CAPO DI PONTE

The Romanesque Parish Church of San Siro is located in Cemmo and is one of the oldest churches in the Camonica Valley, next to the parishes of Edolo Mù, Cividate Camuno, Pisogne and Rogno. The churches and surrounding territories depended on the parish. The legend attributes the foundation to Charlemagne: it certainly already existed in the 7th century, perhaps founded by Damiano Bishop of Pavia, hence the unusual dedication to San Siro, patron saint of Pavia, capital of the Lombards, considered the patron saint of the valley but only from 1600 , because he would have been the propagator of Christianity in Valle Camonica. The beginning of construction dates back to the end of the 11th century.

Indoor

The church is structured on several levels and has a crypt. There are frescoes from the school of Giovan Pietro da Cemmo (Madonna with Child and the purchaser), a Baptism of Christ and a Madonna of Sunday. It is also possible to admire a remarkable faithful reproduction of the polyptych attributed to Maestro Paroto. A Roman epigraph located in the left single rililancet window of the central apse suggests the existence of a previous place of worship. The baptismal font is obtained from a single block of Concarena limestone. In the crypt, other pre-Romanesque elements are the capitals of the columns that support the vault.

External

The opening is adiabatic, with side entrance and not positioned in the main facade, as the conformation of the ground and the orientation of the building does not allow openings to the west. The plan has a west-east orientation, with the three apses facing east. The portal is one of the best local examples of Romanesque sculpture, characterized by decorative vegetable and animal motifs in relief. The bell tower dates back to the 15th century. In 1912 there were renovations in which the access ladder located on the right was built. The Latin inscription on the outer bezel means: “Bless O God those who enter from here and hurry to you”. Not far from the church, an inscription on stone, made by a certain Maestro Oberto, reports a military event that took place in 1163 at the time of Frederick Barbarossa.

Information for opening and visits: Pro Loco Capo di Ponte, tel. 0364.42080.