San Romerio: una rinascita transfrontaliera

In 2026, the European Heritage Days draw attention to the risks that threaten our cultural heritage and invite us to find new ways together to preserve and enhance it. Historic buildings, archaeological evidence and traditions tell stories that deserve to be handed down. Obstacles such as rules, administrative boundaries and shared responsibilities can also become opportunities to develop creative solutions and new forms of collaboration.
Perched on a cliff at almost 1,800 meters above sea level, above Lake Poschiavo, the small medieval church of San Romerio preserves almost a thousand years of history. Its location is extraordinary not only from a landscape point of view: San Romerio is located in Swiss territory, in Valposchiavo, but belongs to the Italian municipality of Tirano. A particular situation, concrete testimony of the deep historical ties between Valposchiavo and the territory of Tirano, but which over time has also represented a challenge for the preservation of the building.
Due to its particular cross-border condition, the interventions necessary to safeguard the church were postponed for many years. However, the weather, the exposure to atmospheric agents and the static characteristics of the building made it increasingly urgent to intervene. Starting in 2013, San Romerio was therefore progressively subjected to the necessary consolidation, conservation and restoration works. A long and demanding path, which was not limited to the material protection of the building. The works made it possible to deepen the knowledge of the church through new archaeological and architectural investigations and, at the same time, required to concretely address the difficulties deriving from its unique administrative and geographical situation.
This experience shows how a border condition, from a possible obstacle, can be transformed into an opportunity: San Romerio can return to being not only a monument to be preserved, but a cultural, historical and cross-border meeting place.

A day between history and rebirth
On the occasion of the European Heritage Days in Switzerland, the San Romerio Foundation invites the public to discover the results of this long journey and to get to know one of the most unique monuments in the Alps up close. On Saturday, September 12, 2026, three guided tours (free of charge) are scheduled at 10.30 a.m. - 2.00 p.m. - 3.30 p.m. (reservation required by e-mail: info@sanromerio.org ), accompanied by the designers Dario Foppoli and Evaristo Zanolari. The visits will retrace almost a thousand years of the history of the church, focusing on its particular location between Valposchiavo and Tirano and on the role of San Romerio as a testimony of the historical relations between the two territories.
This last stage in the long history of San Romerio also demonstrates how a heritage in danger can be reborn when its protection becomes a shared commitment and the border, instead of separating, is transformed into an opportunity for collaboration and encounter.