Discover Valduggia: Church Art, Trails and Holiday Apartments
Accommodation in Valduggia
Valduggia combines religious art, traces of historic craftsmanship and paths through a landscape with remarkably deep evidence of the past. This can make the town an interesting choice if you want a holiday apartment to serve not only as accommodation but also as a starting point for various discoveries. Between churches, traditional farmhouses, a former bell foundry and the western slopes of Monte Fenera, several distinct themes emerge for planning your holiday.
Art and Craftsmanship in Valduggia
The parish church of San Giorgio has Romanesque origins and was expanded and altered in the 15th and 16th centuries. Its third altar houses a Nativity by Gaudenzio Ferrari. Also associated with Ferrari is the monument created in the 19th century by Giosuà Argenti, which stands in the middle of the square. In Valduggia, you will therefore encounter both older architectural history and a later public work of art.
Further religious heritage is distributed among the hamlets and churches in the municipal area. The church of San Lorenzo in Castagnola, a hamlet of the municipality of Valduggia, preserves the body relic of Marcellino. The Oratory of Saints Carlo and Caterina, dating from 1616, houses a wooden altarpiece for the high altar attributed to Gaudenzio Bonino for the years 1628 to 1630. The Chapel of San Rocco contains frescoes probably attributed to Ferrari. The Antica Fonderia Achille Mazzola displays historic bell-making tools, including large compasses for bells and walnut-wood templates.
Traces in the Landscape and Architectural Heritage
The western slopes of Monte Fenera also reach far back into the past. Some caves contain archaeological and palaeontological evidence of the presence of Neanderthals, who lived there as early as around 300,000 years ago. There is also evidence of the cave bear (Ursus spelaeus), which became extinct 20,000 years ago. This depth of time adds a natural-history perspective to the visible churches and tools.
The Sentiero dei taragn leads from Valduggia to the old settlement centre of Sorzano. Along the trail, you can see some of the last remaining taragn: traditional farmhouses with rye-straw roofs and a base made of chestnut trunks. This type of house was typical of lower Valsesia until the previous century. Anyone interested in regional architectural forms, trails and traditional ways of life will find a particularly tangible connection to the history of the surrounding area here.
Orientation for Your Holiday Apartment
For travel by car, the motorway exit indicated for Valduggia on the A26 (Genova Voltri–Gravellona Toce) is Romagnano–Ghemme. Valduggia is also connected to Lake Orta by the della Cremosina road. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Valduggia, you can therefore base your decision on your preferred interests: church art and craftsmanship, the architectural heritage along the Sentiero dei taragn, natural-history traces on Monte Fenera or the connection towards Lake Orta. The different themes help you plan your stay according to your interests and daily schedule, without reducing Valduggia to just one attraction.
Further Places for Regional Orientation
Borgosesia, Alagna Valsesia, Santhià, Rimella, Trino, Rimasco, Gattinara, Desana
For the higher-level travel overview: Vercelli.
