| Guide to Valle Camonica |
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Valle Camonica is Italy's second largest Alpine valley, close to Bergamo airport and Milan with dramatic sweeping mountains and located just above the beautiful lake Iseo.
Nearby at the Capo di Ponte (Mid Valle Camonica) is the National Rock Engraving Park, with prehistoric rock carvings, dating from Neolithic times through to the Iron Age. The carvings relate to the history of the Camuni tribe throughout this period. It is an amazing site, containing thousands of figures: an enormous stone history book. One of the most common carvings is that of the Camonic rose, which is now the emblem of the Lombardy region.
Redbeard and Napolean also marched on her lands and Boario has seen many rulers including French, Austrian and German over her long history. Many local wars were fought here, like the bloody battles between Bergamo and Brescia whose rivalry still exists today especially on the soccer pitch. In the 15 century, Venice ruled over Valle Camonica and to pacify the population, destroyed a number of important castles.
Further up Valle Camonica lies the village of Bienno A tour of the village involves two basic itineraries. The first follows Via Artigiani, “in discovery of the Vaso Re, along the path formed by the water”: following this, one traces the industrial history of the ancient village of hammers, passing by the old forges, along with the Scuola di Fucinatura (“Forging School”), the Iron Toy Library, and the Forge Museum (in a 17th-century factory building). Heading down Via Ripa, a paved stairs descends to the 17th-century Museum Mill, whose water-powered millstones produce excellent meal for polenta. Continuing on Via Re, one reaches the old public wash-house and, farther ahead, a forge that still uses water-driven hammers, elevated canal sections, wash-houses and sluice gates, up to the start of the “Vaso Re,” the intake structure on the stream. The second itinerary meanders through the historic center of Bienno, the village of seven torri (towers). Going up Via Contrizio one comes across Palazzo Simoni Fè, the original core of which goes back to 1400, with well-preserved frescoes. A little farther ahead is the Torre Avanzini, dating from 1075, next to which is a narrow street leading to the square with the Church of Santa Maria Annunciata, built in the 1400s amid the tiny streets and tall houses. The Franciscan presence can be perceived from the devotional frescoes on the walls, from the macabre dance, and from the images of the saint from Assisi. The main façade has exposed stone pilasters and a beautiful Gothic rose window, and the left façade has trefoil arch windows. The bell tower is topped with a spire and has mullioned windows. The nave, the lower part of the holy arch, the vaults and the corbels of the presbytery were frescoed by Giovan Pietro da Cemmo in 1490-94. In 1539-40 Gerolamo Romano, known as Romanino, painted the presbytery. The altarpiece (1632) is by Mauro della Rovere, known as Fiamminghino.
Cividate sits on the edge of the Oglio river and hosts an archaeological site which is an important part of the Roman city of Civitas Camunnorum. The area includes the forum and the buildings used for entertainment. The Romans chose the site of Cividate because it conformed to several theoretical prerequisites: the presence of a river, closeness to important trade routes (to Brescia on the left of the river and to Bergamo on the right), the natural protection afforded by hills to the northeast and the south, the availability of flat land and areas suitable for agriculture, and the existence in Val di Scalve, Borno, Bienno and other local sites of mineral resources. Cividate Camuno infact was the main Roman town in Valle Camonica during the Roman occupation. Also of interest is the Church of Santa Maria Assunta and the 12th century medievale tower.
Europes greatest and largest collection of stone age carvings and a UNESCO world heritage site. The area around the village is protected and you can visit the park on your own or with a guide. The Park itself is well worth a visit as it backs onto Parco Adamello, one of the Alps largest natural parks.
Just above this pretty ski and vacation town can be found many remains left over from the second world war when this area was on the front line. The village itself lies at 1260mts above see level and is still dwarfed by the mountains around. The village officially has around 2000 inhabitants but in the ski and summer periods, can host up to 50,000 visitors. The towns name literally means wooden bridge, referring to the Historic bridge over the river which linked the two sides of the town. This is the most northerly town of Valle Camonica.
Alpine family and group activity holidays Valle Camonica and Lake Iseo, Italy |
