodolcino, vicino alla frazione Tini, merita una visita la cosiddetta Caurga della Rabbiosa, profonda e suggestiva forra del torrente Rabbiosa. La "Caurga", è una profonda gola intagliata tra strapiombanti pareti in cui il torrente Rabbiosa precipita da Fraciscio all´Acero in ...

La Madonna d´Europa di Motta Nella scelta dei luoghi e delle attrazioni da visitare a Campodolcino un posto importante è occupato dalla Statua della Madonna d´Europa a Motta. Si può arrivare a Motta, piccola frazione del Comune di Campodolcino, salendo da Campodolcino con la funicolare sotterranea Sky Express, aperta durante ...

Ca Bardassa The building is in Fraciscio of Campodolcino (at 1341 m. above sea level) and is called "Bardassa" because of one of its last owner&´s nickname. It belongs to the "Comunità Montana della Valchiavenna" and it houses the ethnographic museum of the area, as a well kept witness of mountain house. The building is a ...

Diocesan Sanctuary Just as Christopher Columbus set sail on the first of his monumental voyages of discovery, closer to home at Gallivaggio in Valle Spluga other matters were of more importance in people’s thoughts. Today the church or “diocesan sanctuary” is where La Madonna is revered as the proclaimed ...

Vertemate Franchi Palace It is situated in the Prosto of Piuro locality, within two kilometres of Chiavenna, in the Bregaglia Valley. Built in the sixteenth century by two of the Vertemate brothers from one of the richest families of the small town, it is one of the most prestigious elegant houses of the Lombardy area.  It is the only ...

Pompeii of the Alps In recent decades, the village of Piuro, sometimes referred to as the “Pompeii of the Alps”, buried under the landslide of 1618 along with its thousand inhabitants, is gradually re-emerging thanks to  archaeological excavation campaigns.  2023 has proved a particularly productive  year. ...

Riserva Naturale Pian di Spagna e lago di Mezzola La Riserva Naturale Regionale Pian di Spagna e Lago di Mezzola è un´area protetta istituita per assicurare, nel contesto della convenzione di Ramsar (firmata nel 1971 per riconoscere e regolamentare le zone umide di importanza internazionale soprattutto come habitat degli uccelli acquatici), un ambiente ...

Water places “Where there’s water, there’s life”. So much more than a cliché. Water, a constant presence and vital for everyone to derive sustenance and energy from but also to fall in love with the beauty of the places where they discover it. Two informative books on the dialects of Chiavenna and Gordona refer at length to the ...

On the right tracks in Valchiavenna DISCOVERING PLACES, LANDSCAPES AND STORIES.   Born in Chiavenna and raised in the charming village of Mese, Paolo Rotticci has always had a deep passion for the culture and territory that saw him grow up. After graduating in Modern Literature, he dedicated effort and energy in promoting and enhancing the ...

Chiavenna, cittàslow by nature Going slowly means going healthily and this has not gone unnoticed by Italians and foreigners alike. All of whom you’ll find happily treading the well-maintained mule-tracks and paths of Valchiavenna, appreciating landscapes, waterfalls and panorama whilst tasting the local delicacies of crotto or holiday farm ...

The Treasure Museum The Treasure Museum is located inside the picturesque collegiate church of San Lorenzo, a complex dating back to the 5th century. The arcade was made between the 17th and 18th century with the aim of delimiting the cemetery and for creating an area for processions. The sixteenth-century bell tower overlooks the ...

Paradiso Botanical - Archaeological Park Rising on the eastern edge of Chiavenna are two hills "Paradiso" and "Castellaccio", both providing a magnificent panorama over the city and the surrounding countryside. These two hills make up a botanic and archaeological park of the same name that is a part of a larger, protected natural reserve area called ...

Valchiavenna Fire Brigade Historical Gallery The Mese Fire Brigade Detachement, carrying on the Chiavenna Fire Brigade tradition, was founded in 1868 from Chiavenna Municipality as the Civic Fire Brigade. It exhibits some fire brigade remains in the Mese headquarters since October 2002. The available items have been reorganized in chronological order to give ...

