Pellio Intelvi, Mountain municipality in Alta Valle Intelvi, Italy
Pellio Intelvi is a mountain village in Alta Valle Intelvi, Lombardy, made up of two separate settlements: Pellio Inferiore on the lower slope and Pellio Superiore on the higher ground above it. The two parts sit on a hillside surrounded by woods, with the valley floor visible below.
The settlement developed as an independent municipality in the Province of Como and kept that status for centuries. In 2017 it merged with neighboring villages to become part of the newly formed Alta Valle Intelvi.
The church of San Giorgio in Pellio Inferiore contains Baroque frescoes and stucco decorations made by craftsmen from the local area. These works show how deeply rooted the tradition of sculpture and decoration was in this part of the valley.
The village is reached by narrow mountain roads coming from Como through the valley, so driving requires care on the bends. Weather can change quickly at this elevation, so bringing sturdy footwear and a layer for cooler temperatures is a good idea.
This small village produced the Baroque sculptor Ercole Ferrata and the architects Domenico Corbellini and Carlo Lurago, all of whom left to work across northern and central Italy in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is rare for a settlement of this size to have contributed so many artists whose works can still be found in distant cities.
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