The oldest building in Piario is in Via Mazzoletti. It has 13th century frescoes which have been partly preserved; some bowls and other utensils that have come to light indicate that it was once a monastery. It is a large building with arches supported by low pillars with small oval windows inserted into them. The Candrietti area has the 14th century house in which Monsignor Speranza was born; he was named Bishop of Bergamo by Pope Pius IX in 1853.

One can also form an idea of a rural house when visiting Piario by making one’s way to the Cadoriano area, where an old house can be seen, in part re-structured with a small courtyard and a barn on the top floor. In the Bruco area one can admire a large stone building with its beautiful windows that suggest how the whole area must have been in times gone by.

Today, it is still possible to admire the entrance to a farmstead, which dates back to 1214. The house later became a convent and a sanctuary was built, of which the apse walls can still be seen; the sanctuary was destroyed by a landslide in 1813. In the friars’ refectory now there is a chapel, while the seven old cells on the top floor have been transformed into private dwellings. Villa’s new church was built on a clearing not far from the old in 1937. It is a captivating building with a Latin cross and a unique nave all in hand worked local stone. The small church of S. Lorenzo is also worth visiting, as it has been well preserved and can be found on the road to Nasolino.

In olden days, the village’s activities were closely associated with those of Gromo. In medieval times, steel work and the production of steel weapons was rife. Novazza became famous because of its uranium mine, which was never developed. All of Valgoglio’s territory is, however, rich in minerals, which includes a native kind of gold. The village’s economy is generated by the exploitation of its agricultural and forestry resources, summer tourism and the hydroelectric industry.

In the old days, Ardesio’s economy was based on the exploitation of its agricultural and forestry resources and its mining industry, of which its silver mines were well known. But today, its economy is commercial, linked to seasonal tourism and holidaymaking. The municipality comprises Ardesio itself and the hamlets of Valcanale, Zanetti, Marinoni, Bani, Cerete, Cacciamali, Ludrigno, Valzella, More, Piazzolo, Ave and Botto Alto, some of which are now uninhabited.

Valcanale

As well as being the name of the valley that open out to the west of the village, Valcanale is also the municipality’s principal hamlet. The main inhabited area, which is immersed in fir tree woods, stands at almost 1,000 metres above sea level, at the foot of Pizzo Arera (2,512 metres) and is the parish centre. At its highest point in the hamlet of Babes, there is a small lake in which are reflected the Dolomite-like peaks that surround the village. Valcanale is extremely popular with excursionists of all levels throughout the year. Numerous summer and winter itineraries begin from here, where the Orobic path also starts; the Refuge Alpe Corte is an hour’s walk from Valcanale and that is the first stage of the long itinerary that leads to the Passo della Presolana. The experts can climb Pizzo Arera (2,512 metres), Cima di Corna Piana (2,302 metres), Cima Valmora (2,198 metres) and Mount Corte (2,493 metres) or make their way to Refuge Laghi Gemelli, about a three hour walk. During the winter months, the track that leads to the Refuge Alpi Corte is suitable for walks with snow shoes and there are numerous itineraries for alpine skiers, but these must be undertaken in safe snow conditions.

Along the Valcanale from Ardesio there are other hamlets and suburbs which are equally fascinating, as well as a number of high quality nature sites like Nevaio Val Las which, at an altitude of 1,000 metres and at the foot of the imposing wall of Mount Secco (2,267 metres), is the lowest perennial snowfield of all the alps. The surrounding area has a variety of flowers typical of the higher altitude zones and is a unique eco-system, visited by scholars and botany enthusiasts. Lastly, there is Bani, a hamlet in an especially panoramic area and which hosts a museum devoted to Don Brignoli, well known as the ‘ol’ priest of Ba’.

Gandellino is the penultimate town of the upper Valle Seriana and stands on the left bank of the River Serio, at the entrance to the splendid Val Sedornia. With its hamlet of Gromo S. Marino and the districts of Tezzi, Bondo, Foppi, Pietra and Garbiasca, Gandellino is a mini-agricultural centre with other small businesses active in summer tourism. The town is 675 metres above sea level and currently has a population of 1,070.

A study of Gandellino and Gromo S. Marino brought to light a vast rural architectural patrimony, which is intimately associated with the local culture and to which attention is paid to ensure it is safeguarded. The history of the town coincides with that of the Valle Seriana but for a clearer idea of its past, we give below an extract from the 17th century document called “Gandellino: once said to be ‘Beyond the Dragon’”.

“It is a village in the upper Val Seriana in the district and under the guardianship of Clusone, on the left bank of the River Serio just above Gromo S. Giacomo and slightly below Gromo S. Marino; and it has communication with the provincial road that passes along the other bank of the river. In olden days, its municipal area formed a municipality with the first of these two towns on its border; now, it is paired with the latter but when it was a municipality with Gromo S. Giacomo, it enjoyed many prerogatives and dignity.

Gandellino is divided into two districts, Gandellino and Tezzi; but the parish extends beyond those of Gromo S. Giacomo, to hamlets called Bettuno Alto, Bettuno Basso, Riva Superiore and Riva Inferiore. Its territory, with the exception of the small tract along the bed of the River Serio, comprises all the slopes of the large mountain ranges that skirt both banks of the river. It has few rye and wheat fields, the rest chiefly pastures and copses, from which they extract wood and coal… In the area of the Sedornia stream, which flows into the Serio, even today there are the vestiges of a large steel smelting furnace with three forges and a building called a grinder, in which they temper swords for sale”.

Its centre boasts significant monuments such as the Ginami Castle, the 15th century municipal building decorated inside by a series of frescoes of the arms market, the little San Gregorio church inside which one can admire a beautiful 17th century altar piece by Enea Talpino, many noble houses dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. The 18th century parish church is well worth visiting and is dedicated to S. Giacomo and S. Vincenzo, and is embellished with a wooden altar of the Fantoni school, as well as paintings and frescoes of notable artistic value. Winter sport is concentrated on Boario-Spiazzi-Vodala, where enthusiasts enjoy alpine and Nordic ski-ing. Today, the village’s economy is based on tourism, artisan wood work and the hydro-electric industry.

On 10 July 2008, Gromo obtained the Bandiera Arancione (Orange Flag), awarded by the Touring Club Italiano.

On 10 October 2008, the village was recognised as qualified to become part of the Borghi Più Belli d’Italia (Most Beautiful Villages of Italy).

This municipal area is in the upper Valle Seriana and essentially comprises three large villages. The centre is Bondione, a village surrounded by meadows and woods in the heart of the Orobics at the foot of high mountains among which are three of over 3,000 metres – Pizzo Coca, Redorta and Scais – a coveted destination for enthusiasts.

Valbondione is also known for the delightful spectacle that it offers thousands of tourists every year, such as the waterfall created by the River Serio, an impressive drop of 315 metres to which the river provides the origins, precipitating from Piano del Barbellino down as far as the amphitheatre at the top of the small village of Maslana.

It should also be remembered that the various churches in the area host numerous beautiful works of art.