Church of Ss. Martino and Urbano

The parish church of Ss. Martino and Urbano in Pedenosso, situated in a dominant position relative to the village of Isolaccia, welcomes the visitor with a scenic flight of steps and a fresco on the façade depicting S. Martino sharing a cloak with the poor man, the work of Johann Georg Telser.

Its perched position, the entrance surrounding the building, the subtle openings in the walls, the bell tower, the asymmetry in the architecture, and the dedication to the warrior saint suggest that St. Martin was originally a fortress church. The co-dedication to St Urban was added in 1624, during the Counter-Reformation.

Although no historical documents confirm its antiquity, the church is undoubtedly ancient, possibly dating back to the Carolingian period. The Franks spread the cult of St Martin, the soldier who converted to Christianity, which is well documented in Alta Valtellina.

In 1334, the church was already in existence, as indicated in the Statutes of the Contado di Bormio of the time, which ordered the transport of the Holy Cross from Bormio to the church of Pedenosso. The latter later became a parish church in 1453. Information on the building up to the 17th century is scarce: it was used as an observation post during the Wars of Religion and later deprived of its possessions, even becoming a stable for horses.

After the conflicts, the church abandoned its military connotation to assume its current appearance. It was renovated, the roof replaced, the sacristy rebuilt, and the exterior porch and staircase added. Internally, four side chapels and new windows were added.

In 1668, the Altar of the Rosary was decorated with a wooden altar carved by the brothers Michele and Melchiorre Cogoli, later gilded by the Bormio-born Fogaroli, and completed with a valuable scagliola frontal. In the early 18th century, the chapel of St. Anthony was also completed.

The coffered ceiling and wall decoration of the presbytery by Telser are significant examples of local art. From 1760, the artist from Sluderno in the Vinschgau masterfully used colors and chiaroscuro on the vault and the apsidal walls.

In the 1990s, a careful restoration restored the church to its splendor. During the work, a 16th-century fresco, in popular style, was discovered behind the high altar, depicting Adam and Eve tasting the forbidden fruit, which scholars attribute to the local artist Antonio Canclini.

The church is only open and accessible to the public during the usual religious celebrations or guided tours organized by the Valdidentro Tourist Office during the summer.