San Paolo: the Strone, protected area and church art

San Paolo can be explored through two distinct themes: the river landscape along the Strone and the history of its churches. The river and its protected area give the surroundings a strong landscape focus; several churches tell stories of construction phases, artworks and historic names. This can help you decide whether you are especially interested in nature, church art or both.

The Strone and its protected area

The River Strone rises in the hamlet of Scarpizzolo in San Paolo. It runs for 18 kilometres through San Paolo, Verolavecchia, Verolanuova and Pontevico, where it flows into the Oglio. Its course therefore passes through several places, while its source is specifically in San Paolo. The area around the river is recognised as a “Parco locale di Interesse Sovracomunale” (local park of supra-municipal interest).

The park covers a total of 735 hectares, of which 70 hectares are in San Paolo. These figures distinguish the area of the supra-municipal protected area from the portion within San Paolo. If you see the landscape as a focus of your trip, the Strone offers a specific point of reference: its source in Scarpizzolo, its course through several places and the designated area around the river.

The Cascina Laghetto is another historic point of interest in the landscape. The farmstead has existed since the 18th century and lies near the Strone’s source area in San Paolo. The farmstead and the river thus represent two different aspects of the same theme: a historic site in the area and the river’s geographical source. This complements the park’s broader landscape with a specific place of its own history.

Churches and historic construction phases

San Paolo’s churches differ both in their histories and in the kind of information that has been recorded about them. The Parrocchiale di San Paolo was consecrated on 20 September 1978. The construction phases mentioned for the Santuario della Madonna della Rosa, also known as the Madonnina, date further back: it was built in 1525 at the initiative of the Maggi family, then rebuilt in 1926 on the remains of an earlier building. These dates describe two distinct phases in the sanctuary’s history.

The Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta combines architectural history with a work of art. It was built in the early 18th century to a design by the Bergamo architect Bernardino Fedrighini, and also houses a Last Supper signed by Antonio Gandino and dated 1593. The church’s construction and the painting’s date therefore fall in different centuries. For an art-historical perspective, it is worth considering these two facts separately rather than treating them as a single construction history.

Smaller churches also have their own names and historical associations. The Chiesetta di Nostra Signora del Sacro Cuore was built by Don Camisani in 1911. The Chiesetta di San Giovanni Battista is known as San Giovannino; it stands in open countryside near a disused brickworks and was built in the early 20th century. San Giovannino’s nickname and rural setting are therefore part of what makes it distinctive, along with its date of construction.

Two successive construction phases are recorded for the Chiesa di Santa Maria Nascente: it was rebuilt in 1518 and replaced by a new building in the mid-19th century. It is also well worth a visit. Taken together, the churches do not share a single period of origin: the dates range from a rebuilding in the early 16th century to buildings from the 18th and early 20th centuries, and the consecration of the Parrocchiale in 1978.

A cycling and walking path as another point of interest

The “MA DE BÙ?!” cycling and walking path was created to help people rediscover San Paolo and was inaugurated on 26 January 2025. It offers a different way to explore the area from the history of individual churches, focusing instead on a route for cyclists and pedestrians. If you would like to include it in your plans, check in advance whether it is currently open for use.

These different points of interest can help you choose what to explore in San Paolo based on your interests and tailor your accommodation search to your destination.

Discover more destinations: Gratacasolo, Arias, Collebeato, Gardola, Pontevico, Provaglio D'iseo, Darfo Boario Terme, Cevo.

For the broader travel overview: Brescia.