“The presence of a “curious” stone above the mountain of Piazzeda, in Bianzone, was already known to some of the few inhabitants of the hamlet, but no one, as far as we know, had ever dwelt on the meaning of the strange engravings on the surface. [...]
The rock in question is located at an altitude of about 1140 m above sea level. along the Piazzolungo path which leads from Piazzeda to Nemina Bassa. The boulder is located in a wooded area, recently affected by a Vaia-like storm, at the edge of the path covered by an abundant layer of foliage and organic material; once properly cleaned, it shows a sensational series of variously assorted incisions and diversified shapes; almost all of them are connected by shallow gullies, in some cases barely detectable.
The engravings, geometrically discrete, are to be considered the work of human beings, as in nature they cannot be classified as products of sedimentological origin or in any case linked to the erosive origin of natural events. The rock, certainly erratic, made of metamorphic rock material, has an area of about 8 square metres, a thickness of about one metre and presents the surface facing south-east with an inclination of about 6-7°. The most widespread incisions are the cup-marks, 43 of which have been counted, variously distributed, varying in diameter from 4 to 7 cm, all generally having a hemispherical shape and connected to each other through cabalettes, as if to signify the facilitation of fluid circulation.

Other interesting, albeit enigmatic, forms, strongly engraved, are two capacious tubs with a square base measuring 20 by 20 cm and about 10 deep, capable of holding even more than two litres of liquid, also connected by cabals to some cup-marks.
As many as four vaguely piediform pans were noticed, with a basal size of 4 by 20 cm and a depth of about 3 cm; their arrangement is variously random and without any comprehensible meaning for us.
[...] There are no explanations and/or logical interpretations of the meaning of the engravings at the moment, we are in the pure and simple phase of conjecture and hypothesis. Certainly, these signs left by who knows which of our ancestors date back to periods prior to the age of metals, thus throwing out bland and unreliable dates, let us say over 10,000 BC. On the destination of such a stone, perhaps, looking at the arrangement of the basins and cup-marks and the connecting cabals, one could venture a hypothesis: a sacrificial altar or, in any case, a place of worship, a very common habit in ancestral populations. One observation that can be made is the following: apart from a smaller and perhaps more recent testimony, no other evidence or engravings of such importance and scope are known in the area under examination.
To be fair, it should be noted that several years ago, an archaeological find was unearthed in the vicinity of the hamlet of Bratta, consisting of a bronze axe (dating back to around 2000 B.C.), which is now kept at the Milan Archaeological Heritage Office. Undoubtedly, and this is the hope we make, the rocky find will be reported and thus be the subject of study by experts and experts in the field, so that we will be able to learn more about the history of the people or peoples who lived in our territory in such distant times.

text by Mario Curcio - Coordinator of the Ecomuseo of the Rhaetian Terraces of Bianzone taken from the archive of articles on the previous site
photos by Vanda Cerveri

For further information:

• article by the Valtellinese Archaeological Institute - Newsletter 2005
• Intorno Tirano article of 4 August 2021 on the discovery of the boulder 

Update August 2021:

It was found a new Copper Age stele statue in the grounds of the municipal building in Bianzone. Although the Bianzone stele bears the signs of later reuse, it still retains traces of the prehistoric decoration, engraved on hammerstone 5000 years ago. It is currently preserved in the gardens of Ronchi House waiting to be moved to the Antiquarium Tellinum.

L'articolo Il Masso di Piazzolungo proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

Considering the considerable distance of the two hamlets from the mill, the round trip had a considerable weight on the economy of the hamlets, who began to think about the possibility of milling wheat in their localities.

Don Cyril, the unforgettable parish priest of Bratta, in the immediate post-war period, managed to get electricity up there, and in no time at all, both Bratta and Piazzeda had their own electric mill! For all of them it was a great achievement. The elderly still remember with great emotion the day the millstone was transported: a huge effort in which the hamlet residents participated en masse, pushing and pulling the cart with the millstone up the steep mule tracks together with the mules using every kind of rope they could find, including those from the bell tower!

