Late Gothic church from 1518
The ruins of the Late Gothic church of San Gaudenzio are one of the most impressive architectural monuments in Bregaglia. Legend has it that the former pilgrimage church was dedicated to a 4th century martyr who met his death by the sword. The church and its cemetery were consecrated on 13 May 1518. In 1551, during the Reformation, San Gaudenzio was deconsecrated, and subsequently used as a church cemetery before being finally abandoned in 1738.
In 1925, the first stabilization work of the church ruins was carried out on the initiative of the Bregaglia artist Giovanni Giacometti, and under his direction. From 2009 onwards, the urgently-needed preservation and restoration work was sponsored by the San Gaudenzio Foundation in close cooperation with the historic monument preservation authorities and the Archaeological Service of the Canton of Graubünden. This work was completed in 2022. The church, owned by the municipality of Bregaglia, is a cultural site of regional importance and is listed as a protected historic building.
