San Michele al Monte Church
The millennial church of San Michele al Monte is located in the area of today's municipality of Porto Valtravaglia, at about 820 meters.
The Church of San Michele al Mt. was built to ensure that people who lived in the mountains during spring and summer attend religious services,
The small church of San Michele al Monte has a very simple structure: about 30 square meters, with a semicircular apse, which, according to old tradition, faces east. The apse, the oldest part of the small church from the second half of the 11th century, has well-aligned rows of stones and pebbles with clear fish-hook straps. The sacristy and the bell tower were probably added in the 19th century.
In 1965 the roof of the sacristy collapsed. In 2000 the roof was completely rebuilt and the walls and foundations were restored.
Discoveries followed: in 2001, important frescoes from the 11th to 14th centuries were discovered and restored. Described as early as the fifteenth century, they were later hidden under new paving, and the church was even used as a shelter for tools and animals.
Text: Parish of Porto Valtravaglia