San Paolo D'argon: Sacred Art and Paths Through the Hills

San Paolo D'argon is ideal for a stay in which sacred art and paths through the landscape open up different experiences. When choosing a holiday apartment in San Paolo D'argon, you can therefore combine cultural highlights with active outings. Several churches preserve frescoes, distinctive architectural features and precisely dated details, while various routes lead to the old Benedictine abbey, up to the Collina d'Argon and through the Parco delle Valli d'Argon.

Trails for different travel ideas

Route “#01 Sentieri benedettini” begins in the municipality of San Paolo D'argon near the old Benedictine abbey and the parish church. Route “#05 I colli occidentali” also starts near the old Benedictine abbey. It can be travelled on horseback or by mountain bike and leads through the western hills, valleys and areas of the park. The “Santa Maria d’Argon – Percorso Vita”, on the other hand, follows unpaved paths surrounded by greenery through the Parco delle Valli d’Argon. In addition, there is the Sentiero de la Luna, a new trail on the Collina d'Argon. Depending on the type of outing you want, you will therefore encounter different landscapes and ways of getting around.

Frescoes and architectural history in Santa Maria

Santa Maria in Argon combines visible art with a long architectural history. The first square-shaped religious building dates back to the early Middle Ages and corresponds to the layout of today's presbytery. The sequence of frescoes visible today depicts the Coronation of the Virgin, the prophets and the Evangelists. It was painted in the early 16th century, shortly after the apse was built, by an anonymous artist who had probably trained in Milan.

Practical orientation is also part of this church visit: Santa Maria in Argon is located on a paved road. Because of the incline, people with reduced mobility are advised to have someone accompany them. The step-free entrance is free of architectural barriers and also allows access for people with reduced mobility.

Small churches with distinctive details

The Chiesa di San Pietro delle Passere is a small church built in the 11th century along the historic road that connected Bergamo with Val Cavallina and Val Camonica. Some of the frescoes date from the 16th century; in the apse there is a fresco attributed to Antonio Cifrondi depicting Saint Peter in glory.

The Chiesetta di San Lorenzo was attached to the central monastery in 1212. Its entrance portal is understated in colour and proportions and bears the precise date of execution, 1754, engraved into it. The Chiesa di Sant’Antonio was built in the 1930s in the Neo-Gothic style as a votive offering by the Prometti couple. Pointed arches, terracotta decorations, a rose window and a brick bell tower define its appearance. The bell tower is a distinctive element in the landscape of the plain at the beginning of the 20th century.

Guided tours by prior reservation

The Abbazia di San Paolo d'Argon offers guided tours in collaboration with the Adriano Bernareggi Foundation. These take place only by prior reservation and on days and at times to be agreed individually. If you would like to include this cultural appointment in your trip, the reservation is therefore part of the specific planning of your stay.

More places for planning your trip: Carona, Mapello, Sarnico, Foppolo, Tavernola Bergamasca, Fuipiano Valle Imagna, Locate Bergamasco and Roncola.

To the higher-level travel overview: Bergamo.