Not even the landslide in Mutagagia prevented the faithful from attending this annual event; until about ten years ago, a two-day festival was organised there, attracting hundreds of people. Here is what was recorded in the Ecomuseo archives:

Once again this year, the feast day of St Bernard attracted huge crowds, who made their way to the picturesque hamlet along the winding, scenic Bratta Road.

It was a full house at the traditional lunch, which featured sciat, pizzoccheri and polenta – all prepared and served superbly, as they are every year, by the many members of the Marantelli family, who proudly trace their roots back to this beautiful district.

From the poster:

Saturday 18 August, at 7.00 pm: an al fresco and indoor dinner with sciat, sliced meat, sausages, pork chops.

Sunday 19 August, at 11.30 am: Holy Mass

12.30 pm: lunch outdoors and indoors with pizzoccheri, polenta, sausages, pork chops, skewers.

In the afternoon, there will be surprise games featuring a special guest appearance by PAOLO ARGENTO 

After such a warm welcome, how could one not take part in the raffle with its generous prizes to help fund the refurbishment of the Church of La Bratta.

Don Tullio has now informed those present that a proposal has been drawn up to be submitted to the Curia, specifically concerning the restoration of the bell tower and the north wing of the church.

Archive photos by Vanda Cerveri and photos taken today by Monica Gastaldini

Archive:

• Feast of St Bernard 2012
• St Bernard’s Festival 2013
• Feast of St Bernard 2014

L'articolo MESSA PER SAN BERNARDO proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

The weather has been changeable, but this hasn’t deterred the organisers, who work hard every year to set up the dining area at the primary school.

Around a hundred people took part; after the Holy Mass celebrated by Don Tullio, they enjoyed a lunch consisting of sandwiches with sausages, cheese, pork chops and meat cooked on the pioda.

This will be followed by music and entertainment for everyone, including the traditional game of tombola.

The day also provided an opportunity to present the project to restore the bell tower of the church. Once the work is complete, we will once again hear the sound of the bells.

© Valentina Ranaglia 2026

L'articolo IL BRUTTO TEMPO NON SPAVENTA GLI ORGANIZZATORI DELLA FESTA DI SANT’ANNA proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

The title of the evening was: THE MEMORY OF THE TERRITORY.

First of all, the large audience watched the film again or saw it for the first time ‘Faraway Lands – Bratta and Piazzeda’, a production by director Valentina Capone, who has worked with Ecomuseo for years, running various theatre workshops, some of which took place in the garden outside the Palazzetto Besta.

In the presence of some of the actors who took part in the making of the film, people who lived through those times, and relatives of those interviewed – most of whom are no longer with us but live on in our memories – those present embarked on a journey back in time to the first half of the last century. The footage from Don Cyril, parish priest of Bratta from 1939 to 1957 and a keen photographer, came to life through the stories of various residents of Bianzone, supplemented by dramatised scenes.

A number of topics relating to everyday life were discussed, such as the kitchen, the school and the games of yesteryear. Then, in the second part, specific historical events were recalled, such as smuggling, the war, with particular focus on the exodus of Jews from the Bianzone area as well, and the changes that took place after the Second World War, particularly the construction of the Bratta Road e Piazzeda Street and the arrival of electricity.

The following is a presentation of the PRIMARY SCHOOL WEBSITE along with the work carried out over the last two school years and the MAP OF THE CRAFTS COMMUNITY which was created thanks to research carried out by the children at Bianzone Primary School as part of the CAMBIAMENTI….STRADA FACENDO project. With the help of families and friends, they mapped out the shops and artisans that existed in the last century, discovering how the village was once self-sufficient and had all the services necessary for daily life. The map now needs the community’s help to be expanded. For this reason, an appeal was made to those present, which is also open to others:

LOOK FOR PHOTOS AND VIDEOS RELATED TO THESE PLACES AND BE WILLING TO SHARE INFORMATION

This material will also be used for another project that Ecomuseo has included in the three-year programme: WE ARE ALPI.

In this case, the first step is to identify the ISSUES that characterise the Bianzone community. To encourage public participation, an online and paper-based questionnaire will be shared shortly.

