Foresto Sparso
Discover Foresto Sparso
If you want to visit a place that takes you back in time, immersing you in the historical events of an ancient community, then you must absolutely come to Foresto Sparso, a scattered municipality in the province of Bergamo in Lombardy.
Welcome to Foresto Sparso
The municipality is located in a basin in a small valley, bathed by the Uria stream, which develops perpendicularly to Valcalepio, about 29 kilometers east of Bergamo. Foresto Sparso is made up of nine different fractions, the largest of which is the village of Chiesa, where the town hall and the parish church are located. The other small centers are Franzi, San Michele, Vallunga, Tremellini, Gafforelli, Oliva, San Giuseppe, and Dosso dell'Era. The municipality is part of the mountain community of the Bergamo lakes.
The origins of the name
The toponym Foresto Sparso takes its name from a large forest that once existed in the basin where the village is located. A document from 1153 mentions 'busco qui nominatur Forestum'. The second part of the name instead derives from the fragmented arrangement of the inhabited center, 'scattered' throughout the entire municipal territory.
The history of Foresto Sparso
Foresto Sparso has an ancient history shrouded in mystery, also due to its geographically isolated position, which did not allow for any information prior to the year 1153. During the Middle Ages, the village found itself at the center of bloody disputes between the opposing factions of the Guelphs and Ghibellines, like the neighboring villages and localities of the nearby Val Cavallina. Chronicles of the time report clashes, up to the real massacre of 1380, caused by the Ghibelline militias. The inhabitants tried to restore normality, beginning to rebuild the buildings that had been razed to the ground and damaged. But the fights resumed until the Milanese, led by Niccolò Piccinino, conquered the entire Valcalepio, and with it, the entire territory of Foresto Sparso. Only with the definitive affirmation of the Republic of Venice over the duchy of Milan, did the disputes cease. The village received numerous facilities and compensations from the Serenissima, partially to compensate for the damages suffered. Incorporated into the County of Valcalepio, it began to enjoy the tranquility that has characterized it up to the present day.
Monuments and places of interest
If you visit Foresto Sparso, you can't miss the parish church of San Marco, located in the fraction of Chiesa. The building, built in the 14th century, underwent numerous renovations over the following centuries, until it took on its current form in the 17th century. The Church is the seat of the parish belonging to the Vicariate of Predore, diocese of Bergamo.
Felicità....è un Gelato
Our municipality is also famous for an excellent ice cream shop, "Felicità....è un Gelato", located on the main street of Chiesa. Here you can taste artisanal ice creams and pastry products prepared with passion and skill.
Conclusion
In summary, Foresto Sparso is a municipality with an ancient and mysterious charm, which preserves the history of the struggle between Guelphs and Ghibellines, but which also offers the opportunity to taste the best of artisanal pastry and ice cream. If you want to take a pleasant walk to discover a small village surrounded by nature and tranquility, you can't miss Foresto Sparso.