Saint Fedelino Church It stands there, silent and lonely, as it has for more than a thousand years. It looks at the river Mera flowing over the centuries, recalling times of flood, in which the river burst its banks increasing moisture in the structure&´s walls. It waits there, ready to show its historical and artistical treasures only to ...

Museums and Piuro excavations Museum The museum opened on September 10th, 1972 in the Borgonuovo of Piuro school building thanks to the Italian Swiss association for excavations. In 1977 was moved to the ´700 parish church, the church of St. Abbondio from Piuro, and in 1994 it was reorganized in the sacristy of the church itself. In the small ...

The Natural History Museum of Ethnography at Val Codera The museum was established in 1982 and its impressive collection represents a singular ecological record of the natural environment and human influence on Val Codera, which even today is permanently inhabited. It comprises a series of exhibition spaces located in different parts of the two historic settlements of ...

The Picapréda Museum This small museum at Novate Mezzola is located at the mouth of Valchiavenna near the lake. It’s in the Piazza Europa and houses a collection of photographs, accounts of local history and a display of implements used in the extraction and working of Sanfedelino granite.   The museum was created to ...

Museum at Samolaco The museum was set up in 2008 by the cultural association of the local library and is housed in the restored ancient tower, extending over four floors and a basement.   Created originally as a photographic museum (with a series of panels illustrating the history of the area: its traditions and daily life; work, ...

Museo del latte di Mese L´edificio si trova nella principale strada del centro del paese, via don Lucchinetti, all´incrocio con via Piatti.  Lo stabile, oggi sede della Biblioteca, in passato ospitava la latteria. Sulla base di questa premessa, strettamente legata alla storia del paese, si sono voluti unire i due ambienti. ...

The ultimate defence: the mine tunnel The Mine Tunnel Verceia has recently unveiled a magnificent piece of history bearing witness to the First World War. As we make our way in silence through the narrow tunnel that extends fully 200 metres into the heart of the mountain we hear only the accompanying echo of our footsteps. The very same measured tread ...

Info Piuro OPENING HOURS Open only in Summer PRICES Full ticket: € 3,00   Reduced ticket: € 2,00 - children; - students; - groups with at least 7 people; - over 60 years.

Renaissance revealed The paintings on the buildings in Chiavenna&´s historic centre express both the taste and style of a cultured town whose grandeur is also evident in the magnificent frescoes that have resurfaced in recent years. That the historic centre of Chiavenna is the best preserved in the province is unarguable. Seriously ...

Turning back the clock by Guido Scaramellini For anyone with an interest in historical-artistic matters, the baptismal font of Chiavenna, annexed to the collegiate church of San Lorenzo, is an important point of reference for the Italian Romanesque. We are even privileged to know the precise date: March 1156, because it is engraved on ...

Place for reflection One of Chiavenna&´s Gems - too often overlooked You might be surprised just how many people take the time to visit cemeteries while they are on holiday or travelling. Of course the famed Cimetière du Père Lachaise in Paris often forms a part of visitors&´ itinerary, "home" as it is to the likes of Amadeo ...

Witch hunting in Valchiavenna On the morning of Thursday 24th May 1646 in Piuro, Margherita Tognona accused of being a witch, was sentenced to banishment. The local secular court had scraped together "important" evidence but failed to obtain a full confession from her even after two periods of detention and extensive torture. Margherita ...

History of pavements and pots In Roman times Chiavenna was renowned for the extraction of pietra ollare or potstone. Ollare, from the Latin olla, pot, since cooking vessels called "lavécc", were produced from the working of these same blocks. A highly sought-after product which was sold throughout Europe, the marketing of which occupied an ...

