Civate, San Pietro al Monte

Civate is a town in the province of Lecco, 4,000 inhabitants, 269 meters above sea level. The most representative place is certainly San Pietro al Monte. Romanesque architectural complex, currently in a ruinous state and no longer inhabited by religious. It consists of three buildings: Basilica, Oratory and monastery. Initially it must have been an old military site, then a very small religious mountain building; legend has it that it was embellished by a Longobard Prince named Adalgiso, who lost his sight while hunting in those parts chasing a wild boar who took refuge in the church; he promised that if he regained his sight he would make the place lovely. But you have to wait three centuries before this happens, it is the Benedictine monks in the eleventh century who make it a magical, enchanting site. The abbot of the time here summoned the best artists who stuccoed and frescoed it in an admirable way. Unfortunately, today very little remains of the ancient splendor and one can only guess the magnificence of the place.