L'articolo CINEMA ESTATE A MADONNA DEL PIANO proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

L'articolo Colle d’Anzana, la montagna unisce Italia e Svizzera nel segno della speranza proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

The programme

• 11.00 am: Holy Mass at the Church of Saints Joachim and Anne
• 12.30 pm Lunch at the old primary schools featuring: polenta and sausage or pork chop, meat cooked on the griddle, cheeses and soft drinks
• Followed by entertainment and music for everyone

Anyone wishing to walk to Piazzeda can follow the eco-museum trail ‘THE VEGIA ROAD IN PIAZZEDA‘.

Whilst we wait for the event, here are some past editions of the festival taken from the previous Ecomuseo website, along with some photos:

1. 25 July 2011 / Feast of St Anne 2011 On Sunday, 24 July 2011, the weather in the morning did not look at all promising for an outdoor party. At Piazzeda, the organisers were about to call off the preparations, but then, little by little, the clouds parted, the sun peeked out, and the traditional St Anne’s festival got underway once again this year. At 11.30 am, in the little church dedicated to Saints Anne and Joachim, the parents of Jesus’s mother, Holy Mass was celebrated by Don Giovanni, after which everyone gathered in the square in front of the old school to enjoy the traditional polenta. To round off the day, there was a game of tombola with everyone. (Vanda Cerveri)
2. Sunday 29 July 2012: Feast of St Anne in Piazzeda From early morning, the festive ringing of the bells from the little church in Piazzeda carries through the village and the surrounding area, inviting everyone to make their way up to this small, picturesque hamlet for the traditional feast of St Anne. The invitation is heeded, and for a day the heart of the hamlet begins to beat once more. And so the doors of the houses swing open, the church door swings wide, children play by the fountain, and small groups of people sit on the benches brought outside for the occasion, reminiscing about times gone by … The neighbourhood comes to life again, the church fills up for Mass, and then the tempting aroma of buckwheat polenta draws everyone to the square in front of the old school for an al fresco lunch cooked and served by volunteers (even Don Giò steps in as a waiter!). In the afternoon, there is the traditional tombola, which brings together young and old alike. The day then draws to a close with the motorcade making its way down into the valley, though there are also those who attempt the descent along the “strada vegia” (the new road was only built in 1977), following in the footsteps of the many residents of Piazzedaschi who once had to reach the village on foot. It is a truly evocative route that immerses us completely in the lush greenery of nature, where the only sounds are the rustling of leaves stirred by the wind and the song of birds exchanging feelings and warnings from one perch to another amongst the tree branches. (text and photos by V. Cerveri)
3. Anna 2014: 27 July On the occasion of the traditional feast of St Anne, despite the unsettled and rather disheartening weather, the small hamlet of Piazzeda manages to attract a large number of people motivated by the desire to get together and spend Sunday in this relaxing spot, surrounded by nature. At 11.30, Holy Mass was celebrated by Don Giovanni in the quaint little church in the hamlet dedicated to Mary’s parents, Anne and Joachim. Immediately afterwards, we find ourselves in the square in front of the old school It’s easy to enjoy polenta “mès-cia” or “”mugna” (made with buckwheat e maize) accompanied by stew, sausages and pork chops, all cooked and served superbly by a group of local volunteers, to whom we owe a heartfelt thank you. In the afternoon, there’s bingo, walks in the surrounding area and plenty of chatting with friends. (Text by V. Cerveri and (Photos by Emanuela and Vanda Cerveri)

L'articolo FESTA DI SANT’ANNA 2026 proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

L'articolo FESTA AL COLLE D’ANZANA proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

Every summer, the festival brings concerts and performances to Valtellina – between Valdidentro and the mountain peaks of the Province of Sondrio – blending artistic excellence with the Alpine landscape.

LeAltreNote isn’t confined to the summer season or the boundaries of the valley. The festival extends to cities in northern Italy such as Milan and Turin, with events that bring the same spirit to these cities: high-quality, accessible music that has the power to surprise.

Soloists, ensembles and internationally trained artists take turns in a programme that spans genres and styles, with a consistently recognisable common thread.

Photos from the 2025 edition of Dorsa Luana

L'articolo FESTIVAL LE ALTRE NOTE 2026 proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

The Cinema Estate initiative began four years ago when, following a suggestion from a group of mums, it was decided to offer families a few evenings of outdoor entertainment. In the first year, the cinema was held in the inner garden of the Palazzetto Besta. Then, for logistical and organisational reasons, it was decided to move to the town centre so as to have an indoor alternative in case of rain.

