Marnate: Churches, History and Trails through the Valle Olona

Marnate combines sacred art, traces of early settlements and trails through woodland and river landscapes. The town lies in the Valle Olona on flat terrain above the river valley to the west. To the east, the land rises gently towards the wooded district of Nizzolina. In Marnate, historical themes therefore meet different ways of exploring the area.

Churches and Works of Art in Marnate

The Chiesa S.Ilario preserves an old 15th-century fresco of Saint Hilary. The church also has an organ dating from 1770, built by the Carrera organ-building company from Legnano. Worship began in the new Chiesa Santa Maria Nascente in 1983; in September 1984, Cardinal Martini blessed the church.

The present-day Chiesa San Sebastiano also reflects an important period of construction: it is probably the result of a major renovation carried out at the end of the 19th century by the architect Camillo Crespi Balbi, who came from Marnate. He designed the new façade in a Neo-Gothic style using exposed brick.

The Lazzaretto S.Rocco is believed to date from the beginning of the 18th century and was built in memory of those who died in the plague of 1630. The building contains an 18th-century fresco depicting Our Lady of Mount Carmel and the Child Jesus, Saints Roch and Sebastian, and the Poor Souls in Purgatory.

Historical Traces from Roman Times to the Mill Landscape

Marnate’s history spans several periods. During Roman times, the town had a military river port. Archaeological finds made in 1972 at the foot of the Nizzolina Alta hill indicated the presence of a small cemetery dating to around 300 BC.

Another historical trace can be found in Parco Ex Mulino. The ruins of the old Balbi Mill are located there; it was already in existence in 1469 and remained in operation until the end of the 1920s. The surviving remains make the former use of the site as a mill a distinct subject of exploration, without suggesting that the facility is still operating.

Cycling and Hiking Trails

Parco Ex Mulino has cycling paths leading to the ruins of the mill, the water-management structures, the basin for the water wheels and the outflow channel, as well as along the former railway line of Val Morea. The park is freely accessible via entrances from Via Valle and Via Roma.

For hikes, the Sentiero della Nizzolina starts and ends in Marnate and connects the town with Gorla Minore. In addition, the Percorso verde dei fontanili consists of two circular trails through the forest, allowing you to explore the Marnate area. Depending on your focus, these routes enable you to include historic sites, technical relics and wooded trails in your day’s itinerary.

When choosing a hotel in Marnate, you can therefore follow your own interests: the churches and historical traces provide a cultural focus, while Parco Ex Mulino, the Sentiero della Nizzolina and the fontanili circular trails support an itinerary with days dedicated to cycling or hiking. Marnate can thus be viewed as a destination with several clearly distinct themes.

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To the main travel overview: Varese.