Alzano Lombardo

Alzano Lombardo lies in the lower Val Seriana, on the right bank of the Serio, and its name is recent: in 1927 Alzano Maggiore and Alzano Sopra, apart for more than a thousand years, became a single municipality again, and twelve years later Nese joined them. The arms declare an old allegiance instead: on a blue field a red lily and a red label with nine points, both marks of the Guelph party. Two canals, the Morlana and the Serio Grande, dug between the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, still run along the valley floor.

The basilica of San Martino was rebuilt on the bequest of Nicolò Valle, a merchant from the town who left everything he owned to the church fabric; the design went to Gerolamo Quadrio, chief architect of Milan cathedral. From 1676 three sacristies were added, now part of the museum of sacred art, with woodwork carved by the Fantoni and Caniana workshops, frescoes by Antonio Cifrondi and stuccoes by two plasterers from Lugano, father and son; the statue of Saint Ambrose was Andrea Fantoni's first work there. Alzano holds the honorary title of city.