Villamiroglio in Foto

Page dedicated to the devotional signs in the area of Villamiroglio. With signs of devotion it means chapels and shrines, niches with statues, crosses, monuments and frescoes, or all those works that illustrate the profound religious , devotional and artistic sense of past generations. Full list of signs listed by Villamiroglio in Foto (36 so far), regardless of the current state of preservation and maintenance, with information and pictures (click to enlarge them). In the page Maps&Brochures is available a brochure in PDF format with a list and a map showing the location of all the signs of devotion, that you can download for free (available only in Italian).

ST. VITUS - Piazza San Vito

Chapel dedicated to St. Vitus, of significant size, located on the corner of a courtyard which overlooks the square with the same name in Villamiroglio, not far from the new municipal building and the Belvedere. Originally had a more simple and straight structure, with a lower roof, exposed brick. The present appearance was acquired after the war, by the work of masons of Fontanetto Po, and for several successive restorations by the inhabitants of the town. Today the building has a square base surmounted by a pyramidal roof, culminating with a sphere on which there is an iron cross, the unique feature of incorporating the image of a female figure, probably a Madonna, which was also added in post-war period. Enclosed by a railing with glass, that replace the original door, inside has two lateral empty side niches, while in the center a fine altar features a statue of St. Vitus (dating back to the period of restoration) and Santa Rita. Beneath the altar, always during the restoration was placed a marble plaque, for graces received during the war by partisans and by the people. Although this maybe already on site from 800, it was probably just during the Resistance that the chapel of St. Vitus spent his most intense moments. It was used as a powder magazine by the partisans who had shelters nearby, as the Church of St. Rocco in Rairolo, the building, now owned by the Aqueduct, in Monte Croce and a house in Via Recinto, near the old Town Hall. Inside there was also penned a resident of Villamiroglio captured during a raid, released because too old. At the end of the war, Renato Ottino, son of that man, transported by bicycle on the shoulders from Crescentino to Villamiroglio the plaque later placed under the altar. The chapel was later also dedicated to partisan Lino Cover, of Villamiroglio, as recalled by a plaque on the outside wall side, during some work in 2009. Cover was killed on January 31, 1945 near Via Bertola during a round in which engaged in combat alone the German soldiers to the last bullet, allowing the other partisans hiding in Villamiroglio to escape.

ST. ODDONE - Case Oddone

Chapel dedicated to St. Oddone, located at the junction between the end of the asphalt road for Case Oddone, paths for Simpo Farm and Farm Pasquale and the start of the dirt road Santa Liberata. The chapel's origins date back to the early '900, when the family Gennaro, who lives in the village of Case Oddone, built a small chapel, probably due to some graces received. The last major renovation date back to November 1978, on the back it is engraved the date 11/03/1978. After the extinction of the family Gennaro, due to severe events, the inhabitants of the village continued, keeping the keys in turn, to take care of the chapel, and even today the few remaining inhabitants are continuing to keep ot in order, although their numbers has been drastically reduced in recent times.
The chapel has a plant just rectangular, with a tiled roof and a small iron cross on the top of the pediment. The outer walls are plastered, although only the front one is whitewashed. A wrought iron gate closes the entrance arch. Inside, in the walls there are three semi-niches, the one in the back, facing the entrance, has a small altar with a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is a later addition. On the left is hung an oil painting of author and date unknown, representing St. Oddone on the road in a hilly landscape, that can remind of the territory of Villamiroglio, invoice modest, seemingly amateur. The left niche houses a votive plank of wood, partly damaged and incomplete, with scenes of life in the fields with wagons, cattle and hay, bearing the inscription "for graces received by Gennaro family from 1906 to 1910 "probably part of the original kit of the chapel, or perhaps even prior to it.

OUR LADY OF POMPEI, ST. ROCCO, ST. CATHERINE and ST. CHARLES BORROMEO - Località n' Curnarej

Small but exquisite chapel located in a small clearing in the location n'Curnarej. Nestled in the woods of Monte Croce, is reached by a steep path that connects the dirt road to Via Casusse, from SP4 to Villamiroglio, from the path of the north/west of Monte Croce, or descending the latter same. It was built in the late '800 for graces received by a family of Villamiroglio that was caught, while working in the fields, by a violent storm, which escaped and found refuge in a cabin hut built there. The storm tore the roof of the cabin and make run away the oxens up to house, but left unscathed the farmers. Disturbed by the event, and grateful for exceeding the storm untouched, the family replaced the cabin with the brick chapel. Inside made by an artist, unfortunately unknown to Pontestura, there are three paintings, the middle representing the Madonna of Carmel and St. Rocco, patron saint of animals. On either side frescoes of St. Catherine of Alexandria and St. Charles Borromeo, the two saints with the names of the family members. The frescoes are slightly damaged, in particular the one of the Madonna, due the construction of a hornet's nest, and in the corner of that is the writing. "A. Curino 1914," which seems to have been done by a soldier who took refuge in the chapel that year. Outside the chapel is plastered on three sides, while retaining the brick facade on the front. An iron gate closes the arched entrance, and a small cross is on the top of the pediment, raised above the tiled roof of the structure. Although the chapel today is in a place very little used, and abandoned, it is still in good condition, and some of the inhabitants of Villamiroglio continue sporadically take care of it.