L'articolo CINEMA ESTATE proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

Bianzone Primary School, the only school within the Teglio Comprehensive School to operate on a full-time basis (40 hours per week, established in the’Academic Year 2010/2011), complements teaching with a range of educational activities that support it and engage “mind, heart and hands”, to foster the harmonious and well-rounded development of the child’s personality. The key objectives of Bianzone Primary School are: the well-being of the child, who must be able to learn in a calm and positive environment; and ensuring that, by the end of the primary school cycle, pupils have acquired the skills and preparation necessary for the transition to lower secondary school. The 2025–2026 school year was particularly dynamic, with a packed programme of initiatives ranging from sport to the promotion of reading, right through to an innovative language enrichment project. 

1. Language Development: “English Full Immersion”

The highlight of the new programme was undoubtedly the project “English Full Immersion”, organised and funded by the local council. This was not simply a series of lectures delivered during English lessons, but an immersive experience designed to improve speaking skills and understanding of the language in both educational and recreational contexts. For 18 hours a week, from December until the end of March, the pupils interacted with a native-speaking teacher from Australia who lives in the village, Breanna Bunter, who supported the teachers in physical, artistic, musical and technological activities and communicated with the children in the canteen and after lunch. The initiative involved all year groups, with levels of difficulty and timings tailored to the children’s ages. Despite the final interruption caused by the tutor’s injury, contact remained ongoing right up to the very end through video calls and personalised letters for each pupil.

The playful approach and the use of a token economy (involving reward stickers) have improved the motivation and participation of the
pupils. The teachers noted an expansion of their everyday vocabulary and, above all, that the children had overcome the “emotional barrier” that often holds them back when speaking a foreign language.

2. Identity and Territory: “Changes… along the way”

In collaboration with the Ecomuseo class at the Terrazze Retiche school in Bianzone, the primary school has carried out the school complex project “Changes… as we go along”, the true “unifying theme” of the year, which brought together various disciplines. As well as completing the study on urban changes in the districts of Bianzone, which had begun the previous year, the classes studied a number of agri-food supply chains and the current and past economic activities in the village, with a particular focus on local crafts. 

Year 1 explored the wine-making process; Year 2 followed the milk supply chain; Year 3 visited a carpenter and a luthier; the
Year 4 tried their hand at using a knife sharpener and building a dry-stone wall, and saw how pieces of metal and leather offcuts can be transformed into jewellery, finding a new purpose; Year 5 studied the processing of cereals.

The work led to the creation of a digital community map which will be presented during the screening of the documentary ‘LA MEMORIA DEL TERRITORIO, IL TERRITORIO DELLA MEMORIA’ – a film produced in 2010 by Ecomuseo with the participation of local residents – in Madonna del Piano on 24 July at 9.15 pm.

In addition, a school website where the children’s work and research carried out since last year is shared.

The outings in the local area proved to be a rich source of inspiration. The children were able to immerse themselves in new environments and reflect critically
on the historical and economic development of their country.

3. The Mind and Body Gym

The sports and problem-solving programme has been designed to develop key transferable skills: concentration, adherence to the rules and fair play.

• Chess – “At school with the kings”: Aimed at Years 3, 4 and 5 between February and April, this course did not just teach a game, but also helped to develop the metacognitive skills. Over the course of 10 lessons, the children learnt to manage their decision-making time, improve their memory, develop logical problem-solving skills, work on their attention span and concentration and, crucially, learn to accept defeat and internalise the rules.
• Active Sports: The Mini Rugby and Tennis courses, open to all year groups, have introduced the pupils to these two sports.

Rugby consisted of a course of six lessons, each lasting two hours, which encouraged controlled physical contact and team spirit, and is now well established as a sport at this school. Tennis, on the other hand, is part of the free ‘’Rackets in Class’ which was already carried out last year. Thanks to our partnership with the national tennis and table tennis federations, all pupils have had the chance to try out a fun approach to these sports, promoting inclusion and motor coordination.

4. Active Citizenship

The school has also responded to the challenges of the modern world and to the need for culture and education in citizenship.

