Oltre il Colle
Welcome to Oltre il Colle!
Hello everyone! Today, I want to tell you about Oltre il Colle, a small town of 978 residents located in the province of Bergamo in Lombardy, immersed in the mountains of the Val Seriana and Val Serina valleys. The town owes its name to its geographical location: situated near the Zambla pass, which delimits the Val del Riso with the Val Parina, to reach it you have to cross a pass. But let's discover more!
A territory to discover
If you love nature and need a break from the city, Oltre il Colle is the place for you. Framed by imposing mountains such as Pizzo Arera, Monte Grem, Cima di Menna and Monte Alben, the town offers breathtaking views and the opportunity to go hiking in all seasons. But not only that, the area is also famous for sports tourism: the town has a golf course, a football field, a tennis court, a rock gym, and a ski resort.
The history of Oltre il Colle
Unfortunately, there are few documents that allow us to know the past of this town. Until 1569, Oltre il Colle was always a fraction of the nearby town of Serina, from which it later obtained administrative autonomy. In ancient times, the area was dedicated to pastoralism and mining from the quarries in Zorzone. It is therefore presumed that the area was inhabited already in Roman times. In the Middle Ages, the inhabitants were engaged in the production of nails and weapons. The town's coat of arms, with the symbol of a pickaxe planted on a mountain, recalls the mining activity that characterized the area's economy.
Places of interest to discover
If you are planning a visit to Oltre il Colle, we suggest not to miss the Church of San Bartolomeo: inside, in fact, there are several works of art by artists such as Coghetti, Orelli and Scuri. The church also hosts a concert of eight bells in B² of the Capanni foundry in Castelnuovo Né Monti, while the organ is from 1805 by Carlo Bossi.
But it is not the only church to visit! In the hamlet of Zambla Bassa, in fact, there is the Church of Santa Maria Maddalena, dating back to the sixteenth century. While in the hamlet of Zorzone, you can admire the Church of the Holy Trinity, built in the seventeenth century.
Finally, you absolutely cannot miss the Tree Cathedral: it is truly a unique work, located near the "Plassa" locality. It is a project by Giuliano Mauri, wanted by the regional park of the Orobie Bergamasche and the towns of Oltre il Colle, Roncobello, and Ardesio. The cathedral is built with the weaving technique, with stakes, nails, and ropes, and has up to 5 naves, 42 columns, 1800 fir poles, and 600 chestnut branches. The beech trees planted, growing over the years, will replace the cages, giving the final shape to the cathedral. An absolutely must-see work!
Conclusions
In short, Oltre il Colle is a town worth visiting, where nature and culture blend into a unique mix. I hope you enjoyed our article and that it can be useful in organizing your visit. We wish you a good journey of discovery of this small treasure of Lombardy!
