Collegiata di San Vittore, Brezzo di Bedero

Collegiata di San Vittore (Canonica) Brezzo di Bedero
Grandiosa basilica romanic, which in its current structure dates from the 12th century, placed on the hill, in a dominant position. The church was rebuilt in 1137 by William, the provost of Valtravaglia. However, some architectural stratifications suggest the existence of an earlier house of worship of great importance, as evidenced by the paleo-Christian epigraph discovered during the recent restoration work, revealing the burial of a high-ranking character, presumably a Roman consul named Markus.
Of not inconsiderable interest is the fact that the church is mentioned in the oldest documents under the title of St. Mary es or in connection with St. Vitritor. Only since the beginning of the 30th century has the only dedication been that of the holy martyr.
The church has three aisles, separated by massive columns, which were closed by three imposing apses; Through some restorations, the original exposed wooden scaffolding could be dug up again.
The preservation work on the monument also made it possible to restore important painterly cycles, including the 14th century "Conquest of St. Vitrius" in the right sacristy and a remarkable Annunciation. The 19th century organ, a typical example of the Varesin Organ School, was restored in 1972.
As evidence of its noble past, the Church still preserves four ancient antifonars, valuable musical codes that are of fundamental importance for the study of the musical palaeography of ambrosial chant; the oldest of them, the so-called "code b", dates from the 12th century; the others are from the 14th century. The rectory holds a renowned music season every year.
Text: Municipalities of Brezzo di Bedero
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