The village of Mazzo is rich in history as it was the capital of one of the oldest parish districts in Valtellina, whose territory stretched along the Adda valley from Sernio to Sondalo. The baptistery dedicated to John the Baptist and the nearby Church of Santo Stefano form the baptistery complex of the parish church of Mazzo.
The centre of the spiritual life was the church of Santo Stefano, a structure whose foundations essentially date from the late Middle Ages, while the walls of the building were rebuilt several times in the following centuries. The carved marble portal was shaped by Bernardino de Torgiis de Maroggia; the frescoes in the sacristy, on the other hand, date from the end of the 16th century and were signed by the well-known painter Cipriano Valorsa. The altar of the Virgin Mary, a carved wooden altar, can also be admired in the right aisle.
The nearby 11th century baptistery dedicated to John the Baptist still has remains of late 15th century frescoes attributed to the local painter Giovannino da Sondalo. The baptismal font itself is dating back to the early medieval period (7th century), which makes it the oldest testimony of Christianisation in Valtellina.
Palazzo Lavizzari is an aristocratic residence in the old town that originally belonged to the Venosta family. On the occasion of the marriage between Margherita Venosta and Pietro Angelo Lambertenghi, a reception hall was also built, known today as the"Salone degli stemmi". It is a large hall decorated with a heraldic frieze with 14 coats of arms. In the centre of the composition one can find the coats of arms of the couple's families, from which the coats of arms of the respective lineages unfold.
Visite guidate a partecipazione gratuita:
Sabato 8 luglio alle ore 14.00
Sabato 15 luglio alle ore 10.30
Sabato 28 luglio alle ore 18.00
Sabato 5 agosto alle ore 14.00
Sabato 12 agosto alle ore 10.30
Sabato 25 agosto alle ore 18.00
BATTISTERO MEDIOEVALE DI MAZZO DI VALTELLINA
Piazza Santo Stefano, 12
