Pagnona
Let's discover Pagnona
Hello everyone! Today I'm going to talk about a gem of Lombardy: Pagnona. It is a municipality with only 344 inhabitants located in the Alta Valvarrone, in the province of Lecco. But don't be fooled by its small size, Pagnona has a history and a cultural heritage worth discovering.
History
Origins
The first inhabitants of the area settled along the slopes of Monte Legnone during the Middle-Late Bronze Age, as evidenced by the findings of a bronze axe dating back to the 16th century BCE and an axe of the same material from the 8th century BCE. In the 4th-3rd centuries BCE, the Lepontic Celts settled in the valley.
From the Middle Ages onwards
During the Middle Ages, Pagnona became a destination for immigration of artisans specialized in ironworking from the Scalve Valley. However, in the 17th century, the crisis in the sector led to a phenomenon of emigration, with many Pagnonesi headed for Venice.
Symbols
The coat of arms of the municipality of Pagnona represents the tower that defended the entrance to the village, with the Varrone and Varroncello torrents behind it. The star symbolizes Monte Legnone. The gonfalon is white.
Monuments and places of interest
Religious buildings
The Church of Sant'Andrea, parish church since the 15th century, was renovated at the beginning of the 20th century. The church houses an altar with a leather apse made by Giambattista Tagliaferri and a painting of the Virgin of Sorrows. In the Chapel of San Carlo, you can admire a splendid canvas by Pietro Muttoni from 1640, depicting Carlo Borromeo between Giovanni Battista and Sant'Ambrogio under a cloudy sky with the presence of the Madonna and some angels.
The Chapel of the Plague Dead, built in memory of the victims of the Plague of 1630, is adorned with numerous frescoes and was probably reworked from a previous medieval church dedicated to St. Michael.
Civil architectures
On the village square, there are some beautiful houses dating back to the 17th century and decorated with frescoes on the outside walls.
Luigi Tagliaferri
But the most interesting thing about Pagnona is that Luigi Tagliaferri was born here, a well-known artist who made iron his chosen material. With his works, Luigi Tagliaferri brought the tradition of ironworking in Pagnona to the world. Some of his works can be admired at the Civic Museum of Lecco.
Conclusions
In short, Pagnona is a small village that embodies a great history and a rich artistic and cultural heritage. If you are in the area, it is definitely worth a visit to discover all the secrets of this Lombard jewel.
