San Paolo D'argon – Trails and Sacred Art

San Paolo d’Argon brings together trails on Collina d’Argon and in Parco delle Valli d’Argon with a varied history of religious architecture. Local highlights include Benedictine routes, fresco cycles and churches featuring details from different periods. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, having a clear focus can help with planning: would you like to explore the trails, or primarily learn about the churches and their artistic history? The distinctions below make it easier to choose what to include in your itinerary.

Trails on Collina d’Argon

The Sentiero de la Luna is on Collina d’Argon. The “Santa Maria d’Argon – Percorso Vita” has a different trail surface: it runs through Parco delle Valli d’Argon along unpaved paths surrounded by greenery. You should avoid this trail after heavy rain. The unpaved surface is a specific point to consider when planning.

The “#01 Sentieri benedettini” starts in the municipality of San Paolo d’Argon, by the old Benedictine abbey and the parish church. The “#05 I colli occidentali” starts in San Paolo d’Argon near the old Benedictine abbey. Horse riding and mountain biking are listed as ways to use this route; it passes through the western hills, valleys and areas of the park. The descriptions thus differ in their references to the buildings at the first route’s starting point and the explicitly named modes of travel and landscapes of the second.

The Abbazia di San Paolo d’Argon also offers an opportunity to plan a focused visit: guided tours are held in collaboration with the Adriano Bernareggi Foundation. They are available by prior reservation only; days and times are arranged individually. Confirm the reservation and availability before your trip.

Churches, Architectural History and Frescoes

At Santa Maria in Argon, the building’s history can be read in its different layers. The first square religious building dates from the early Middle Ages; its floor plan corresponds to that of the present-day presbytery. The fresco cycle visible today depicts the Coronation of the Virgin, prophets and evangelists. An anonymous artist painted it in the early 16th century, shortly after the apse was built; the artist was probably trained in Milan.

Access information was updated in March 2025. Santa Maria in Argon is reached by an asphalt road; because of the slope, people with reduced mobility are advised to have someone accompany them. The ground-level entrance is free of architectural barriers and also allows these visitors to enter. The information about the road and the entrance concerns two different aspects of the visit.

The small Chiesa di San Pietro delle Passere was built in the 11th century along the historic road that connected Bergamo with Val Cavallina and Val Camonica. Some of the interior frescoes date from the 16th century. In the apse is a fresco attributed to Antonio Cifrondi, depicting Saint Peter in glory. The church thus combines an early building history with later decorative details.

The Chiesetta di San Lorenzo was incorporated into the central monastery in 1212. Its entrance portal has restrained colours and proportions; the exact date of its execution, 1754, is engraved on it. The Chiesa di Sant’Antonio offers another architectural style: it was built in the 1930s in the Neo-Gothic style as a votive offering by the Prometti couple. Together, these churches offer different ways to focus a visit on architectural forms, artistic decoration and historical dates.

Discover more destinations: Sotto Il Monte Giovanni Xxiii, Cassiglio, Mezzoldo, San Pantaleone, Costa Di Mezzate, Martinengo, Bariano, Piazza Brembana

For the wider travel overview: Bergamo.