The church of Santi Quirico e Giulitta is the parish church of Dervio and stands in the Villa district, near the shore, along the old via Nazionale. The official manager of the Sentiero del Viandante names it as the northern end of the stage linking Dervio and Bellano (and, heading south, of the Varenna–Bellano–Dervio section), with a starting altitude of 222 metres.
History
The church is first mentioned in a will dated 3 March 814. It may originally have held the seat of the pieve of Dervio. The bell tower dates to the 11th century; the body of the church, by contrast, was reworked several times between the late 11th century and the early 17th century, taking on a Baroque appearance. It was consecrated in 1628 by Francesco Maria Abbiati on behalf of Cardinal Federico Borromeo. In 1919 the exterior was plastered, and around the same time the building was declared a national monument.
What to see
- The Romanesque bell tower, rising over three storeys with blind hanging arches on each face and mullioned windows in the belfry, topped by a markedly pointed stone spire that is unusual for the Romanesque of the Como area. It is regarded as one of the oldest and best preserved bell towers on Lake Como, dated by local sources to 1080.
- The body of the church, whose Baroque forms are the result of the 16th- and 17th-century remodelling.
- In the upper part of the village, the Castello area with the Torre di Orezia and the former monastery of San Clemente degli Umiliati, other medieval survivals of Dervio.
Getting there
The church is in the Villa district of Dervio, along the old via Nazionale, a short distance from the lakefront. It is the start (or end) point of the Dervio–Bellano half-stage of the Sentiero del Viandante: from here the trail climbs towards Balze dei Ronchi, Verginate and the Santuario di Lezzeno before dropping down to Bellano.
Practical information
- The feast of the patron saints Quirico and Giulitta falls on 16 June.
- As this is the parish church of the district, for opening hours and services it is best to check with the parish.
A short way north, on a brief detour from the main route, lies the medieval hamlet of Corenno Plinio, another frazione of Dervio.