The best cycling routes around Pisano

For lovers of walking, historical monument, on the route

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The Church of San Donato is a true jewel of the sacred architecture characteristic of Vergante. The original place of worship, developed on a single nave plan, was built in the 11th century, but the oldest evidence of its existence dates back to 1169. During the fourteenth century the church was partially rebuilt in Romanesque-Gothic style and enlarged. In 1780 a large churchyard was built in front of the main façade, surrounded by fourteen chapels of the Via Crucis. In the nineteenth century the ancient medieval bell tower adjacent to the building was struck by lightning, which caused it to collapse; in its place, a new stone bell tower was erected. In 1902 the church was declared a national monument, confirming its importance as a very valuable example of the sacred architecture of the entire Vergante area.

The website www.bikelagodorta.it publishes for free, without any commercial purpose, about seventy bicycle routes in the territory of Lake Orta through GPX tracks. The tracks all start from the town of Gozzano and all end in Gozzano, but it is possible to start following a GPX track from any point of the route according to your needs.

The washhouse of Invorio Superiore is in excellent condition, with water still flowing and draining from the large stone basin. Like so many other aspects of Invorio Superiore, this one also echoes the life of times gone by, beautifully evoked throughout the town.

The origins of the church are thought to date back to the 13th century, although some scholars suggest that there was an even older place of worship on the same site, probably a small chapel used by pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. In fact, being dedicated to St. James, it is possible that the church had a symbolic role in the medieval pilgrimage route, a sort of sacred stop for those moving towards Spain. Over the centuries, the structure has been modified and expanded several times. Subsequent interventions have enriched the original Romanesque architecture with Gothic and Renaissance elements, as often happened in local churches that reflected the architectural transformations of the time. Even today, it is possible to glimpse remains of medieval frescoes and ancient decorations that make the interior of the church very interesting.

Along the streets and alleys of Invorio Superiore you can admire a long series of vintage photos that illustrate moments of the past life of the town. The characteristic of the photos is given by the fact that they represent the life of the town as it once was, through shots that have immortalized the villagers busy with their daily chores, or in special moments, such as the wedding day. A dive into the past, very engaging.

The Church of San Rocco was built in the 17th century. Today, mass is celebrated once a year, on the day of San Rocco, August 16. In the past, however, several masses were celebrated during the day and the first, the morning one, ended with the blessing of the animals. Therefore, as the sign posted in front of the church recalls, it was customary for dogs, goats, sheep, pigs and donkeys to be found in front of the church in the morning, waiting to receive the priestly blessing.