Travelling along the Spinone state road, a stop is a must, and we are not talking about a petrol station or a café bar for a coffee overlooking the lake, but the ancient Romanesque church that you come across along the road, slightly outside the main village centre. A national monument protected by the Beaux-Arts is not to be missed.
The severe charm of the Romanesque in this small church in the village ‘harsh in name, but pleasant in appearance’ contrasts with the vision of the “dreamy lake in a green hollow“, as described in one of her notes by Countess Winifred Terni de Gregorj Taylor, who was in love with Val Cavallina where she spent long holiday periods: it was she who saved the nearby Monasterolo Castle from decay last century, restoring it to its former splendour.
Inside the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli, there are numerous frescoes, many of which recall the style of Lorenzo Lotto and clearly refer to the Suardi Oratory painted by the Venetian painter. The Suardi Oratory can be visited inside Villa Suardi in Trescore Balneario.
A Madonna and Child, 16th-century friezes, and an ancient fresco dated 1479 make this church a small jewel of sacred art. After restoration, it has become a destination for many young couples who have chosen it as the setting for their most beautiful day.
Observing St Peter’s Church from the outside, you will also notice the bell tower erected in the 16th century with a very special “cone” roof.
