Walking tour of Moltrasio: all the places you should see.
Our Hotel Posta in Moltrasio is the ideal starting point for so many excursions, which we often recommend here on our blog, but today we want to offer you a special tour, very close to us: a walking tour of Moltrasio.
Upon leaving our hotel here we are immediately on Piazza San Rocco. We reach Via Regina vecchia, turn left, then walk down Via Durini at the end of which is our first stop.
Walking tour of Moltrasio, The Pasètt Bridge: a history to be known
Because of their must-know history, the monuments and architectural structures effectively imprint themselves in everyone’s memory and recollection.
The Pasètt Bridge is the oldest bridge in the Mill Valley, also called the “Rusca Bridge.” The Ruscas were a family of the Como nobility. It is assumed that the ancient route of the Via Regina, later the backbone of a medieval road network, the Francigena Renana, which connected Rome with northern Europe, passed through here. Specifically, the Pasètt bridge stood along the route that connected the churches of Sant’Agata in Moltrasio and Santa Marta in Carate Urio, which arose in the year 1000. From the Pasètt bridge one could see the village’s overhanging bridges, now joined to form a square.
Walking tour of Moltrasio: from Via Besana we reach Piazza di San Martino
St. Martin’s Square and the parish church dedicated to St. Martin and St. Agatha are closely connected, not only because they are contiguous and bear the same name, but because one has brought about modifications in the other, culminating in its present conformation. Until 1923, in fact, the church appeared connected to the then municipal house, via a “cuert” (porch). Beginning in 1935, work began on the construction of the square, and today’s Via Roma, where the so-called Borgo bridges once stood, and on the expansion of the church, mainly due to the increase in population.
At the end of Via Besana, we find the washhouse
Walking around Moltrasio means taking a plunge into the life of long ago. One of the main wash houses located in Moltrasio and used for washing clothes. It dates back to the early 20th century, built following the inauguration of the municipal aqueduct, from which it received water. The washhouse is located close to Piazza Umberto I, in the so-called “Valle dei Molini,” just above the bed of the Pizzallo stream. The last uses date back to the 1980s.
The drinking water fountain
Once we finish Via Besana we find Via al Noce, we walk along the latter entirely and thus arrive at the drinking water fountain. One of the 30 drinking water fountains in the territory of Moltrasio. The construction of the first drinking fountains dates back to the end of the 19th century, following the inauguration of the municipal aqueduct, with the main function of bringing drinking water to the various hamlets of the village. They were, in addition, used to quench one’s thirst while walking, especially on hot days. Some drinking fountains, in recent years, have been restored thanks to contributions from Associations and private individuals.
Coming from Via al Noce you will eventually come across a fork; we choose the left road that is Via San Martino and continue to Viale dei Cipressi where the renowned Church of St. Agatha stands.
The church of Sant’Agata and the Maestri Comacini
The church of St. Agatha is a fine Work of the “Maestri Comacini”, dating the first core construction in the 11th century. The following period includes the construction of the nave and the creation of the new entrance. The church, after undergoing gradual abandonment in the 16th century, was used as a “lazaret” during the plague epidemics of the following century.
In 2006, the restoration of the frescoes, led to significant findings, including part of a Christ Pantocrator between Saints Roch and Anthony Abbot, which can be traced back to the 16th century. It was in 2016 that the Renaissance wooden Christ was restored. Practically adjacent to the church of St. Agatha is Villa Passalacqua.
Villa Passalacqua and the Odescalchi
The original nucleus of Villa Passalacqua is owed to the Odescalchi family. The villa is purchased in 1756 by Count Giovanni Battista Lucini Passalacqua, Decurion of Como. His son Andrea entrusts its renovation to the architect Felice Soave. Thus took shape staircases, water features and garden terraces supported by a structure of underground spaces and galleries. Successors Alessandro Lucini Passalacqua, a great humanist, and his son Giovanni Battista Jr., a collector of oriental art, enriched the “Palazzo” with treasures.
In 2018 the villa is purchased by Como entrepreneur Paolo de Santis. We then proceed to Via Pos Palazz at the end of which is the Scala Santa.
The Holy Staircase: strenuous stone pathway
The straight flight of steps that connects Via Besana with Via Regina a lago, is commonly called the Holy Staircase because of its steep and strenuous path. Built entirely of stone, it has two different surface workings: one with stones placed “di costa” and coplanar, to facilitate the sliding of the sleds that once transported stones, timber and various goods to the landing at the lake; the other, about a third of the width of the seat, formed by low steps built both to protect pedestrians, so that they would not be run over by the passage of the sleds, and to make the ascent less difficult. At the end of the Holy Staircase we find ourselves on Lake Como for our last stop, which is purely contemplative.
Looking at the first basin of Lake Como and its neighboring countries.
One of the many viewpoints in Moltrasio from which a glimpse of the first basin of Lake Como and neighboring towns can be seen. Palanzo, Lemna, Molina, Faggeto Lario, Torno, Villa Tanzi Taverna, Villa Roda Roccabruna, Blevio, Brunate and Como are visible from this point.
Piazza San Rocco can be found from here by circumnavigating the lake exactly to the left. Now that you are well acquainted with the places to see in Moltrasio, you have an important option: retrace these sceneries to enjoy them even better mindful of the experience you had just now, or go right back to our hotel to enjoy the pampering and well-deserved rest.
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