Precious moments in the museum Almost hidden away in the cobbled courtyard adjacent to the Chiavenna Church of San Lorenzo, and accessed by passing through an enormous green door, an impressive exhibition space opens out before you: the Treasure Museum of the Collegiate Church of San Lorenzo. On the right wall, a pair of crowns immediately grab ...

Coro Nivalis Chiavenna finds itself in a remarkably fortunate geographical location with extraordinary landscapes and endless potential, attracting visitors throughout the year. At the same time the valley has proved to be a focal point for artistic and cultural activities. Traditional crotti in Pratogiano, much appreciated by ...

The Mill of Bottonera The mill of the former Moro Pasta factory is located in Bottonera, the craftsmen´s area of Chiavenna, built in the 19th  century in the north side of the town. The mills, the paper mill, the power hammer, the two cotton wool factories, the breweries and the Pasta factory in this area, used Mera river waters, through a ...

A carriage ride over the Spluga pass CROSSING THE ALPS ALONG CARRIAGE ROADS IS AFTER ALL A RELATIVELY RECENT AFFAIR. AS FOR THE VALLE SPLUGA IT&´S NECESSARY TO GO BACK TO BETWEEN 1818 TO 1822. A PERIOD THAT IS CELEBRATED BY CAMPODOLCINO&´S NOTED MUSEUM.   And the carriage road itself is essentially down to the Austrians. Work ...

Palazzi di Chiavenna Il Palazzo Pestalozzi-Salis si trova verso metà di via Dolzino ed è contiguo alle case su di un lato e fiancheggiante un vicoletto sull´ altro. La costruzione è del XVI secolo, la facciata principale è quella verso via Dolzino, il motivo centrale della composizione è formato ...

A passeggio per il centro di Chiavenna Scopriamo la bellezza della primavera at­traverso le infinite espressioni naturalistiche.  Basta guardarci intorno per notare come i fiori, gli animali e le montagne più in generale testimoniano la rinascita della vita.  Una lettura che traspare in modo evidente anche pas­seggiando lungo le ...

The baptistry of Chiavenna Since the end of the seventeenth century, the basin has been in the romanic baptistry which was demolished and rebuilt a little to the east, where it now stands, along with the font allowing room for the new colonnade. The basin is a monolith in ollàre stone (the local green stone that was used to make cooking pots ...

Fifty years of the Cardinello In memory of the day that Dante Guanella was to reach Splügen on foot, retracing the ancient path along the Alpine arc. Documenting an enterprise which re-introduced a historic trail to the public. It was on September 28th 1969 when, after a century and a half or so, a group of men led by Dante Guanella from ...

Summer in Val Bregaglia Val Bregaglia in summer offers up some delightful cultural highspots to be discovered one by one. There&´s a wealth of aesthetic treasures in the valley, scattered throughout from Maloja to Castasegna and beyond the borders.   Museo Ciäsa Granda, Stampa - This year the Ciäsa Granda museum is proposing two ...

Music The museum within the Collegiate Church of San Lorenzo is home to ancient volumes tracing the birth of music as we know it today.   The history of music clearly has ancient roots. Up until the year 1000 melodies and songs were handed down orally from generation to generation. The phenomena of written musical ...

The Sanctuary of the Madonna di Loreto The sanctuary of the Madonna of Loreto, born in Chiavenna in 1618, is one of the first with this dedication in Lombardy, and is relocated to the Holy House of Loreto at Recanati, in the province of Ancona, which arrived in 1294 from Tersatto, today River in Croatia. There he had arrived three years earlier from ...

Poetry in its place 150 years on from his birth, Chiavenna faithfully celebrates the poet who brought us La Piccola Patria, an appreciation in verse of the places that were to bring due recognition to the writer’s canon. If today Giovanni Bertacchi is an author recognised and celebrated on a national scale, Chiavenna has certainly ...

Veni vidi vinci Veni vidi vinci!   By 2019 more than 500 years will have passed since the death of Leonardo da Vinci and all manner of events and initiatives are being prepared for the anniversary. It was actually on the 2nd May 1515 that Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci died in Amboise, France. Three years earlier, Francis I of ...

