About this website
Most pages of this site are written in Italian. For further questions or details in English, please contact us by using our webform.

The purpose of this site is to inform about the history of the church and the progress of the restoration works, in particular for those who live far away from Sonogno. To complete the research, whoever has old photos or documents regarding the history of the church is kindly invited to contact us.

The restoration of the church of Sonogno
The parish church of Sonogno, dedicated to the Madonna of Loreto, was built between 1852 and 1854, as replacement for the old church dated before 1400, of which very little is known. The construction work was based on the project of the architect Antonio Ghezzi from Lamone, and the paintings were entrusted to Cherubino Patà from Sonogno, who became later a pupil of the well-known French painter Gustave Courbet.

In the course of the past 150 years the sacred building has unfortunately suffered from heavy damages and urgent maintenance and restoration interventions have become necessary. These works, assigned to the architect Armando Züllig from Gordola, are presently going on and will continue until mid 2007.

The restoration works will mainly concern the repair of the roof, the walls, heavily damaged by the humidity, the pavement as well as the installations of light, audio and heating. The church will also be enriched by a new altar, created by the sculptor Pedro Pedrazzini.

The financing
Sonogno is a small village with less than 80 permanent inhabitants. The high cost of the works, estimated about 930'000 Swiss Francs, cannot possibly be paid for by the population alone. The Parish Council of Sonogno is therefore thankful for every small or bigger donation. This church must be preserved, besides its important religious value, it remains a precious artistic and cultural component for the landscape and characteristics of Sonogno.

Your donation will be greatly appreciated. It can be dedicated to the general restoration works ("pro restauri") or for a specific target (for example "for the altar"). Details about the bank relation and other payment options can be found on the specific donation form. Don't hesitate to contact us for any help, assistance or further information. Thank you !