MALEGNO
Malegno is located at the start of the Lozio Valley. It is bathed by the waters of the Lanico stream, whose energy was at the origin of iron working, an activity that has characterized the economy and life of the town for many centuries.
A few meters from the bridge that connects the village to Cividate Camuno, stands one of the oldest institutions in Malegno: a hospice for wayfarers, today called the Ospedale degli Esposti della Valle, which operates in the socio-educational and rehabilitation sector.
HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
The historical-artistic monuments of greatest interest are the three churches, two of which date back to the medieval period. The parish church is dedicated to Sant’Andrea apostle and inside, the marble altars of particular value and the altarpiece of San Carlo are preserved.
In Malegno you can also visit the old parish church, originally from the 12th century, whose frescoes, unfortunately fragmentary today, cover the wall almost entirely. Depicted in the paintings we find San Cristoforo, two Saints, a Madonna with Child and Angels, and four scenes from the life of Beato Simonino.
Along the banks of the Oglio river we also find Santa Maria al Ponte (or dell’Ospedale), a historic church originally used as a Benedictine convent. Between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, the building became a place of welcome for wayfarers, merchants and the sick. Today this little church is remembered because it is the only example in Valle Camonica of the architectural testimony of the congregation of the Umiliati.
MUSEUMS AND SPORTS
Also noteworthy is the “Le Fudine” Museum, built in 1998 with the intention of preserving and presenting to the public the forges in S. Antonio street, one of the most interesting monuments of industrial archeology in Valle Camonica.
Malegno has also become famous for the very well-known rally, the Malegno – Borno, which began in 1964, when, on August 23rd, a hundred drivers showed up at the starting line of the first edition of what would later become a “classic” of great prestige, 9 kilometers of pure adrenaline.
Malegno is also located at the end of the third stage of the famous Via Valeriana, a path of 9 stages that develops for 140 km along Lake Iseo and Valle Camonica, starting from Pilzone and arriving at Passo del Tonale.
On the mountains of Malegno there are other paths to follow, rebuilt and made safe in recent years, also suitable for families.
WALL IN ART
In Malegno you can admire “Wall in art”, a wall painted as part of the Vallecamonica Cultural District project, designed to bring art to small towns in the area by making it within everyone’s reach. The background is that of piazza Padre Zaccaria Casari, in the historic centre. The artist who provided ideas and colors is Gonzalo Borondo, a Spaniard who has been painting in public spaces since 2007, driven by the desire to deal with a collective dimension and to explore the complex relationship between art and the public.