• “Neoconnessi”: Recognising that many children already own smartphones or games consoles, the project – aimed at Years 3, 4 and 5 – focused on the responsible use of the internet. Through reading narrative texts and watching videos provided free of charge by Wind in collaboration with the State Police, the pupils reflected on the risks and opportunities of the digital world, eventually identifying a set of rules which were shared and agreed upon with their families at a public meeting on Wednesday. .
• “Read Me Again”: The promotion of reading was carried out throughout the year through teachers reading aloud, a daily activity designed to enrich pupils’ vocabulary and emotional skills and improve their attention spans. This was complemented by a weekly session where pupils listened to a story read by the librarian whilst borrowing books.
• “Opera tomorrow”: It has now been running for three years, with excellent results for the children thanks to the active involvement required both in the preparations and during the performance. This year, the story performed was ‘Little Bear and the Ice Mountain’, which addressed the topical issue of climate change.

The appointment of the deputy class councillors took place in October in the presence of the Mayor Christian Sertorio who, having observed the various stages leading up to the standard procedures for conducting local elections, has appointed the following as his assistants for the current school year: in the event of a tie for first place Liv Testi e Michela Gianotti, in second place Rebecca Rossi, in the third Edoardo Sertorio, in Year 4 Diego Trestini and in Year 5 Sara Polinelli. Throughout the year, representatives from the school will keep an eye on the town, report any issues to the Mayor and put forward proposals.

5. Expressiveness on display

At the end of the year, as is traditional, the Year 5 pupils took centre stage in a theatre production written and directed by Luciana Colombini, a teacher and head of the school complex. The theatre project was approached in an interdisciplinary way: starting from the pupils’ own ideas, an expressive programme was developed, which usually forms part of the wider project planned for the whole year. The main aim of the workshop was to help pupils overcome shyness, collaborate with their classmates towards a common goal and develop their expressive skills. The “Theatre” project culminated in the end-of-year performance entitled ‘When I grow up, I’ll… score a basket’, which, through its entertaining plot, succeeded in giving dignity, importance and value to all the different jobs in the world. The performance was enlivened by children from other classes who, through dancing, singing and magic spells, tried to free a classmate from a cage.

6. A school that promotes health

For several years now, the school complex has also been running a canteen project, which involves assigning service duties to children in Years 3, 4 and 5, with the aim of fostering a sense of community and service to the local area. The school canteen at Bianzone Primary School is a service available to all pupils as part of the school timetable; it is located 300 metres away at the nursery school and offers a varied menu, prepared by the AST dietitian and cooked on site using mainly locally sourced produce. 

The surrounding area offers a range of opportunities to combine indoor and outdoor learning. Outings into the village are organised to improve pupils’ sense of direction and their knowledge of the municipality, its services and its hidden corners steeped in history, but also to help preserve traditions such as the chestnut harvest or the Carnival parade.

7. Safety and Community:

The “Road Safety and More…” project, carried out in collaboration with the traffic police and the Civil Protection Agency, was greatly appreciated by the pupils for its perfect balance between theory and practical field exercises. In particular, the end of the school day coincided with an emergency situation that needed to be resolved. The Bianzone Civil Protection service, assisted by volunteers from Villa di Tirano, involved pupils in Years 4 and 5 in a drill to evacuate the town centre. The pupils, divided into six teams, had to evacuate and gather residents from Piazza Vanoni, Via Bario and certain house numbers on Via Stelvio and Via Roma at the assembly point in the school playground. They were joined by members of the public who happened to be passing by at that moment. In total, around twenty people. The simulated scenario was an earthquake that had rendered the buildings in the town centre unsafe and unstable. The ‘pink zone’ was evacuated by Team 1, which managed the south side, and Team 2, which was in charge of the north side. Team 3, meanwhile, was tasked with evacuating the children in Years 1, 2 and 3 via the designated emergency routes. A field tent was set up in the school playground to show the children and those involved where evacuees are accommodated in the event of an emergency. Team 4 welcomed people, reassuring them, asking for their personal details and address, and directing them to where they should go. Team 5 provided water, whilst Team 6 supplied food to the evacuees. Everything went according to plan and in accordance with the regulations.

L'articolo CAMBIAMENTI….STRADA FACENDO ALLA SCUOLA PRIMARIA proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

This year, the event takes place on 4 July, featuring:

• 1.00 pm: the Centre’s café opens and remains open all day
• 4.30 pm: opening of the bouncy castle area
• 6.00 pm: the kitchen opens
• music until 2 am the following day

Directing the traffic were the ever-present volunteers from the Civil Defence.

L'articolo ESTATE A BIANZONE proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.