Eugi Gufo's siteEugi Gufo

The idea of visiting Calolziocorte (in the Province of Lecco) occurred to me for a single reason: the peculiar nature of its name. It should be noted, however, that each individual possesses his or her own criteria for peculiarity.

If you, too, require a specific yet only loosely rational reason to visit Calolziocorte, I am prepared to suggest one. Here is the church dedicated to St Mary Virgin of Lourdes (it is surely preferable to spend fifty minutes on a train from Milan to Calolziocorte than to travel all the way to rural France for every minor spiritual impulse, is it not?):

The façade is interesting; the interior remains unknown to me, as I found the church closed. Approximately ten metres away stands the archpriest’s church of 1818 and, a few dozen metres further on, its bell tower.

The second church, at least, merits inspection inside.

One should note the presence of genuine, rather than painted, ornamentation.

While wandering in search of further traditional attractions, a motorist stopped in the middle of a junction to advise me — entirely of his own initiative — to photograph a handsome arch located [direction follows]. This is the arch in question:

Should it fail to impress, one may settle for this ancient architectural relic nearby, which I suspect began life as a stable before being enthusiastically reinterpreted by builders of the later twentieth century.

Fortunately, positive forms of redevelopment also occur. The former monastery of St Mary of Lavello, dating from the early sixteenth century, has been transformed into a hotel, a bar, and offices for various associations. The result is intriguingly unorthodox and succeeds in challenging certain expectations.

Let us now ascend one of the surrounding hills to determine whether the municipal territory conceals further interest.

The view reveals the River Adda, Lake Olginate, and the mountains. On those mountains, certain apparently promising structures are visible, which I attempted to approach. I soon discovered that this miniature castle stands on private land and is therefore inaccessible.

Consequently, I decided against walking to that other distant building (whether castle or monastery remains uncertain).

Descending once more towards the town centre, I finally encountered some of the elements I most appreciate in mountain settlements: small, energetic streams and forest paths. In the Italian plains I have rarely encountered comparable natural intensity.

Returning to human constructions: are there attractive buildings in Calolziocorte? A few, certainly…

Are there monuments? Yes, a handful. For example, the monument to the fallen of all wars (note also the previously unseen form of the paving strips and the direction in which the cannon points).

I have long been intrigued by the Italian tradition of erecting monuments to sailors in towns located at impressive distances from the sea (Treviglio offers another example). The monument in Calolziocorte might at least claim partial justification through the presence of the Adda: one embarks in one’s native town and, theoretically, reaches some distant sea by faithfully following the water.

Among the town’s human creations one should also mention the local tradition of naming places according to their characteristic features. Thus, a stretch of riverside has become «Via Alzaia».

If «alzaia» here refers to the mechanism once used to tow boats, no visible trace of it remains.

I assume this crossing cable system was not the intended reference…

Nor are there many boats left. I did not observe a single one in operation.

A similar phenomenon applies to the lake’s fauna. Along the lakeside I encountered a series of information panels entitled «Winged Guests on Lake Olginate»… The only living «guests» present were ducks.

The others appear to have declined the invitation.

Let us return, then, to human initiatives. The fashion for bike-sharing has also reached Calolziocorte. The bicycle model matches that already observed in Lecco.

The network of cycle paths is well developed. A sign even suggests that one may pedal peacefully all the way to Milan (I know at least one person capable of attempting this).

Those without bicycles, yet still wishing to depart for more stimulating destinations, may consult a travel agency. I was positively impressed by the originality of this agency’s name, and while photographing it from the doorway, the proprietor emerged. She was pleasantly surprised that someone had finally understood the joke. I was genuinely pleased to provide that modest satisfaction.

And reasons for departure are not lacking. One might escape from a dance hall resembling the set of a horror film…

…from a location where synthetic grass grows dutifully around real trees…

…from a place where the most aesthetically successful item of urban furniture is the rainwater drainage grille…

…from a town where benches are positioned in the roadway and subsequently defended by concrete planters…

…and remember, for the remainder of one’s life, the single unambiguously positive civic initiative: Calolziocorte is among the few municipalities to provide litter bins with integrated ashtrays.