While traveling by car, motorbike or even better by bike along the hairpin bends immersed in the woods that lead from Bellagio to Magreglio, we were immediately enveloped by a particular charm that made us realize that we were on a road different from all the others. We were climbing a truly secular temple of sport. Tackling the famous climb of Ghisallo means retracing the same asphalt that wrote indelible pages of the Giro d’Italia and the Giro di Lombardia, the famous Classica Monumento delle Foglie Morte which has found its beating heart here since 1919 with the legendary ascent from the Bellagio side inaugurated in 1923.
Every curve tells of the effort and glory of the champions, while the landscape of the Lariano Triangle opens up majestically, giving us spectacular views and a priceless view framed by the mountains over the body of water of Lake Como. The origins of this place date back to the Middle Ages, linked according to legend to a nobleman, Count Ghisallo, who – attacked by bandits while crossing the pass – found refuge in a chapel making a vow to the Madonna: to build a sanctuary if he survived. The current structure dates back to 1623, enriched at the end of the 17th century by the portico in front.
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The sanctuary guardian of two wheels
Once you reach the top, at 754 meters above sea level, you can breathe a unique atmosphere as you cross the threshold of the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Ghisallo. Officially proclaimed Patron Saint of cyclists by Pope Pius XII in 1946, this small medieval church preserves a soul deeply linked to sport. Inside, the single nave hall houses artistic and historical evidence such as the marble altarpiece and the fresco of a Madonna del latte dating back to the mid-16th century, as well as the 1949 torch by the sculptor Carmelo Cappello.
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Looking up and scanning the walls, we are literally captured by a forest of memorabilia sacred to cycling: historic jerseys, pennants, medals and, above all, the bicycles of the champions who have made this discipline immortal.
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
Even the exterior reserves great homages to the sporting memory: the square hosts the memorial stones with bronze busts dedicated to unforgettable legends such as Gino Bartali and Fausto Coppi, while on the side square stands the Monument to the cyclist, a bronze work created by Elio Ponti in 1973.
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The technological temple of the Cycling Museum
But our immersion in the sport that we love and follow assiduously did not stop at the spirituality of the little church, because right on the square stands the Cycling Museum, strongly desired by the legendary Fiorenzo Magni and inaugurated in 2006. Crossing this entrance means taking a real leap in time in the technological and human evolution of two wheels.
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The large museum, harmoniously inserted into the territory and free of architectural barriers, houses an extraordinary collection divided into six sections: the historical collection of trophies, the jerseys, memorabilia and bikes of the champions (with examples belonging to legends such as Fausto Coppi, Gino Bartali, Marco Pantani, Eddy Merckx, Fiorenzo Magni, Ecole Baldini and Franco Ballerini), the design and technology of the racing bicycle (from the very first wooden examples up to the very modern carbon creations), the audiovisual sections and textual collections, the collaboration with the Gazzetta dello sport and the Giro d’Italia, the “48 grandes” area, and the spaces dedicated to exhibitions, temporary events and teaching.
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
Inevitably we spent hours admiring all this, going back to the golden eras and legendary rivalries that characterized this sport. Once out in the open, we looked out onto the viewpoint and breathed in the crisp air of this hill, fully enjoying all the emotions we felt and which made us understand how Ghisallo is an essential destination for anyone who loves the history and achievements that have made cycling great.
@RebeccaManzi/GreenMe
