Cadempino: Sports and Church Art

There are several ways to plan a trip to Cadempino: focus on sports at the Palamondo sports hall, or explore historic churches with frescoes, altars and distinctive architectural features. If you are looking for a hotel, the purpose of your trip can help guide you: would you like to focus mainly on sports, or are you interested in the town’s architectural and artistic history? The following impressions can help you discover Cadempino according to your own interests.

Sports and Events at Palamondo

Palamondo is a versatile sports hall. Activities there include basketball, volleyball, inline skating, futsal and floorball. Its range therefore extends from ball and team sports to activities on wheels. The facility has been owned by the municipality of Cadempino since the end of 2010. If you are planning a visit for a specific sporting activity, check availability in advance.

Facilities include an 800 m² rink with boards, four team changing rooms and a separate changing room for referees. There is also a first-aid room and stands with around 500 seats. A bar is located on the upper floor.

Palamondo can occasionally also be used for events unrelated to sports, such as meetings, dinners and concerts. These possibilities complement its sporting profile, but they are not part of a regular events programme. For your stay, it is therefore worth considering sports and these potential events as separate travel interests.

Churches, Frescoes and Architectural History

The Chiesa dei SS. Gervasio e Protasio probably dates back to the 11th century and was extensively remodelled in the 17th century. Romanesque frescoes, dated to the late 11th to early 12th century, were discovered during restoration work. The scenes depicted include Saint Gervasius, the Annunciation, the Visitation and the Nativity of Christ. The period when the frescoes were created and the church’s later remodelling are two distinct points in history.

The furnishings offer further historical points of interest. On the exterior wall on the south side of the nave is a fragment of a Late Gothic fresco depicting Saints Christopher and John the Baptist. The church also houses an altarpiece from 1661 depicting the Madonna del Rosario and Saints Gervasius, Protasius and Dominic. The original bell tower is one of the oldest in Ticino and features blind arcades and biforate windows.

Another church with its own distinctive architectural character is the Chiesa di S. Andrea. Its Romanesque bell tower stands beside a Neoclassical façade with a portico of Tuscan columns. The Madonna Chapel houses a gilded polychrome wooden statue from the 17th century. The building’s design, façade and chapel furnishings offer a different focus from the frescoes and historic tower of the Chiesa dei SS. Gervasio e Protasio.

The Oratorio di S. Zeno dates from the late 15th century and was extended in 1765 and 1827. The oratory houses a Late Gothic altar fresco depicting the Madonna and Child, along with Saints Zeno and Augustine. The rooms beside the oratory formerly served as a hermitage; this use is recorded for the year 854. The Oratorio can be reached from Lamone via a path through woods and vineyards.

Local tradition also includes a legend from Cadempino: during a plague epidemic in the 15th century, only the brothers Pino and Mario are said to have survived. According to the story, Pino founded what is now Cadempino and Mario founded Cademario. This legend should be distinguished from the historical information about churches, frescoes and construction dates.

Travel Planning Information

For travel by car, the Lamone-Cadempino La Gerla P+Rail facility is a useful landmark: it is located south of Lamone-Cadempino station in the municipality of Cadempino and has 72 parking spaces. As parking capacity and regulations may change, it is advisable to check the latest parking details before your trip. This will help you plan your journey and decide whether Palamondo, the churches or both will be the focus of your stay.

Discover more destinations: Agno Ti, Breno, Maroggia, Muzzano, Porza, Lugano, Comano Ti, Bogno.

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