S. THERESE OF LISIEUX (ex ST. ROCCO) - Castellaro

Small chapel originally dedicated to St. Rocco. There are memory of it since the end of '800, when it was built as a votive offering to the saint for healing of animals. It appears as a tall, rectangular structure, placed at the intersection of Provincial Road and Via Castellaro, at the entrance of Vallegioliti. At the top, surmounted by a triangular pediment, there is a niche, once closed by a door of which today only the poles survives, that held in the past a painting of San Rocco, now lost. Below, in the crankcase, there are recesses for two crossed swords with the tips facing the ground. Maintained in good condition over the years by the inhabitants of Castellaro is unfortunately partly covered by a light pole, put on the front of it. The niche was restored in 2013 by the family of Marco Brusa, with the interior repainted in blue, and houses a restored statue of St. Therese of Lisieux, in memory of the grandmother of the current owners, a Lady of the Miraculous and a cross. (photo after restoration)

OUR LADY OF LOURDES - Mezzalfenga

Small chapel at the entrance of the village of Mezzalfenga above the intersection with the dirt road in direction of Sulpiano. Almost square, preceded by a step, with a triangular pediment surmounted by a large cross made of concrete, the structure is plastered, and closed by an iron gate. Inside, on the wall, a span of stylized branches painted on a blue create a backdrop to a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, located on a slight rise. On the sides are also placed a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Rita.

ST. GRATUS - Monte Bric

Particular small chapel located along the road of Mount Bric in locality Pila, between the Strada Bosa and St. Philip. The small structure, placed on a base, has the form of a pylon with sloping roof surmounted by a stone cross, and has the unique feature among the chapels of the town, to have two niches, one on the side facing the path and one on the opposite side that faces Villamiroglio, thanks also to the panoramic position in which it is located. The niche visible from the path, enclosed by one door with metal grating, contains a statue of Our Lady of the Miraculous. The small door in the second niche is lost, remain visible only the poles, originally contains a statue of St. Gratus. Of unknown origin, the chapel was probably affected by restoration between the 60s and 80s, when the door was already missing. Cleaning and restoration were performed in May 2014 by of Villamiroglio in Foto with the work of Marco Brusa, with the complete overhaul and painting plastering, and the replacing of the lost statue of Saint Gratus with a new of resin. (photo after restoration)

ST. BARTHOLOMEW - Monte Bric

Small chapel of considerable size, almost a chapel, located in the corner of a vineyard at the intersection of the path of Monte Bric and the path that goes to Case Curto, alongside an open pit. Square plan, has plastered walls, a roof and top floor with almost triangular prominent pediment, topped with a thin concrete cross, on which were embossed initials "SB", a reminder of the titration at St. Bartholomew. Closed by an iron gate, today part of the plaster of the pediment, including one letter, fell, inside the chapel contained a statue of St Bartholomew and a framed paint, both very spoiled by the weather. (The following photos are from before the fall of the plaster, and show the original appearance of the chapel)

BLESSED MARY WITH BABY JESUS and ST. JOHN  - Monte Bric

Small brick chapel on the corner of a vineyard across the street from Monte Bric, just before the ruins of Cascina Montagnino. Slightly rectangular in plan, tshow its back to the road. As the chapel of St. Bartholomew, nearby, has a flat roof and a prominent triangular pediment surmounted, however, by an iron cross with arrow arms. Closed by an iron gate, to which was subsequently added a dense wire mesh to prevent the entry of hornets. Inside has a painted ceiling in turquoise with a rayed star in the center and a most valuable fresco on the back wall depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary with a baby Jesus in her arms holding a rose, facing a young St. John, who holds a rose with one hand and clutch a small cross in anticipation of the martyrdom of Jesus. While the paint is still in good condition, and well appreciated once you open the door, an upper corner of the fresco is ruined because of the building of a nest of hornets, after so was affixed to the network to the gate. Cleaning and maintenance were carried out in late summer 2014 by several families of Vallegioliti. (photo after restoration)

ST. JOHN - Pian dell'Opj

Maybe one of oldest signs of devotion of Villamiroglio, this small chapel has been reported by memories and stories handed down over the years, about the Napoleonic period, when, as it's said, the French army camped in the area that is now known as Pian dell'Opj along the dirt road between Monte Croce and Farm Impariasca in the second half of the '800. It is said that the French built in that place a field hospital, which they used to call "Saint Jean", or St. John, just from the chapel located on the side of the road near there dedicated to that saint. The chapel was destroyed long ago by a careless operation of a tractor, which caused its collapse. Now there are only a few ruins just a short walk from the road, including some bricks still remember the shape of a small pediment. Probably it was not very big, exposed brick, even if there are no other information about his origin or his original appearance.