L'articolo Mulino di Prada proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

Outsiders

The main entrance to the building bears the date of construction, 1760, engraved in the portal key.
At that time, Valtellina was a territory subject to the rule of the Republic of the Three Leagues of Graubünden, which ended in 1797 with the arrival of Napoleon. The entrance portal is embellished with a frame in green Tresivio stone with an 18th-century design, featuring a trapezoidal tympanum with slightly curved sides and a decorative shell at the top. The doors are made of walnut and the mirrors are carved with motifs typical of Baroque furnishings, enriched by an elegant grate and a finely crafted wrought-iron bolt.
Another characteristic element of noble houses is the presence of wrought iron grilles on the windows throughout the ground floor.
A dragon is visible on the ridge of the roof. This well-known imaginary animal is a recurring figure in local folklore. According to tradition, it has a symbolic and protective significance; it drives away evil spirits, guards treasures and mountain passages and, being the union of the elements air, water, earth and fire, acts as the guardian of knowledge.

Interiors

Inside, everything speaks of the past: the vaulted atrium with access to the cellars, the stone stairs and the objects that bring back memories of rural life. Game, scythe, basket, oak and chestnut barrels are some of the many tools in the Gianotti House.
Among the most characteristic venues are:

• the stüa, a typical room in the Alpine valleys entirely clad in stone pine wood, which was chosen for its quality, as well as its intense and persistent fragrance, the softness that facilitated carving and the light colour that darkened over time;
• l’ involt with a vaulted atrium giving access to the cellars, which contained three large barrels made of chestnut wood, a material widely used in Valtellina since chestnut flour was a fundamental food resource within the community, often being referred to as the “bread of the poor”.

Symbols of the link with the past

A painting at the entrance of the house, created by artist Pierangelo Minotti, depicts the passing of the baton from the old to the new generation.
An old row of vines, from which the structure takes its name, supports two vines that climb up at the entrance to the Gianotti house. The row supports an old plant of golden-grape vines, planted by grandfather Leandro, which has always been well cared for, testifying to his love of working in the vineyards, and a young nebbiolo vine, transplanted by the new generation.

L'articolo Ca’ Gianotti proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

A past of depopulation and smuggling

In 1939, the Bratta counted about 400 inhabitants and about a hundred families, but the population decreased drastically after World War II due to emigration and the move to Bianzone. Don Cirillo describes Bratta as a collection of houses and districts with a church (dedicated to St. Anthony Abbot), a school and a rectory at its centre.

Life was difficult for the population, who were dedicated to agriculture (cultivation of rye, buckwheat, barley, potatoes) and sheep and goat breeding. During the war, the shortage of basic necessities led to the smuggling with Switzerland, exchanging agricultural products for salt.

After the war, this activity turned into the smuggling of cigarettes and coffee, contributing to the local economy. Despite the illegality, smuggling was not harshly opposed by the authorities, probably due to the severe post-war economic situation and the isolation of the community, which lacked a driveway to the village. The road construction, started in 1952, was one of Fr Cyril's main concerns in the last years of his ministry.

Today's revival

In the early 1970s, the last two remaining families abandoned Bratta, which remained uninhabited for many years. Today, however, one family has settled permanently and many people return during the summer to spend quiet periods in the renovated houses. The hamlet comes alive especially during the summer. Until a few years ago, in the second half of August, the patronal feast, with the celebration of mass in the church of Sant'Antonio and San Bernardo, the tasting of traditional pizzoccheri and the organisation of old-fashioned games.

L'articolo La Bratta proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

Architecture and external evolution

Situated at the edge of the Bianzone dejection cone, in the middle of a vast square (partly created by the relocation of the Stelvio state road in 1980), the sanctuary presents itself differently depending on the direction of arrival. For those arriving from Tirano, the view is dominated by the beautiful niche façade, with green stone cornices and pilasters, a harmonious work that anticipates the Baroque style. The green stone portal, dated 1746, has a small upper niche. An arched window interrupts the central cornice, while large lunettes and square windows framed in green stone open at the sides and bottom, with a continuous cordon at the base.

For those arriving from Sondrio, the building shows an interesting combination: the octagonal tiburium surmounted by the lantern of the Renaissance dome is juxtaposed to the’ancient medieval bell tower with an elongated quadrangular spire, which heralds the Gothic style and stands to the north of the sanctuary.