Studios at the very heart The charm of the historic centre of Chiavenna is the perfect stimulus for many artists who choose places with a past life to open their studio workshops and galleries to the public.   In recent years the ancient centre of the town has begun to be noted for a rather particular trend. A number of artists have chosen ...

The donkeys court The donkeys court   There are any number of little corners of Chiavenna which over the years have come to represent the town itself. Particularly and - naturally enough - within the historic centre, featuring heavily on postcards ever since photography took its first bow in the late 19th century, and including ...

Military matters A leap into a hundred year History. That’s the impression you get on visiting Fort Montecchio Nord at Colico where the ambience is that of it having been frozen in time fully a century ago: military technology, soldiers’ personal scribbling on walls, and some of the largest field guns ever sited in a fortress in ...

New Discoveries at Belfort It’s a place that lives, breathes and talks of the Past. Unsurprisingly an Italian/ Swiss Association overseeing Piuro’s Archaeological site has, in recent years, taken full advantage holding a range of cultural events at Belfòrt – theatre, opera and art – all much appreciated by the public at large. Pastureland ...

The old town centre of Chiavenna Along the main street of the old town centre you can notice ancient facades of great charm and considerable importance for the history of Chiavenna, which date back to the sixteenth/seventeenth-century and were recovered thanks to stratigraphic researches. The Caurga An ancient pot stone quarry, used since the ...

Body and Soul Artist and Writer Roberto Plevano has a permanent exhibition of its work at 103 Via Dolzino, Chiavenna. I first met Roberto Plevano in a cosy bar at the top end of the via Dolzino. It was late February. I had previously heard of him through a range of artist friends all of whom share a passion for that creative ...

A fountain along the way Anyone wandering along the bicycle path that heads down from Prosto along Valbregaglia towards Chiavenna is in for an architectural treat in the shape of a fine piece of work by Luigi Caccia Dominioni.   It’s a recent addition to the rich cultural heritage already existing within the ...

Santo Sepolcro e Catafalco della Chiesa di San Bartolomeo Tra i vari apparati esteriori con cui si caratterizzava la religiosità popolare barocca (quella sorta nel sec. XVII dopo il Concilio di Trento, intrisa di forte emozionalità e legata a fastose esteriorità, durata praticamente, passando attraverso le riforme settecentesche, fino al Concilio ...

The Church at Bedolina Well worth a visit this September is the picturesque hamlet of Bedolina – home to the church of the Madonna del Buon Consiglio. The tiny village stretching on the right of Val Bodengo takes its name from the surrounding birch forest (bedógn in local dialect). The adjacent land is fallow – typical ...

O io già vissi spirito errante qui Mostra permanente con fotografie d´epoca e testi esplicativi   "O io già vissi, spirito errante, qui ?" Giosuè Carducci a Madesimo 1888-1905   Apertura dalle 9.00 alle 12.00 e dalle 14.30 alle 17.30   Presso la Sala Mostre di Madesimo

Chiavenna Squares The present urban settlement of Chiavenna must be traced back to the Middle Ages: "customs" in the post-Carolingian Italian Kingdom, the town is typified by a grand lay-out which made it an important trade junction and place of passage control. The important urban lay-out had then became the ...

Carducci and Madesimo One hundred years ago on the 14th of July 1901, the municipal council of Isolato, as the Commune of Madesimo was then called, deliberated and unanimously agreed to grant honorary citizenship to the most famous Italian poet, Giosue Carducci, who had decided to spend his summer holidays in that high place. Between 1888 ...

Valcodera an experience of the senses Unlike Rome, no roads lead to Val Codera.   The only way is on foot. That’s probably the beauty of it. Once there, you’ve got absolutely everything you could possibly need. So travel light, make time, energy and goodhearted benevolence your companions along the way and rely on your eyes for memories that will linger ...