A day of wandering in an Italian mountain town

A small Italian town has a definite rhythm. The morning starts not particularly early in Chiavenna – but by 10 a.m., the streets are filled. Many mothers with children, some doing the grocery shopping. We stopped by a local grocery today – a regular grocer, not a gourmet vendor – and bought some provisions for lunch. Cheese, lettuce & figs. A total of about 5 euro. The cheese was an excellent hard cheese made locally – and of course we forgot the name. It was about 12 euro for a kilo. In other words – about eight dollars a pound. In the United States, such a cheese would be $20 a pound – at least – if it could be found.

Our agenda today was modest. A hard rain fell last night, and we were unsure of the weather – so we decided to stay in town and explore the local museums and churches. We were especially interested in the Museum of Treasure, which is within the complex of the Collegiate Church of St. Lorenzo. 

When we first approached its doors, we learned that its hours of operations were only from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The main church, however, was open. It was a beautiful example of baroque architecture – so common in this town.

When we stopped back later on our way to the museum, we were treated to the sounds of the church organist – a teenage boy – practicing on the fantastic organ.

The museum itself was a paradox. Indeed, it does possess treasure – but the treasure appears to be poorly documented – even in Italian. The docent was a temporary volunteer who apologized profusely for malfunctions in the video system – and for the fact that only one informational program about the exhibit remained. We were able to borrow it during the time of our visit.

Probably the key “treasure” of the museum is the “Peace of Chiavenna,” a holy book cover made of embossed gold and gems. The work, which dates from about the 11^th century, is regarded as one of the best examples of medieval gold work.

Another notable piece – much larger and made of more pedestrian stuff – is a baptismal font made in 1156 of a local greenstone. The piece can be read as a document, showing the child to be baptized, the priest and church officials, the local nobility and representation of the local tradesmen. As a whole, it presents a wonderful picture of life at the time – and of course shows the central role that the church played in the lives of the local residents.

Ancient structures abound in this town. Some houses with old frescoes on the outside are marked by plaques – but many structures show the remains of frescoes or antique marking. In the Piazza de San Pietro stands an old bell tower from the 12^th century. It used to serve as the main bell tower for the town. Now, its bottom portion is sheathed in scaffolding.

After going to the museum and strolling some more, we decided to try one of the local "crotti." The Crotto al Prato serves local cuisine at extremely reasonable prices. We had a complete meal for two people for less than $20, including tip. The fare was basic, healthy, and filling. Polenta, sausages, grilled potatoes, local preserved meats, and gnocchi with cheese. Dessert was shortbread cookies and espresso. 

We ambled home the long way home, taking in the views of the sun setting on the mountains and the young teenagers socializing in the piazzas.