Madonna Del Sasso: Art, History and Hiking Trails

Madonna Del Sasso brings together sacred architectural history, local art and the history of stonemasonry. It also offers a striking view over Lake Orta and hiking trails described in different ways. Several specific themes can help you plan your trip: architecture and frescoes, the town’s working history, or a hiking route. If you’re looking for a hotel in Madonna Del Sasso, these themes can help you decide what you’d like to focus on during your stay.

Sanctuary and views over Lake Orta

The Santuario della Madonna del Sasso stands on a rocky outcrop and offers an exceptional panoramic view over Lake Orta and the mountains on its eastern shore. The present-day complex consists of a church, bell tower and hermitage, and was built in the first half of the 18th century. The architecture and frescoes are by Lorenzo Peracino, a painter and architect from Valsesia. The building therefore brings together the history of the complex and the work of a named artist. The sanctuary is also the endpoint of the Le Valli della Fede hiking trail. This trail connects smaller pilgrimage sanctuaries in the central and eastern Biellese area with Lake Orta. The sanctuary thus offers both a connection to sacred art and a link to a route that extends beyond Madonna del Sasso.

Churches and frescoes in Artò

The Chiesa Parrocchiale in Artò is dedicated to San Bernardino da Siena. It was built at the end of the 15th century and completed in its present form over the following centuries. In the center of Artò, a large 16th-century fresco can be found in a small square. It depicts Mary and Child between Saints Giulio, Rocco, Sebastiano and Stefano, and is attributed to Bailetti, a pupil of Gandenzio Ferrari from Valduggia. The small square in front of Artò’s parish church is a viewpoint from which you can see part of the lake. For a comparison of architectural history and painting, there are several points of reference: the parish church, completed over several centuries, and the single fresco, with its depicted saints and attribution to an artist.

Craftsmanship and local history

In Centonara stands the old Oratorio Santa Maria Maddalena, dating from around 1300 and now featuring decoration from the 16th century. The old hemp mill tells a different story: it was built in 1870 and operated until the 1930s. Together, these places point to different aspects of the past, from a religious building to a business with a documented period of operation.

The Museo dello Scalpellino is located in Boleto and is part of the Ecomuseo del Lago d’Orta e Mottarone network. The museum documents the historical living and working experiences of the people of Madonna del Sasso. It displays tools, artefacts and documents, and presents the craft of stonemasonry through videos as well as historical and iconographic research. The exhibits and different ways of presenting the subject offer a range of perspectives: you can explore both the tools and objects and the historical and visual context of the craft. The history of work thus complements the sacred buildings and frescoes with another facet of local history.

Hiking trails and an annual celebration

Le Valli della Fede focuses on connecting smaller pilgrimage sanctuaries with Lake Orta. By contrast, the signposted Sentiero degli scalpellini describes a route that descends from the sanctuary through chestnut woods and along an old mule track. The two trails therefore have different points of focus: one connects sanctuaries across the landscape, while the other follows a described route through the woods and along a historic path. Trail conditions can change; check them before setting out.

In Centonara, the patron saint’s festival in honour of Santa Maria Maddalena is celebrated on the third Sunday in July. If you’d like to plan your stay around this event, check the date in advance. This will help you choose between sacred art, the town’s craft history, the hiking trails described here and the festival date when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Bognanco, Crodo, Crevoladossola, Cissano, Vogogna, Cossogno, Cavaglio-Spoccia, Malesco.

For the broader travel guide: Verbano-Cusio-Ossola.