Voltino, a quaint village with a medieval vibe, dates back several centuries - the area where the current Church of San Lorenzo is located was a place of worship since before the arrival of Christianity.
The Church of San Lorenzo and its origins
Pagan places of worship used to stand on the natural terrace where the small church of Voltino is now located.
In fact, the remains of a funeral tomb were found, with inscriptions in two different languages. The finding dates back to the first century AD, while the large mausoleum on which the first chapel in Voltino was built also dates back to the same time. This is the oldest documented chapel in Tremosine, dated 1017.
The building was already enlarged and restored in the 16th century - for years it was run by Voltino’s most notable families, and only in 1685 Voltino finally had its own official priest.
Even though it was always under the archpriest of Pieve di Tremosine sul Garda, cradle of the Christian community of the area, Voltino became a real parish with a rectory, and the consequent possibility of marrying and baptizing.
The rich interiors of the church
The decoration of the church of Voltino continued for several years and around 1500 the building was completely redone - the sacristy, bell tower and central nave were added.
The beautiful altarpiece depicting the Madonna in the company of San Lorenzo, to whom the church has been dedicated since the year 1000, Stefano and Giovanni Battista is dated 1575, and it is the work of Luca Mombello.
The side altars and paintings above them are from the 18th century, probably by Andrea Celesti, while the organ and the bell tower date back to 1811, when the church was enlarged thanks to contributions from the Austro-Hungarian empire.
Curious facts
The funerary stone, inserted into bell tower walls of the church of Voltino di Tremosine sul Garda, was found during the modernization of the church.
It is an important testimony of the tribes that populated the area in the past, and it is written in two languages - four of the six lines are in Latin and the remaining two are in Etruscan, Rhaetian or Celtic.
