Besano
Besano: a place rich in history, art and paleontology
Welcome to Besano! This small Lombard town with 2519 inhabitants offers visitors a unique environment, where artistic beauty and the discovery of prehistory come together. In this brief summary, we will show you what makes Besano such a special place.
History
The name "Besano" probably derives from the term "Bis-in-anno", referring to a famous fair that was held here twice a year. The hill of San Martino, which dominates the village, was originally a Celtic fortification that became a Roman Castrum to protect the transit routes towards Lake Lugano. On the hill, a small church dedicated to the Virgin Mary was built, dating back to the Romanesque style, which preserves seventeenth-century paintings and a Madonna and Child from 1400.
Monuments and places of interest
Religious architectures
The parish church of Besano, dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, dates back to 1600 and is embellished with paintings from the 1700s by various artists, including famous artists such as Valtorta and Maroni from Milan. The main altar is entirely made of marble and was sculpted by Giovanni Rizzi and Giovanni Maria Giudici from Viggiù. The sacristy, on the other hand, was carved by the hermit Antonio Rigola in collaboration with Professor Maria Bernardo del Re from Milan and Carlo Ortello from Lugano in a Baroque style. These same artists later created the pulpit and the confessionals.
San Martino hill
The hill of San Martino, which can be accessed via a scenic road, offers a spectacular view of the village and the surrounding valley. The fourteen chapels of the Via Crucis, reconstructed in 1988 by the painter Franco Vasconi, accompany the visitor during the walk, in a context of peace and serenity.
Paleontological sites
The Lagerstätte of Besano-Monte San Giorgio is a paleontological site located on the southern margin of Lake Lugano. Here, bituminous shales were slowly deposited on the bottom of a deep sea towards the middle of the Triassic period (Anisian - Ladinian). Favorable environmental conditions promoted the fossilization of animals that, once dead and fallen to the bottom, were well preserved. In the municipal area of Besano, the fossil of an aquatic reptile from the Triassic period called ''Besanosaurus leptorhyncus'' was found.
Besano fossils
The Besano Civic Museum of Fossils is the place where you can admire the fossil remains found in the Besano-Monte San Giorgio deposit. Among others, there are various specimens of ''Tanystropheus'' (the bizarre giraffe-reptile), a cast of the giant ''Besanosaurus'' and the reconstruction of the ''Saltriovenator'', one of the few dinosaurs found in Italy. The visit to the museum allows visitors to acquire knowledge about the history of life on our planet and the evolution of marine fauna over the centuries.
Besano is a place that will amaze you, thanks to its nature, art works and paleontological richness. We invite you to explore these wonders and spend an unforgettable vacation.
