Heritage: Issime

The Valle del Lys, like other mountain valleys that surround the Monte Rosa, was populated, up until the Middel Ages, by a population of Germanic origins coming from the Upper Vallese:the Walser.This population, beginning from the middle of the XIII century, crossed the mountain passes such as the colle Teodulo (3317 meters) and the Monte Moro (2984 meters) to create little stable settlements on the head of the valleys that from south to east surround the Monte Rosa massif.Very much tied to their traditions and to the “titsch” language, the families, specialized in fabric trade, emigrated to Europe for centuries, specially in Breisgau (Freiburg area) and in northern Switzerland, always keeping strong ties with their birthplace:Gressoney.

An architectural trace of their widespread travels can be seen by the “stadel”, rural buildings that lean on mushroom shaped columns with the stalk made of wood and the cap made of a big stone disc (known as “musblatte” in the Walser dialect), that was used to isolate the hayloft from humidity and rodents.These are huge buildings made of squared larch trunks which are piled one on top of the other and joined together at the corners by criss-crossed joints (mis-bois), built on a concrete foundation that holds the barn, once used as a home during the winter, the cellars and a hallway with a staircase that leads to the comfortable rooms.The stadel are located on the banks of the Lys river, away from avalanches and make up small family villages; these houses line, here and there, villages with other homes and villas and were built by merchants that made their fortunes in the XVIII and XIX centuries.

There are numerous villages were you can still see these age-old buildings:

Gressoney-La-Trinité:
- from the chief town of Gressoney-La-Trinité, a sweet sloping path leads, in about an hour, to the villages of Alpenzu.Located on a glacial terrace, on the great Walser path that leads to Val d’Ayas, beyond Colle Pinter, the 2 villages are examples of well preserved architectural tradition.The path has a wonderful view:it dominates the entire Valle del Lys and perches on the magical backdrop of the Monte Rosa glacier.

Gressoney-Saint-Jean:
- in Noversch, different stadel, built by the Zumstein family, are structural models
- the stadel located at Eckò are also particularly valuable, built in the XVII century by the Lischtgi
- Greschmattò:you can find the oldest house built in the flat area of Gressoney-Saint Jean, that dates back to 1547, once used as a courthouse and prison.Also worth seeing is the “Groalémgsch hus”, the tax collector’s house (1626) and “Schribehus” the clerk’s house (1806).
- Tschalvrinò:vast area filled with woods, cottages, stadel and hunting homes of the Beck Peccoz barons. You can reach it by taking the new road from Obre Biel.To the south (at 1772 meters) you can find one of the olderst Walser villages.Continuing by foot you will find other two stadel that date back to 1547 and 1578, leaning on characteristic mushrooms.
- Loomattò: typical hamlet at the foot of the Loo valley with a group of houses dating back to 1689, 1699, 1773.
- Trebelsch Hus:in the Tschòssil area there are a group of three homes, one of which has the date 1686 on the main beam. You can still find a rare oven used for baking bread, leaning on a block that acts as a support.
- Obre Chaschtal:age-old group of 7 buildings, all very characteristic, built from 1580 to 1710
- Perletoa:once a self-sufficient hamlet with age-old homes dating back to 1663, 1692, 1697, 1702, 1707, 1714, 1729
- Drésal:group of stone and wood homes of which the oldest dates back to 1587 with a small adjacent stone building containing the well and hamlet oven.

In the Gaby territory there are 37 “granir”, better known as “stadel”. Even in the territory of Issime, in the San Grato valley, you can admire numerous stadel.

Issime, just like Gressoney, was inhabited in the Early Middle Ages by Germanic populations known as the Walsers in recollection of their Vallese origins. In the XIV century, the region was divided into two areas: Yssima Plana and Yssima Soveror, the plain and mountain. Yssima Soveror is in correspondence with the San Grato Valley, crowned by peaks that reach 3000 metres. The settlement here is characterised by extreme dispersion and the houses formerly permanent, seem to be incredibly different. The oldest ones, dating from the XV century, are in wood and remind you of some houses
in Grigioni; the stoadlas in wood dating from the XVI and XVII century are comparable with those in Alagna Valsesia and Gressoney; later, another architectural morphology was imposed: houses were built entirely of stone. In fact, the Issimien are traditionally well known building masters and their seasonal emigration led them to the district of Savoia, Delfinato and the large cities at the foot of the Alps. This work marked the evolution of local architecture. The progressive disappearance of wood from building and their specialisation led them to put up large multi-purpose brick buildings, even at high altitudes. Furthermore, for several centuries, the upper part of the San Grato Valley was used for summer grazing.
A loop route through the valley allows you to observe its heritage, starting from the chapel of San Grato until you reach the Mühni, dedicated to the Lord of Snows, at a height of 2000 m. The exceptional alpine hut, Stein is to be found on this plateau. It is built at the foot of a landslide, between two enormous masses that protect it from avalanches and shape the structure. The descent is gentle sloping and passes through Vlüeckji and a series of interesting alpine huts.

Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows
It is located in Mühni, at an altitude of 2006 meters, at the bottom of the valley of San Grato, where the path that leads to the Colle del Dondeuil begins.
Built as an ex-voto by the Chouquer brothers, who survived an avalanche, it was consecrated in 1667.
The chapel is open on August 5th on the occasion of the Holy Mass for the Lady of the Snows.

