Along the scenic route that climbs from the Longuelo district to Borgo Canale, between the two marvelous basins of Bergamo, that of Astino and the Conca d’Oro, you will encounter on the way the small Church of San Martino della Pigrizia.
Contrary to what you may think, San Martino has nothing to do with laziness, far from it!
The name of this place derives from a purely geographical matter: the part of the land on the side of the Astino Valley, in contrast to that of the Conca d’Oro, is by nature less exposed to the sun’s rays, and for this reason cultivation in this area proceeds more slowly.
Over time, locals began to assign “laziness” as a nickname for this portion of the land, emphasizing precisely its ‘lazy’ character.
The church, which has come down to the present day from the ninth century not without several remodels, has a bronze main entrance on which the two patron saints, St. Martin and Our Lady of Purity, are carved and a small upper lunette that completes the arched breakthrough of the facade.
To the side there is access through a small stone staircase to the secondary entrance door.
It too is made of bronze and depicts the history of the small church.
The interior consists of a single rectangular nave divided into three bays by two masonry arches, over which the two pitches of the exposed roof discharge.
The chancel consists of a very simple chapel covered by a barrel vault with some works representing the Madonna and Child and Saints Martin, John the Baptist, Charles, and Anthony of Padua in the center.
St. Martin’s lineup
Not far from the church, in the direction of Città Alta, is the little staircase of San Martino that connects Via Borgo Canale and Via San Martino della Pigrizia.
It is a short section initially composed of steps that after a few meters becomes an ascent on cobblestone pavement leading to the gates of Bergamo Alta.
As you ascend, you will also encounter the striking Scorlazzino and Scorlazzone steps that lead up to San Vigilio Castle, offering a unique scenic route.