The etymology of the place appears to derive from the dialectal forms of “mut” or ”mott”, a reference perhaps to its particular geographical position. I have to say I prefer the version by Don Luigi Re, a Milanese priest whose initiatives during the ‘20’s transformed Motta from a simple mountain pasture into a popular tourist resort and who maintained that its name actually derives from a French general, a certain La Motte, who came down from Spluga in order to fight the Romans. Having stopped to rest his troops on the plateau, he was so taken by the beauty of the spot that he lingered long, before returning back to France without any engagement whatsoever. This is also documented in the book “Don Luigi Re nella leggenda” by Enrico Bertazzini. When considering Motta, an outpost which forms part of the Municipality of Campodolcino, situated at 1725m in upper Valley Spluga, the locality is invariably associated with three key existing features: the Casa Alpina, an “outdoor” Sanctuary dedicated to Our Lady of Europe and Lago Azzurro. The history of the Sanctuary, constructed on the Serenissima ridge at a height of 2000m is inextricably linked to that of the casa Alpina di Motta, built by don Re as a holiday home for young people. During the Second World War the priest was heavily involved in safeguarding both Jews and partisans, accommodating them before helping them to reach nearby Switzerland, and it was in that context that the idea of a Sanctuary named “Our Lady of Europe” was born.
Apple and chestnut cake
Autumn arrives in Vho, and as if by magic, a thousand shades of yellow, red and ochre decorate the woodland surrounding the village. Autumn treats for me and my ...
With Giacomo Gandini’s story, we are introducing a new feature to our magazine, dedicated to stories that intertwine memory, nature and tradition inspired by the Alpine territory. This first story, entitled “The ...
“Eleonora, are you ready to turn?” I position myself astride the daggerboard in the centre of the hull, keeping my torso parallel to the surface of the water with my head well down I reply: “I’m ...
Informazioni ex art. 1, comma 125, della legge 4 agosto 2017 n. 124
Relativamente agli aiuti di Stato e aiuti de Minimis, si rimanda a quanto contenuto nel
“Registro nazionale degli aiuti di Stato” di cui all’articolo 52 L. 234/2012 (www.rna.gov.it).