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Panoramic View
of Dorio |
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Mandonico (Ancient
Settlement) |
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Mandonico (detail) |
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| ° The Territory °_history_ |
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On May 26th 1506 the archbishop Ippolito I d'Este, cardinal
of Ferrara, designated with an official act the Dorio community
as a parish.
In 1542 Dorio became independent from Pieve di Dervio, but continued
to belong to the big Milan diocese.
After various vicissitudes including repeated attacks and pillages
of adventurers and of neighboring towns, finally in 1627 the
Lansquenets invaded the area, thus introducing the terrible
bubonic plague, which has become so well-known thanks to Alessandro
Manzoni novel "I Promessi Sposi". This deadly plague
brought the number of inhabitants of Dorio from 300 to 84 (36
families).
The population gradually increased, until in 1856 there were
347 inhabitants and in 1897 the number grew to 531 (85 families).
The Dorio township included four lands or "villas":
Mondonico, Panico, Torchiedo and Solmogno. The last one started
in 1640-50 to be referred as Dorio, due to its greater development
and its favorable location on the main communication road between
Colico and Dervio.
In 1676 a new church dedicated to the Holy Mary was open; it
was later on enlarged, eventually demolished and restored in
1859.
It was afterward dedicated to St. George.
The St. George Oratory, probably dating back to 14th Century,
was restored in 1677 and in 1804. It is now possible to admire
some recently restored frescos of 1492: in the upper part there
is St. George and the Virgin Mary with the Holy Child; then
St. Michael, two Bishops and again the Holy Mary. There was
originally another picture of the Holy Mary, which was eventually
taken and is now in the parish church.
In 1848, on the way to the Dorio mountains (the "wayfarer
path", a very ancient road on the eastern shore of the
Como Lake, between Lecco and Piantedo, which can still be traveled
over) the small St. Rocco Church was built, about 443 mts. above
the sea level. In 1928 the Dorio district joined Dervio, but
then was again independent in 1948.
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