Chiesa di Sant`Agata

Great hiking trail up there but exhausting but even as a non-expert I made it with 4 liters of water xD

In a document dated 1339 the "Presbiter Cappellanus S. Agathe" is mentioned, that is to say the original building which was composed of two naves comprising the south-eastern area of ​​the current church. The parish of Sant'Agata was founded by San Carlo Borromeo in 1556, then Archbishop of Milan and on which the territory of the Upper Verbano depended. This is documented by the fact that the Ambrosian rite was practiced in some parishes in these areas, including that of Sant'Agata. The current church was built on a previous Romanesque temple. In the archives of the Archdiocese of Milan the date of his consecration is known: 1473. Later testimonies are found in the sacristy with the vault painted with the Martyrdom of Sant'Agata (1759 - local painter) and in the bell tower attached to the current one which is missing the belfry. In the second half of the 18th century the church had become insufficient because in the meantime the population had grown in number. In 1771 began the construction of the current church which is made up of a single nave with the main altar made with precious marble in the Baroque style; under the table there is an ancient fresco of the XV-XVI century. depicting "L'Imago Pietatis". On both sides of the nave there are 4 altars, two on each side, dedicated on the left side: to the Beata Vergine del Carmelo and to the patron Saint Agatha and on the right side to the Crucifix and to Sant'Antonio di Padova. All the paintings of the altars and the ceiling are recent (1947-1950) and were done by local decorators under the guidance of prof. Mario Albertella and prof. Luigi Piffero. At the entrance on the left, behind a gate, there is a precious baptismal font from 1612 in inlaid wood. The current organ, placed in 1852, was modernized in the following years with 50 new pipes. Above the organ is the large stained glass window depicting Sant'Agata and the consul Tiberio Claudio Quinziano, the work of the brothers Luigi and Alfonso Piffero (1970).

Defined as the "Balcony of Lake Maggiore", the hamlet of Sant'Agata overlooks Cannobio with wide views of the Luino and Switzerland (Locarno and Ascona). From this place there are various paths for very interesting peaks, Monte Giove and Limidario above all. Unfortunately, I point out the poor coverage of NLM on these routes. Nothing to say about signage, abundant and always precise (you can hear swisse's air).

It is a building that impresses with its dimensions worthy of a more populous fraction of Sant'Agata. The external appearance is very simple, devoid of decorations, as was used at the end of the 1700s when the church was built in expansion of an older place of worship, from the 1400s, which became too small for the needs of worship. The interior is decidedly richer and worth a visit even if the attention of tourists is almost always dedicated only to the view from the small square in front.

Worth seeing church with a striking bell tower. Better to use the parking lot below the village by car. 5 minutes walk. The parking spaces at the church are limited and very tight.

I did a hike to the church from Cannobio. Right in front of this is not suitable for children. It goes steeply uphill and the path is relatively uneven and rocky. The view is very nice and when you arrive at your destination you can also have something to eat at the church. You should calculate about 3 hours there and back.