In 1356, the civic council of Bormio formally designated a plot of land in the Combo district, on the left bank of the Frodolfo stream, for a new place of worship. Construction of the church of Sant'Antonio Abate began shortly after and was completed by 1376. Initially consecrated to Saints Anthony and Augustine, the building also became known as Sant'Antonio al Combo or the Church of the Holy Crucifix. The structure underwent major modifications in 1732, followed by an 18th-century restoration designed by Antonio Penni and executed by Giacomo Bassi di Valmaggia.
What to see
Standing as the only church on the left bank of the stream, the exterior features a simple gabled facade flanked by two pilasters, with a brick-bordered arched portal containing a Renaissance lunette fresco of Christ in the tomb. The single-nave interior includes an internal gallery and houses a striking 1376 fresco of the Crucifixion with Angels. Attributed to the circle of Agostino Ferrari and Jacopo d'Avanzo, the work blends Byzantine influences with novel iconography, depicting angels collecting Christ's blood in chalices above a crowd of weeping figures and soldiers. Another key work is a detached fresco attributed to Bartolomeo de Buris (1473–1474), showing Archpriest Martino Rezzano kneeling before the Deposition alongside Saints Gervasius and Protasius in 15th-century attire. The apse contains the church's finest art: a 1534 fresco cycle by Paolo da Caylina the Younger featuring the Stories of Saint Anthony Abbot, the Annunciation, the Four Evangelists on the vault, and Prophets under the arch, displaying stylistic links to Romanino and Moretto da Brescia.
Visiting
Inside the dedicated 1732 side chapel, visitors can view a revered 16th-century wooden crucifix that transformed the church into a popular pilgrimage site. The walls reflect centuries of local devotion through a collection of over three hundred ex-voto offerings, the oldest of which dates to 1737.
Our editors' tip
Take time to study the prophets painted under the apse arch; Paolo da Caylina the Younger's 1534 work offers a clear glimpse into how Renaissance techniques from Brescia made their way into remote alpine valleys.