Chiesa dell'Annunciazione

The Church of the Annunciation stands in Linzanico, a historic settlement above Abbadia Lariana. Documented in 1288, it combines a long history of village devotion with later changes to its orientation and furnishings.

Why it matters

Local tradition links the church's orientation towards the Moiana slope with a plea for the Virgin's protection against floods and landslides. The story connects religious devotion with the instability of the landscape surrounding the village.

What to notice

An eighteenth-century bell gable marks the building's profile. Its paintings came from the old church of San Lorenzo, known as Chiesa Rotta, bringing part of the lakeside church's artistic heritage into Linzanico.

Context and history

The church is believed to have been reoriented after a natural disaster, although its date and circumstances remain uncertain. It already faced in its present direction by 1500. Further work took place between 1600 and 1627, and Bishop Carafino described it as an elegant oratory.