Dongo: Palazzo Manzi, Churches and Cultural History

Dongo can be viewed from several perspectives through its architectural history and cultural sites. A palazzo, several churches and a museum represent different themes and periods: from Romanesque origins and medieval building elements to the 19th-century Palazzo Manzi, as well as the events that led to the end of the Second World War. This range helps you distinguish the town’s historical highlights and plan a stay according to your own interests.

Palazzo Manzi and the Museo della Fine della Guerra

Palazzo Manzi was built in 1824 to a design by Pietro Gilardoni. The building contains the Sala d’Oro, whose extensive gilding, reliefs and stucco work define its interior. The ceiling features a fresco of Parnassus attributed to a pupil of Appiani. This brings elaborate decoration and a figurative ceiling painting together in one room.

Palazzo Manzi is also home to the Museo della Fine della Guerra. Through multimedia and interactive content, it presents the history of the resistance on Lake Como and the events that led to the end of the Second World War. The interactive tour spans seven rooms on the ground floor. The museum and the Sala d’Oro thus offer different perspectives within the same building: a historically decorated room on the one hand, and an account of the history of the resistance and the end of the war on the other. If you are interested in the 20th century, the museum offers a different historical focus from architectural and art history.

Churches and works of art from different centuries

The Chiesa di Santo Stefano has Romanesque origins and was rebuilt in 1716. The Chiesa di Santa Maria Martinico was built in the 11th century; its side façade dates from the 14th century. These dates capture different aspects of the buildings’ history: the origins and rebuilding of Santo Stefano, and the construction date and façade date of Santa Maria Martinico. The Chiesa di Santa Maria Martinico also houses a gilded silver cross from 1513, made in the workshop of F. Ser Gregori. This church therefore brings architectural history and a dated work of art together.

Another important religious site is the Santuario Madonna delle Lacrime. It was built between 1553 and 1603 beside the “Regina” road. Its furnishings include remarkable woodwork depicting the Last Supper and the Crucifixion, as well as frescoes in the presbytery. The defined construction period, the named scenes in the woodwork and the frescoes in the presbytery create a different focus from the accounts of the churches’ construction phases or the single cross in Santa Maria Martinico.

Valle Albano as a landscape landmark

The landscape is also among Dongo’s points of interest. Dongo lies at the foot of Valle Albano; the valley runs alongside the lake and connects Italy with Switzerland via Passo S. Jorio. This shifts the focus from individual buildings and works of art to a valley and its connection between two countries. If you are interested in geographical connections as well as cultural history, Valle Albano offers a distinct focus for planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Grandola Ed Uniti, Stazzona, Santa Maria Rezzonico, Villa Guardia, Campione D'italia, Caglio, Pianello Del Lario, Pusiano

For the main travel overview: Como.