Santa Caterina del Sasso

Tradition says a merchant named Alberto Besozzi survived a storm on the lake in 1170, took shelter in a cave in this cliff and lived there as a hermit, and a chapel grew into a monastery on a narrow ledge about fifteen metres above the water. In the early 17th century five boulders broke off the cliff, crashed through the vault of the chapel and lodged in the ceiling without falling further; they hung there until 1910 and are recorded in the building's history. Access is by two hundred and sixty-eight steps down from above, by a lift cut into the rock, or by boat from the lake, which gives the best view of the buildings.

History

Alberto Besozzi, a wealthy cloth merchant who survived a violent storm, lived as a hermit in a grotto here; in 1195 the people of the lake asked him for spiritual help, and in return he asked them to build a chapel, where he was buried after his death in 1205. The present buildings date from the 14th century, and in 1914 the hermitage was declared a national monument (Wikipedia, Santa Caterina del Sasso).

What's there

• The ledge position - a monastery on a narrow shelf above the lake.
• The boulder story - rocks that fell through the vault and stayed lodged.
• The frescoed chapels - painted interiors from several centuries.
• The lake approach - the full facade seen only from the water.

When to go

April to October; winter opening is reduced and boats stop. The lift avoids the steps but has its own hours. Morning light favours the cliff face.

Practical notes

Access is 268 steps down and back up unless the lift is running. The complex is small, about an hour. Boats are seasonal and weather dependent.

Nearby

Villa Taranto lies north; the Borromean islands are across the lake.

Key facts