Boarezzo (a hamlet near Valganna)

The hamlet of Boarezzo, which lies in the valley of Valganna, on one side of Mount Piambello, consists of a few stone houses, narrow streets and cobblestone paths, and it is surrounded by the beech and chestnut woods that are characteristic of a typical mountain landscape. The painter Mario Alioli relaunched the hamlet by transforming it into a "painted village" dedicated to Giuseppe Grandi and to Odoardo Tabacchi, two of the most prestigious figures in the entire field of Italian sculpture of the 1800's, who were born in Valganna. At the beginning, the ambitious project was supported by sixteen artists who were invited to create painted and frescoed panels which were placed onto the walls of houses, thereby handing down, as a sort "story unfolding along the way", the traditions and the ancient crafts of the local rural life. Over the years, the hamlet has accumulated other paintings.

The Origin of Boarezzo
According to oral legends and stories, the village dates back to around the 12th century, and was home to the Chini family from Arezzo, who first settled in Boarezzo, presumably to stock up with wood for the production of charcoal which is abundant in this area. The charcoal produced by the family was then transported to Milan by ox. According to popular belief, the origin of the village's name is linked to this activity and, over time, the expression "I buoi di quelli di Arezzo" (the oxen owned by those from Arezzo") evolved into the name Boarezzo.

Representations of the Ancient Crafts A "poem" written by Paolo Rattazzi in the local dialect welcomes the visitor, together with a painting portraying a view of the village and, in the foreground, an overturned basket and a rake, which symbolise the end of the farming society. This early work was followed by others by prestigious artists, such as Albino Ambrosetti, Mario Alioli, Mario Bogani, Vittorio Tavemari, Carlo Farioli, Silvio Monti, Luigi Bennati, Otto Monestier and Albino Reggiori.

Information: amicidiboarezzo@libero.it