Author Archives: Virginia Merlini

Lovely Livo is a small mountain town 675 meters above Lake Como with about 160 year-round residents. I love it here because it is home to my favorite Wall Madonna church – the 13th-century San Giacomo Vecchia – the interior walls of which are covered with over thirty frescoes dedicated to the Great Virgin. AlthoughContinue reading “LIVO – an altolario village dedicated to imagery of the Madonna”

I had an incredible day today but it did not go as planned. I was in Livo for a walk to Baggio when it began to rain – pour actually. So I decided to explore a frazione where walking in the rain only required an umbrella and not am umbrella and walking sticks. As IContinue reading “LIVO – Beate Vergine a mezza costa”

It is a rainy day and I have been driving past this Wall Madonna for months now. It is on a busy road – SS340dir – which connects to SS36 and leads from Nuova Olonio to the Ponte del Passo – the bridge over the River Mera at the northernmost end of Lake Como. InContinue reading “SORICO – GIOVANNI DE SIMONI”

I had a great day in Ardenno yesterday. I visited four frazioni and I am working on my photos. But here is a quick post from the frazione Masino. Masino lies on the western edge of Ardenno on the bank of the torrente with which it sharesaname. Historically, this was the area for the stablesContinue reading “MASINO – frazione of Ardenno”

Mello is 700 meters above sea level on the Rhaetian side of the Valtellina. These two characteristics provide cool weather, lots of wind, plenty of sunshine, and stunning vistas! Mello – everywhere – has ravishing views of the Valtellina and Lake Como – lots of charm – and not much else!  This ancient village ofContinue reading “MELLO – the sunny mountain frazione with ALL the views!”

March 16, 2021: I have been photographing Wall Madonna’s for almost ten years. Initially, they were simply a curiosity to me. As my interest grew, my focus changed. Recently, because of finding multiple frescoes in Colorina, Sacco, Gatti, and Triangia that were clearly painted by the same artists, I have now begun to look atContinue reading “Mantello – Gatti – Triangia: an unknown wandering artist of the late 17th and early 18th-centuries!”

CHIURO – Wall Madonna’s and other frescoes CHIURO – Wall Madonna – Madonna con Bambino con san Giovannino – painted circa 1928 by Aloisio Bonacina. This Wall Madonna is featured on page 49 of the 2010 article “Segni sacri sulle case: Pittura murale devozionale tra comunicazione e memoria” written by Giovanna Virgilio and published byContinue reading “CHIURO – Wall Madonna’s and other frescoes”

PONTE IN VALTELLINA – Wall Madonna’s and other frescoes PONTE IN VALTELLINA – Wall Madonna – Madonna del Carmelo, late 18th-century – the fresco is featured on page 14 of the the 2010 article “Segni sacri sulle case: Pittura murale devozionale tra comunicazione e memoria” written by Giovanna Virgilio and published by the Comunità MontanaContinue reading “PONTE IN VALTELLINA – Wall Madonna’s and other frescoes”

CANLEGGIA – a localita of Cosio Valtellino. A localita is a locality – an area where houses are scattered and not densely situated enough to be called a frazione or comune. This localita is just off SP7 – the road from Morbegno that leads into the Valgerola. It lies on the road into the mountainsContinue reading “CANLEGGIA – localita of Cosio Valtellino”

I am avoiding work which I save for the weekend so I can stalk Wall Madonna’s during the week. Friday was a Wall Madonna boom! Here is a quick post from part of my 6-hour walk in the Frazioni of Traona. To walk the old local roads in this agricultural area where olives and vinesContinue reading “TRAONA – walking to Santa Croce”