Interiors and restorations

The interior of the church is characterised by a spacious and bright single nave with six side chapels, carved into the thickness of the walls and communicating with each other. In the central right chapel is a modest chancel and the remains of an 18th-century organ. In the other chapels are four plaster scagliola altars, all from the second half of the 18th century. The first altar on the right is dedicated to St. Francis, while the next one, dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, has an interesting carved stone predella and the coat of arms of the noble Guicciardi family. Above the high altar, the frescoes in the dome depict the Assumption of the Virgin, with the Apostles below.

On 22 September 1985, the church reopened for worship after a long period of closure and major restoration, made possible by the tenacity of Fr Virginio Zubiani and the decisive relocation of the state highway. This event was celebrated with a procession to the transporting the new statue of Our Lady (the original one was stolen in 1961) from the parish church to the sanctuary, and cultural events such as concerts at the annual LeAltreNote festival.

L'articolo Santuario della Madonna del Piano proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

Birth of a Revolutionary Project (1913-1914)

In 1913, a group of willing citizens from Bianzone and Villa di Tirano formed a joint stock company and decided to bring electricity into their homes, abandoning the obsolete oil lamps. At a time when only Sondrio and Tirano had electricity in Valtellina and the local economy was in difficulty, the idea of harnessing the power of the Valle torrent to produce energy was revolutionary.

The initial project, entrusted to the’engineer Italo Bongioni, envisaged taking water from the Bianzone and Boalzo streams and conveying it to a power station to be erected at Galeazza (alla Gatta). However, opposition from the population, fearful for the operation of the mills and sceptical about electricity, led to an alternative plan.

An alternative project and construction

They opted for one damming of the Bianzone stream at Mulin dei Busnat. The water was then conveyed into a settling tank for purification and from there into a 1,000-metre-long concrete canal. This canal carried the water to a loading tank at La Muta, from where a 360-metre steel penstock with a height difference of 250 metres started, which fed the power station's turbines.

The power station was inaugurated on 1 July 1914. Initially, energy consumption was modest: only one electric motor, a few irons and no more than three light bulbs per house.

Development, nationalisation and temporary closure

Until 1930, the power station proved functional, but with the growth of industry and the improvement of the quality of life, its capacity became insufficient. As a result, Teglio, Tresenda and San Giacomo were disconnected from the supply. In 1934 a second generator group 150 horsepower to increase power. In 1947, in the face of a further increase in consumption, an expensive hydrocarbon engine, used only in emergencies.

In 1963, electricity was nationalised and the power plant was incorporated into the’Enel. It operated under this new management until 23 May 1969, when it was finally closed down. Aldo Gadaldi concludes his report with deep regret for the plant's closure.

The rebirth of the control unit

Fortunately, Aldo's pessimistic predictions did not entirely come true. Since the end of 2011, the control unit has returned to full operation, thanks to a major investment by the municipality of Bianzone. It now exploits two penstocks, also using water from the municipal aqueduct, continuing to generate energy for the community.

L'articolo Centralina proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

The birth of the Museum: a community effort

The museum was realised thanks to the’community engagement, as told by the children in a monograph. On 12 January 2002, grandparents, parents, teachers and the mayor got together to start work on renovating a disused room. With enthusiasm and a spirit of cooperation, the volunteers transformed the room, cleaning the walls and floor.

A highlight of the project was the transport of a huge press stone of about 25 quintals, found in the parish house. The children personified the stone, expressing their thoughts and concerns during its extraction and transport. The stone, which felt old and useless by now, was surprised and delighted to discover that it was destined for a museum, testifying to its historical importance. With the help of tractors and, finally, the mechanical shovel driven by the mayor himself, the stone was laboriously brought into the museum, toasting its new life as an exhibit.

The Wine Museum in Bianzone thus celebrates not only the history of local viticulture, but also the spirit of cooperation and enthusiasm of a community that has been able to enhance its heritage.

L'articolo Museo del vino proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

Missing architecture and furnishings

The church presents a noble facade, restored in the 1970s, with an arched gable, curved and rectangular windows and a green stone portal. The interior, with a single nave, is today completely bare. In the past, it housed a high altar with a carved and gilded wooden tabernacle and a painting of St Martin. To the left of the nave was the altar of St Gotthard with a painting of the bishop. Also a small 18th-century pulpit walnut wood has disappeared. A restored piece of furniture from the 19th century remains in the sacristy.

