Malonno: Sacred Art, Mines and Mountain Tours

Malonno between Sacred Art and Mining History

Malonno combines a historical and cultural route with the town’s mines, churches and several MTB trails. The route is designed to showcase the town’s most important historical and cultural sights.

The historical and cultural route in Malonno passes the Forno Fusorio, a smelting furnace dating approximately from the 16th century.

Churches and Frescoes as Cultural Highlights

In the Chiesa di Santa Maria a Lava, the high altar features a fresco of the Madonna and Child enthroned, created in 1407. The church’s presbytery also contains a Marian cycle consisting of 12 fresco panels from the 16th century. The two works are located in the same church and date from different centuries.

Another historical landmark is the Parrocchiale dei Santi Faustino e Giovita. It stands on a rocky spur not far from the settlement of Malonno, in the direction of Contrada Odecla. The original church or chapel was built no later than the 11th or 12th century by the Benedictine monks of the Monastero di S. Faustino di Brescia.

Underground Mines and Historic Tunnels

The visitor route through the mines of Malonno extends for more than 1,000 metres through underground galleries, tunnels and mining chambers. At Ferromin Alta (Livello Radello), the underground chamber known as “Salone 18” is part of the complex. It is located 520 metres from the entrance; one of the two exploratory tunnels extends to a depth of 860 metres. Anyone planning to include this section of the mine route should therefore take into account both the distance covered and the underground spaces at depths of 520 and 860 metres.

At Ferromin Bassa (Livello Roma), the section includes a descending tunnel area that has been made accessible by walkways and structural modifications.

MTB Trails between the Town Centre and the Mountain Landscape

The Varagnola MTB trail begins in the centre of Malonno and leads to Località Varagnola. From this trail, there are views across the Forno Allione valley as far as Rino di Sonico. The Vent MTB trail also leads from the centre of Malonno to Vent, which lies at 1,750 metres above sea level.

The Vent Trail follows mule tracks and singletracks that require good technical skills. When planning a ride on the Vent, both the destination at an altitude of 1,750 metres and the technically demanding mule tracks and singletracks should therefore be taken into account.

The Piz-Tri route, in turn, runs mostly along roads and mule tracks from the First World War and also passes recently adapted defensive positions. Piz-Tri thus combines the MTB route with historic traces of the First World War. Piz Tri is also associated with ski touring. At Piz-Tri, cycling, military-historical sections of the route and ski touring come together.

Local Character on the Plate

Local events and sagre keep Le Migole alive as a special festive dish.

Discover More Places

Lonato Del Garda, Torbole Casaglia, Nigoline Bonomelli, Collio, Capriolo, Rodengo-Saiano, Arveaco and Cazzago San Martino

For the overview of the wider area: Brescia.