Chapel of San Grato
This chapel, of ancient origin and rebuilt in 1701, gives its name to the entire valley and is located in the village of Chröiz.
It was a meeting place for the population of Issime who lived in the “Tiers de la Montagne”, one of the three parts into which the territory of Issime was divided up until the beginning of the 1700s. It was the families of the village, led by the master mason Pierre Christillin, who built the current building in the early 1700s.
The chapel certainly existed in more ancient times, as it was mentioned in the famous “trial of the devil”, drawn up in 1601.
Inside, the architrave with wooden statues of the Madonna and San Grato and the painted and gilded wooden altar of the seventeenth century are well worth mentioning.
In the past, the feast of Santa Barbara on December 4th was the occasion for men returning from seasonal emigration to France and Switzerland to gather in this chapel. The chapel cannot be visited inside, but San Grato is a beautiful corner of Issime and is worth a visit.

Chapel of Saint Margaret
Located in the valley of San Grato, it seems to have been built in the seventeenth century at the behest of the inhabitants after a famous trial of the Devil. In fact, according to the legend, after the earthquake of 1600, every effort was made to drive out the “Devil” from Issime, as it was considered responsible for this natural event. A real trial was carried out and two priests were called from Biella, the canon Morra and the parish priest Serra, who pronounced the exorcisms of the rite. After a long conversation, which lasted three days, between the two believers and the devil, the latter left and the inhabitants fulfilled their vows. Thus the chapel in honor of Santa Margherita was built, located in the hamlet of Buart.
The current building, rebuilt in 1740, has a wooden altar with coiled columns. Near the chapel, it is possible to admire a fountain with a stone basin, dated 1593.

Chaper of Saint Nicolas at Bioley
Located in the hamlet of Bioley, the chapel seems to date back to the 15th century, although the current construction dates back to 1621 and was erected at the behst of Jean-Pierre Lyonettaz and the Stefanyn brothers.
It has two eighteenth-century wooden statues, one of Saint Nicolas and one of Saint Rocco, restored in 1867 by Giovanni Guala.
The place-name Bioley derives from the patois “bioula” (birch) and is also the patronym of a noble family from Issime. The chapel cannot be visited inside.

The first reliable documents regarding the parish church of Saint James of Issime date back to a Papal bull in 1184, in which it appears among the churches dependant on the Collegiate of Sant’Orso. The parish of Issime, which also included Gaby and the two of Gressoney, was then entrusted to the convent of Saint-Gilles in Verrès, on which it depended until 1674.

Interesting elements:

• the façade, decorated between 1698 and 1700 with the fresco of the Last Judgment, with the wooden portal sculpted at the 17th century, above which there is a niche containing a wooden statue of Saint James, patron saint of Issime together with Saint Sebastian;
• the fifteen little chapels in the churchyard, painted with the Mysteries of Jesus;
• the main altar in Baroque style realized at the beginning of the 18th century, decorated by 182 statues and angels in gilded wood.

The sacred art museum
Dressed at the bottom of the church, it was inaugurated in 1986. Among the oldest objects, dating back to the 1400’s, there is the wooden statue of Saint James, with gigantic hands, example of the best popular art from Aosta Valley.
Numerous works of art bear witness to the contacts that the valley had through the years with the surrounding regions and the countries of Northern Europe: the statue of Saint James (15th century), originating from Southern Germany or South Tyrol, the statue of Saint Lucy and the Madonna of the altar of the Rosary (16th century), of Tyrolian origin, the statue of Saint Barbara (16th century) which has noteworthy similarities to contemporary works from Svevia.
Among the works of art originating from the chapels, we would like to mention the Madonna of the chapel of Mühnes (valley of San Grato), with magnificent Baroque style drapery.
The museum also includes a section of silverware, with an interesting repoussé reliquary dating from 1675, embossed with chisel and burin work.

The Musikkapelle “La Lira” was created in 1906 in order to enliven festivals, weddings and private events in Issime and neighboring villages. The war forced the Association to cease its activity until 1979, when it started again with energy. The courses to introduce young people to music reinforce the staff of the band who grows till it reaches 50 members, under the direction of various teachers.
Directed since 1994 by Maestro Enrico Montanari, the Musikkapelle performs in concerts, festivals, fairs and carnivals, playing especially to revive the cultural life of its village. Among the activities of recent years we indicate the recording of a compact disc, twinnings with other Italian and foreign musical groups and, on the occasion of the centenary of the foundation, the publication of a book and the preparation of an exhibition of photographs, documents, musical instruments and uniforms.
The band regularly participates at the Walsertreffen , gatherings of Walser people held alternately every three years in a community of the Alps, as well as the annual Raduno (meeting) of the Aosta Valley concert bands, organized for the third time in Issime in 2010. The group also participated in the International Band Competition “Vallée d’Aoste”, with a young staff in 2006, achieving third place in the third category, and in 2008 with the full team in the second category, always under the direction of Master Montanari. In 2011 the Youth Band of the music school, directed by Nicola Linty, attended with excellent results in the competition of young concert bands in Costa Volpino (Bergamo).
One of the most gratifying experiences for the group was the participation, in the summer 2012, at the Certamen Internacional de Bandas de Música in the spanish town of Valencia, where the Musikkapelle “La Lira” has obtained a significant third place in the category of the ensembles with 50 musicians.

Formazione musicale composta da due trombe, un clarinetto, un saxofono tenore, un euphonium, un basso e le percussioni. Il gruppo, nato dalla passione di otto giovani musicanti, tutti peraltro militanti nella Banda Musicale di Issime, propone un repertorio con musiche popolari del Sud Tirolo, alternate a brani moderni conosciuti a livello internazionale.