Sessa

Sessa, once the most important municipality of Malcantone, is today a village of 650 inhabitants on the slope of a hill at the foot of Mount Lema, which gently rolls down to the Ticino river.

This ancient village, whose origin dates back to medieval times, when the barbarians were descending to the plains of the Pò Valley, has seen Milanese, Swiss and people from Como, fighting for centuries over this minute but strategic territory.

Today, on account of the vestiges of the past, it offers a view into history that is of great interest but scarcely known to the larger public. The visitor may indulge in exploring traces of the past, visiting the Law Court building, the wine press (1407), the Medieval Church of Santa Maria, the Renaissance church of Sant'Orsola and also the Provostal Church, where it is possible to admire the main altar, a wooden masterpiece, representative of the Lombard Baroque art, which has been recently restored and brought back to its ancient splendour.

The “Small Museum” in the tiny locality of Bonzaglio is also well worth a visit: here the objects pertaining to peasant culture are on display. The museum now has an outdoor section in Sessa, dedicated to the gold mine. Food shops, a post office, a bank, restaurants and several hotels make the visitors stay a thoroughly pleasant and lively one.