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Malgrate

Basilica of San Pietro al Monte

A Romanesque monastery an hour's walk above Civate, with the Apocalypse frescoed over its entrance.

Visit duration
2 h 30 – 3 h 30
Booking
Not required
Area
Lecco Branch
The basilica on its meadow halfway up the slope, with its twin windows, the mountain behind.Drue 2010 · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Ysogo · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Ottantafame · CC BY-SA 4.0

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The basilica on its meadow halfway up the slope, with its twin windows, the mountain behind.

Drue 2010 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Why go

San Pietro al Monte is a Romanesque monastic complex above Civate, reached only on foot.

The eleventh-century basilica preserves frescoes and stucco work, the ciborium above the altar and the crypt.

On the entrance wall, the Apocalypse depicts the woman clothed with the sun, the seven-headed dragon and Michael leading the angels. The oratory of San Benedetto stands beside it. Remains of an older crypt attest to an early medieval phase; foundation through a vow by the Lombard king Desiderius belongs to legend.

  • An hour's path through the woods, and at the top the Romanesque church and the oratory of San Benedetto, on a meadow.
  • The Apocalypse over the entrance: the dragon, the angels, Michael in arms, across the whole wall.

Highlights

  • The Apocalypse fresco over the entrance
  • The ciborium and the crypt
  • The eleventh-century stair and porch

Getting there

  • On foot only: from Civate, at Pozzo or Via Valle dell'Oro, path 10 climbs in about an hour, 350 metres of ascent.
  • Bus C140 from Lecco or Como, stop Civate Paese Municipio; by train to Civate on the Monza–Molteno–Lecco line.
  • By car, set the navigator to Civate or one of its car parks, not to the abbey; some car parks charge at weekends.
  • Hiking shoes or boots are strongly recommended.
The valley and the lake below the monastery, framed by one of the church's twin windows.Maurizio Moro5153 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Accessibility

  • The basilica can only be reached on foot, by mountain paths: the main one climbs about 350 metres in an hour's walk.

On the map

Explore the lake
MalgrateValmadreraBasilica of San Pietro al Monte

© OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL

Nearby: places, experiences, services

Distances as the crow flies.

Sources and credits

Verified at source1 Oct – 9 Oct 2026

Amici di San Pietro al Monte:Opening, Booking, Ticketsopens in a new tabTelephoneopens in a new tab

Sources and credits

Verified at source1 Oct – 9 Oct 2026

Amici di San Pietro al Monte:Opening, Booking, Ticketsopens in a new tabTelephoneopens in a new tab