Walk along the trail from Pontegrande to Bannio

The itinerary links the towns of Pontegrande and Bannio through a ring trail that retraces part of the path walked by the Milizia Tradizionale (traditional army) of Bannio. In the hamlet of Pioda, where the itinerary starts, there is the church of S.S. Pietro and Paolo, built in 1670 on a huge glacial erratic, carried by the glaciers and placed just above the river Anza. The trail proceeds along the ancient connection road that goes up to the town of Bannio, crossing the historic center, the three churches facing the main square and reaching the Sanctuary of Madonna della Neve (Mary of the snows) along the particular Via Crucis.
In Bannio, every year in August, the celebrations of Milizia Tradizionale and Madonna della Neve are kept, following an ancient ritual. The Milizia Tradizionale of Bannio was born for military reasons and is inextricably tied to the Marian cult in 1622 when the oratory dedicated to Virgin Mary was inaugurated for the first time with the presence of the royal guard. This bond had its solemn manifestation in 1629 when the heads of the households, scared by the plague that was claiming victims in the whole valley, put themselves under the protection of the Holy Virgin of the snow, setting a celebration on the 5th of August, promising themselves to celebrate and worship it forever.
This is why the Milizia Tradizionale has been tied to the Madonna della Neve for 400 years and, every 5th of August, in front of a public of devotees, it shows off its uniforms, weapons and flags with great passion, care and devotion. And also celebrating the Milizia on the first Sunday of August.
Pontegrande is strictly tied to Bannio and its Milizia: it’s from here, in fact, that the riflemen forming the second company come. The riflemen, following the protocol, reach Bannio and join the formation of the Milizia waiting for them on the "presentat’arm".

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