Premosello-Chiovenda is a municipality on the Ossola valley floor with around 1,860 inhabitants, covering an area of 34 km² and including, in addition to the main town, the hamlets of Colloro and Cuzzago.
The Church of the Assumption
In the hamlet of Premosello stands the municipality’s most representative church: the parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The current building dates back to the late 16th century, with works dated 1617, but it stands on an earlier structure already present since the 14th century. A fragment of an early 16th-century fresco, found beneath the plaster of the left nave, is the only remaining trace of the older building. The gabled façade is preceded by a three-part portico with segmental arches; to the right stands the bell tower, a solid flat-roofed tower. Inside are fine Baroque-style wooden furnishings: confessionals, a pulpit and a sacristy cupboard. On the left side of the small square in front, there is also a building that now serves as a baptistery but was originally the community’s old ossuary, built in 1780.
An economy linked to woodland and pastures
For centuries, the fortunes of farmers in Premosello and Cuzzago have been closely linked to the use of the pastures and woodland of Val Grande. Even today, the primary sector is based on the production of cereals and fodder and on the farming of cattle, sheep, goats and poultry. The II Latteria Turnaria Cavour, a dairy cooperative, resumed operations in 2001, while the Cooperativa Elettrica Procolloro, founded in 1919 to supply electricity to Colloro, still produces energy today by harnessing the waters of the Rio del Ponte: a small yet significant example of community energy autonomy, with over a century of history.
Gateway to Val Grande National Park
Premosello-Chiovenda is also a gateway to the Val Grande National Park, also thanks to the nearby Bosco Tenso, a WWF-protected wildlife oasis that further enhances the area’s natural value.
Premosello-Chiovenda in Val d’Ossola
The municipality lies along the valley floor, between Beura-Cardezza and Vogogna, in a convenient location for those travelling up the valley towards the Antigorio Valley or towards the higher mountains of Ossola. To learn more about the history of the church and the area, see the information page of the Municipality of Premosello-Chiovenda.
Like many villages on the Ossola valley floor, Premosello-Chiovenda is just a few minutes from the vineyards that shape the valley landscape: another opportunity to combine a visit with a tasting from one village to the next.
A heritage to safeguard together
The care of the Church of the Assumption, as with many smaller religious buildings in Val d’Ossola, largely depends on the commitment of the local community, often through fundraising campaigns and volunteer days organised by the parish: a model of participatory management that enables even small municipalities such as Premosello-Chiovenda to preserve their historical heritage over time.
One final note: small churches like this one, often overlooked by more general tourist guides, actually tell an important and often surprising part of Val d’Ossola’s religious and artistic history.
A small church, a great piece of local history.
A small church, a great story to tell.
One final thought: the history of Premosello-Chiovenda shows how even lesser-known municipalities preserve evidence of great value for those who know where to look.
A small church, a story to safeguard with care.
A small church, a great story to tell.
Premosello-Chiovenda enjoys a favourable location in Lower Ossola, in a stretch of valley where terraced vineyards begin to shape the hilly landscape, making the village an interesting stop for those combining a visit to historic villages with a wine itinerary.
The historic centre of Premosello-Chiovenda lends itself to a leisurely visit, ideal for those wishing to discover Lower Ossola at an unhurried pace.