ST. GOTTHARD - Bricco Cavagna

Small chapel located on the top of Bricco Cavagna, just behind the last house of Via Re. It has a unique structure among those in the territory, with a base of two steps where a low column of rectangular shape holds a small shrine in the form of a tabernacle with the back of the form of an apse, two columns on the front and a small smooth trapezoidal pediment surmounted by an iron cross. Closed by a door grate keeps inside, on a little rise, a statue of St. Gotthard. On the back is engraved the inscription "Attilio 1969," probably indicating the manufacturer and the year, or work done when was opened the adjacent tambourine field now abandoned; on the front it's been recently added an inscription in metal bearing the name of the saint. Originally,the interior had at least one figure of the saint painted on the side. Every year is celebrated a Mass for the Township of Cà di Rej near this chapel.

ST. PETER MARTYR - Monte Croce

Small chapel pylon in concrete, very high, located on the edge of the small square on the top of Monte Croce, not far from the now building of the Aqueduct. The chapel has the shape of a high and narrow parallelepiped with a sloping top covered by a concrete roof. It rests on a lower base, the lower part is divided by horizontal grooves, while in the upper half there is a large niche closed by glass doors with iron structure. Inside there is a painting of St. Peter of Verona, martyr, with delicate monochrome swirls around him. The cult of this saint is still strongly felt in the town, where every year there is a mass in his honor (once held in this place, now is preferred to stay in the town). St. Peter Martyr was also celebrated in a small church on the hill above Via Piglie, where was use to perform a function on April 25, but today the church is abandoned, partly because of the steepness of the path that reach the place. The votive statue in this church has been recently restored and is now preserved in the parish church of Vallegioliti.

ST. ANTHONY - Via Mezzano

Small chapel of significant size, located at the intersection of Via Mezzano and the Provincial Road No. 3 to San Antonio. Square plan, is preceded by three steps, has plastered walls, a tiled pitched roof and a prominent triangular pediment topped with a thin cross. Closed by an iron gate, inside is plastered in blue. Made and kept during the times by the inhabitants of Via Mezzano, it contained a statue of St. Anthony, a tile and votive paintings. In May/June 2014 the chapel was restored with the interest of Villamiroglio in Foto and the residents of Via Mezzano, with the complete repainting of the walls and the gate, to which was replaced the lock. The statue, which was deteriorated over time, has been replaced by a new one of resin, and with it were placed the tile, also restored, and a picture with a bas-relief donated by the family Gamarino. A short work will be carried out on the roof for weather infiltration and replaced the ruined cross . (photo after restoration)

ST. JOHN BOSCO - Cascina Ventolina

Of recent construction, this small votive pillar dedicated to St. John Bosco has been realized by the present owners of Cascina Ventolina, along the Strada Santa Liberata, probably for favors received. Placed next to the front door of the farmhouse, it has an elegant brick structure at sight with a plastered and painted niche with gate and equipped with lighting, a sloping roof tiles and a fine iron cross. Above the niche is written the dedication to the saint, inside there's a statue of St. John Bosco, of recent making.

ST. ANTHONY (EX ST. THERESE) - Via Brusa

Small niche with glass door on the front of a house in Via Brusa. Originally contained an image of Saint Therese, from the name of the lady of the house, now houses a small statue of Saint Anthony.

This site is in NO WAY related to the Administration of the Municipality of Villamiroglio or those who represent it. All images, texts and photographs on this site are the result of the work and of exclusive property of the admin of Villamiroglio in Foto. All material in this site and into the socials of Villamiroglio in Foto is protected by the Law on Copyright (Law 633/1941 and subsequent amendments Legislative Decree no. 22/2014, and Legislative Decree no. / 1632014). Any use or distribution of photographic material, graphic or literary by VIF, including any manipulations or unauthorized modifications, subject to personal use that does not involve any public diffusion, is allowed only with the permission to be requested by mail. It's forbidden any unauthorized use of the material on site. Respect Villamiroglio, respect the law. Thank you.