The main town of Valle Vigezzo, Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the most elegant villages in the entire Ossola Valley, historically known as the “valley of painters” and the “valley of chimney sweeps”.
The valley of painters and chimney sweeps
Santa Maria Maggiore owes its renown to two very different traditions: on the one hand, the seasonal migration of chimney sweeps from Valle Vigezzo, who left these villages to work throughout Europe; on the other, a vibrant local school of painting which, in the 19th century, enabled several artists from the valley to train and establish themselves beyond regional borders. This dual heritage is still reflected today in the town’s architecture, with stately villas built thanks to the earnings of those who had emigrated for work.
To explore the history of the painting school of Valle Vigezzo and the chimney sweep tradition in greater depth, the reference point is the Distretto Turistico dei Laghi, Monti e Valli d’Ossola, which also includes the valley’s dedicated museums.
The historic centre
The old heart of Santa Maria Maggiore unfolds around arcaded squares and elegant streets, with Art Nouveau buildings that bear witness to the prosperity achieved by the town between the 19th and 20th centuries. It is a village well suited to a leisurely stroll, perhaps combined with a stop in nearby towns in the same valley, such as Masera or Druogno.
A starting point for Valle Vigezzo
Thanks to its central location, Santa Maria Maggiore is often the reference point for those wishing to explore the whole of Valle Vigezzo, described more broadly in the article dedicated to Valle Vigezzo, as well as a stopover on the way to Switzerland via the Passo di Camedo crossing.
From here to the vineyards of the Ossola Valley
Those staying in Santa Maria Maggiore can easily head down towards the Ossola valley floor to discover the area’s other side: its terraced vineyards, with a tasting from one village to the next.
A historic centre to enjoy at a leisurely pace
Strolling through the streets of central Santa Maria Maggiore, among cobbled lanes and Art Nouveau buildings, allows visitors to breathe in the atmosphere of a town that has transformed the wealth accumulated through emigration into a widespread architectural heritage, still visible today in every corner of the village.
The “valley of chimney sweeps” since the 16th century
As early as the 16th century, Valle Vigezzo was known as the “land of chimney sweeps”, as attested by historical documents of the time using the German name Kaminfeger Tal, “valley of chimney sweeps”. Many children, chosen because they were smaller and better suited than adults to entering flues, were often exploited, underpaid and forced to live far from home during the winter season, in a migratory phenomenon that profoundly shaped the valley’s identity.
Beola stone houses and the Chimney Sweep Museum
Many of the emigrant chimney sweeps later returned home, where they built their own houses: the valley’s traditional architecture can still be recognised in homes with roofs made of beola, the local stone, and in the tall chimneys, among the most imposing in the area. The regional museum of chimney sweeps and emigration is housed in Villa Antonia, in the historic centre, and was founded in 1983 thanks to the efforts of former chimney sweeps themselves, who began collecting tools, clothing, old bicycles, photographs and memories of their past.
Even today, while walking through the streets of Santa Maria Maggiore, you may meet elderly residents who recall family stories linked to the emigration of chimney sweeps: an oral heritage that accompanies the material heritage preserved in the museum, helping to keep alive the collective memory of this chapter in the valley’s history, as harsh as it was fundamental.
A tip for those visiting Santa Maria Maggiore: taking time both for the museum and for a simple walk around the town allows you to fully appreciate the dual artistic and popular soul that makes this village unique in the Ossola Valley.
