The village of Mazzo is rich in history as it was the capital of one of the oldest parish districts in Valtellina, whose territory stretched along the Adda valley from Sernio to Sondalo. The baptistery dedicated to John the Baptist and the nearby Church of Santo Stefano form the baptistery complex of the parish church of Mazzo.
The centre of the spiritual life was the church of Santo Stefano, a structure whose foundations essentially date from the late Middle Ages, while the walls of the building were rebuilt several times in the following centuries. The carved marble portal was shaped by Bernardino de Torgiis de Maroggia; the frescoes in the sacristy date from the end of the 16th century and were signed by the well-known local painter Cipriano Valorsa. The side altar for the Virgin Mary, a marvellous carved wooden altar, can also be admired in the right aisle.
The nearby baptistery dedicated to John the Baptist still has remains of late 15th century frescoes attributed to the local painter Giovannino da Sondalo. The baptismal font itself is dating back to the early medieval period (7th century), which makes it the oldest testimony of Christianisation in Valtellina.
Palazzo Lavizzari is an aristocratic residence in the old town of Mazzo that originally belonged to the Venosta family. On the occasion of the marriage between Margherita Venosta and Pietro Angelo Lambertenghi, a reception hall was built, known today as the"Salone degli stemmi". It is a large hall decorated with an impressive heraldic frieze with 14 coats of arms. In the centre of the composition one can find the coats of arms of the couple's families.
We do not know when exactly the small church of Sant'Abbondio di Vione was founded, but its structure seems to date back to the Renaissance period. On the simple façade, a fresco shows the Virgin Mary and Child between the Saints Abbondio and Anthony of Padua. It is the work of Cipriano Valorsa, a well-known artist to whom are also attributed the frescoes in the apse, the artistic gem of the church. The fluidity of execution, the vividness of the colours and the good state of preservation make these frescoes from around 1587 one of the most important works in the long and fruitful artistic career of this famous painter from Grosio.
Guided tours summer 2024:
Saturday 13 July at 16.00
Saturday 20 July at 14.00
Saturday 27 July at 10.30
Saturday 3 August at 14.00
Friday 9 August at 18.00
Saturday 17 August at 14.00
Saturday 24 August at 10.30
Saturday 31 August at 14.00
CHIESA DI SANTO STEFANO DI MAZZO DI VALTELLINA
Piazza Santo Stefano
