Bianzone
Discovering Bianzone, a small village in Valtellina
Bianzone is an Italian municipality located in the province of Sondrio, in Lombardy. With its 1273 inhabitants, it is a small village characterized by the beauty of its nature, its history and its monuments.
The physical geography of Bianzone
On the Rhaetian side, dominated by Mount Nemina, the village of Bianzone is located on the cone of the Valle di Bianzone stream. The historic center is located on the southwest side of the cone and is dominated by the parish church of San Siro. The northeast side, due to its less favorable exposure, is poor in houses and covered with apple orchards. In addition, the municipality is composed of two small high hamlets: Piazzeda and La Bratta, located over 800 meters on the meadows of Mount Nemina.
The history of Bianzone
For many centuries in the past, Bianzone was considered a holiday resort and the relationships with the Contado di Bormio were intense, as lords from Bormio came to winter in Bianzone. But the history of Bianzone is mainly a story of poverty. There are no significant events recorded, except for those related to local history. On the end of World War II news broke of the machine-gunning of the Sondrio-Tirano train, right at the Bianzone station. Five passengers died, including a woman from Bianzone: Zemira Gosatti. In the Valtellina area, it was one of the bloodiest wartime actions.
In Bianzone, as in other towns in Tiranese, the practice of smuggling was of great importance and involved most of the young people in the town for more than a century. Several episodes related to this illegal activity are narrated in Diego Zoia's book, "La Carga," recently published.
The symbols of Bianzone
The coat of arms and the banner were granted by decree of the President of the Republic in 2008. The banner is a split drape of blue and red.
The monuments and places of interest in Bianzone
Bianzone is a municipality rich in monuments and places of interest. Among these, stands out the Parish Church of San Siro, with the frescoes of Cipriano Valorsa (known as the Raphael of Valtellina) dated 1548, of great interest. They have been recently rediscovered and restored, along with the entire ecclesiastical architectural body, the vast square with a view of the valley, as well as the building in front, intended to accommodate a museum. The parish church is well lit at night throughout the year and stands at the top of the cone.
In addition, in Bianzone, it is possible to visit the Church of Madonna del Piano (whose restoration is not yet completed), the Church (oratory) of San Pietro, the Church of San Martino, the Church of Sant'Anna (Piazzeda hamlet), and the Church of Sant'Antonio (Bratta hamlet).
Among the civil architecture of Bianzone, stands out Villa Besta - Lambertenghi, acquired by the Municipality but not yet restored.
Conclusions
Bianzone is an Italian municipality with a fascinating history and dreamlike natural beauty. Its religious and civil architecture is of great interest, offering the visitor many opportunities for discovery. If you are passionate about history and art, you cannot miss a visit to Bianzone and its monuments.