L’ossuary adjoining, whose façade reproduces that of the church in miniature, once contained bones and skulls for admonitory purposes, as well as votive tablets for graces received; these elements have also disappeared today.

Past uses and attempts at restoration

The Church of San Martino has had various uses over the centuries: it was a plague shelter in 1632 and a lazaretto during the “Spanish” in 1918. Until the 1950s, every first Sunday in May, mass was celebrated there and on the esplanade the Festival of St Gotthard, famous for the “red pipe”, a sugar cake in the shape of a pipe.

In the second half of the 1970s, the church underwent major restoration work ordered by Fr Virginio Zubiani with the intention of reopening it for worship. The roof of the church and ossuary were redone, the stained glass windows were replaced, the channelling was positioned, the main façade was painted, the main door repaired and the external fountain replaced. Inside, the cornice and the electrical system were redone and the floor slabs were placed.

Despite all these efforts, however, the Church of San Martino has not been reopened to the public.

L'articolo Chiesa di S. Martino proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

Architecture and structure

Passing through the gate on Via Algherone, you enter a courtyard that reveals the characteristic U-shaped plan“ of the palace, of medieval origin. The transverse body in front of the entrance features a frescoed niche on the ground floor, now degraded, and a hexagonal marble well of the 18th century. On the first floor, an interesting loggia with five arches on pillars of green Tresivio stone and cross vaults is surmounted by a turret with a clock and baroque dome overlooking the courtyard.

To the left stands the main body of the building, rectangular in shape (approximately 32×20 metres), with the entrance on the largest side facing south. This part, with plastered stone walls, has three floors, plus cellars.

Interior and historical details

Entering through the main door, a steep staircase with a graceful grotesque frescoed vault leads to the upper floors. On the ground floor a cooking with a distinctive umbrella vault and a large fireplace, flanked by a small wood-lined room. The rooms created by closing off the arcade once housed the old wine press and other agricultural tools.

On the first floor is the main hall, measuring approximately 4×8 metres, illuminated by three large windows to the south. Its “bat wing” vaulting recalls the dining room of the Besta palace in Teglio and depicts episodes from the Jerusalem Delivered by Torquato Tasso. The second floor, which is severely damaged, has rooms with valuable coffered ceilings, while the cellar floor has vaults.

The roof, recently restored, is pitched and hipped, with a wooden structure and slate roof, and features the characteristic shaped turret chimneys typical of the period and of valley architecture. The building for agricultural use, added in the 19th century on the south side, is less prominent.

From 2004 the Palazzetto Besta and its 15,000 square metres of land are owned by the municipality of Bianzone.

L'articolo Palazzetto Besta proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.

Architectural Evolution and Restoration

Initially, the church maintained a austere Romanesque appearance until 1500, when it underwent extensions and renovations, completed on 1 August 1543. Recent restoration work, financed partly by the Valtellina law and partly by the community, has brought back its former magnificence.

La Baroque-style façade features an elegant columned pronaos protecting the 18th-century carved wooden entrance portal. The bell tower, probably of mediaeval origin at the base, has five storeys, with mullioned and three-light windows. The plan of the church is a latin cross, with a main nave and two smaller naves, each with four chapels. Above the entrance is a carved wooden chancel.

Artistic treasures inside

Inside, in the left aisle, stands the baptismal font, a marble basin enclosed by a valuable 16th-century wooden ciborium. On the altar of the first adjacent chapel is a striking gilded wooden altarpiece depicting The Last Supper, attributed to Cipriano Valorsa. L’high altar is embellished with a majestic wooden ciborium carved, carved and gilded in the shape of a small temple.

The interior of the church is dominated by the great Valorsa fresco in the chapel of St Peter Martyr (first on the right). Also interesting is the Chapel of St Ursula, also on the right, just before the transept.

One of the most surprising discoveries of the latest restoration is the pictorial cycle located next to the high altar, on the right. This is an entire wall frescoed with paintings depicting episodes from the life of the Virgin Mary.

L'articolo Chiesa di San Siro proviene da Ecomuseo Bianzone.