In 1805, a stone arch bridge was built in the heart of the village to improve access to the church. Before its construction, the only crossing was a narrow mule track along the old “cavalcatori” road, which connected the Val Fondra with the Lenna plain and the ancient Via Mercatorum. This path was less than a meter wide and in very poor
condition.
This church, dedicated to Saint Lawrence, was originally under the jurisdiction of the parish of Dossena, and later that of San Martino oltre la Goggia. It has a simple structure, with a semi-polygonal portico enriching its façade.
Inside, the church houses several notable works of art, including a 1541 painting of the Annunciation by the Emilian artist Benvenuto Tisi, known as Il Garofalo. Also of great interest is the walnut choir, created by the Cagnara school with
inlaid panels in 1734, and a rare 1789 organ—recently restored—crafted by Taramelli, likely a pupil of the famed Bossi
family.
Isola di Fondra is a small municipality in the upper Brembana Valley, made up of two valley hamlets—Fondra and Trabucchello—and five mountain hamlets located on the slopes of Mount Torcola: Pusdosso, Cornelli, Foppa, Forcella,
and Via Piana.
The area is rich in historical elements, including ancient villages and historic pathways like mule tracks and 18th-century bridges.
At 1,038 meters above sea level lies Pusdosso, the highest and least populated hamlet in the municipality. In addition to its 7 permanent residents, about thirty people join on weekends and during summer.
Pusdosso features a distinctive layout: the stone houses are closely clustered together, while the stables are built farther away.
Piccolo borgo accessibile tramite una comoda mulattiera con selciato in pietra a spacco, arricchito da una graziosa chiesetta dedicata a San Francesco. All’interno della chiesa si può ammirare un dipinto che raffigura la Madonna del Rosario tra San Domenico e Santa Caterina da Siena.
A trail starting from Via Piana leads to the Observatory, a recently redeveloped area located in a place called Castelletto, which offers a stunning panoramic view. Following this path further leads to the hamlet of Trabuchello.
Isola di Fondra is situated in an unspoiled natural area, rich in springs—seven of which supply the local water systems.
Recent chemical and bacteriological analyses have shown the water quality is comparable to the best oligomineral waters on the market.
The river features a large bouldering area known as the “Fondra Block,” popular with rock-climbing enthusiasts.
Here stands a Roman-style bridge, built in 1715 and known as the “Canals Bridge.” In 1805, a new stone arch bridge was constructed in the village center to allow access to the church.
La chiesa di Trabuchello, dedicata a Santa Margherita di Antiochia, custodisce una pala d’altare di Carlo Ceresa, che raffigura Santa Margherita in gloria affiancata da due santi inginocchiati. Sono inoltre presenti affreschi risalenti al 1400, recentemente riportati alla luce. Tra gli arredi spiccano un confessionale in noce e il banco del presbiterio, finemente intagliato e intarsiato tra il 1606 e il 1607, con figure attribuite a cariatidi. L’organo è un Bossi datato 1880. Nel tempo, la chiesa ha subito un ampliamento che ne ha modificato persino l’asse direzionale. Durante recenti lavori di consolidamento strutturale, è stata scoperta una piccola necropoli con sei tombe risalenti al VII-VIII secolo d.C. Al centro della chiesa è emersa anche una struttura muraria a pianta rettangolare, databile tra il tardo antico e l’alto medioevo, probabilmente un edificio civile o una torre di guardia.