MOUNT SAN MARTINO

This mountain is not only a hiking destination, but an authentic symbolic place of the Resistance, as well as of spirituality

On the summit of Monte San Martino, in the heart of Valcuvia,you can find nature, history and memory. This mountain is not only a hiking destination, but an authentic symbol of the Resistance, as well as spirituality.

During the First World War, the mountain was fortified with trenches and posts of the Cadorna Line, while in the Second World War, in November 1943, it was the scene of a bloody clash between partisans and Nazi-Fascist troops.

It was in memory of these events that the Shrine was inaugurated on 13 October 1963: here a crypt holds the names of the fallen and the remains of partisans, including Lieutenant Colonel Carlo Croce and his wife Albertina Seveso.

Next to the Shrine is the small church of San Martino, a religious building built on a sacred pagan site. After centuries of abandonment, changes of ownership – from the Umiliati friars between the 13th and 15th centuries to Giovanni Battista Viola at the end of the 19th century – and frequent restorations, the church was deliberately destroyed in 1943, shortly after the battle, and rebuilt in 1958 by the State using the architectural elements of the previous church. The current building preserves precious religious-themed paintings and a 3rd-century tombstone that testifies to the ancient origins of the sacred site.

Completing the welcome on the summit is the Rifugio San Martino, commissioned by Don Carlo Cambiano and built only in the 1960s thanks to the commitment of the Pro Loco of Duno. Over time, it has been renovated and equipped with modern services, becoming a point of reference for hikers and pilgrims. Today, while awaiting new management, it continues to represent a place dear to the community.