Sondalo’s old town is a hidden gem just waiting to be discovered. Lose yourself among its narrow streets and alleys and admire its churches, fountains and frescos. It will amaze you.
Sondalo’s historic town centre is packed with art and culture. We recommend losing yourself in its narrow streets and alleys where you will find grand aristocratic residences alongside buildings that housed the main commercial and artisanal activities of the town.
Water is an important element here. There are a number of fountains around the town, including the St. Clement fountain (XVI century) It was this saint that, according to legend, caused the water to miraculously spring forth. And then there’s the Bui Redond, a rounded fountain known for its unusual shape. Next to it you can see the old wash trough, which has now been covered.
There are numerous frescos that date back mainly to the 15th and 16th centuries. Many are by the same painter, Anesi, also known as Giovannino di Sondalo. Among the best preserved are an image of the Annunciation and a depiction of the Madonna enthroned with St. Peter inside the Carabinieri barracks. Other frescos by the same artist can be found inside the Church of St. Martha, which for a time was a shelter for Italian and foreign militias, and in the Church of St. Agnes, which was an annex of a Xenodochium (a type of hostel) for travellers. And then there’s the Romìt, a small wooden crucifix dating back to the first half of the XII century, the oldest wooden sculpture in Valtellina.
More recently, the history of the town is linked to the ex sanatoriums: Pineta di Sortenna (the first of its kind in Italy), Abetina and Vallesana, which were joined in the 1930s by the Villaggio Morelli, an autonomous citadel even in terms of energy and water supply.
To find out more about the historic sanatoriums, built to cure TB patients, a visit to the Sanatorium Museum is highly recommended.
