Rassa

Introduction

Rassa is a small Walser village located at the confluence of two valleys, Val Sorba and Val Gronda where the two streams of the same name join. Its population in 2001 was 71, in 1881, 699.

Description

The parish church was built on an earlier parish church from 1523. The village is one of the prettiest and most characteristic in Valsesia, and has preserved intact the characteristics of its Walser houses; its inhabitants are called the 'tremendi', perhaps due to the strong character of the population. The two arched stone bridges and the sawmill fed by the waters of the Sorba stream are remarkable. Around Rassa, in the woods, there are several charcoal pits, which in the past met the needs of the valley; above Massaro, there is a quarry of very pure marble, better than that of Candoglia, still used today for the factory of the Milan Cathedral; in past centuries, marble from Rassa, but the exploitation of this quarry was abandoned due to the prohibitive costs of transporting the material and the associated difficulties. The blocks were cut in the summer season, left on site and brought to the valley in the winter by sledges in the snow (like the roofing beolae, taken from another quarry). It is precisely this vein of marble that has made possible the growth in Val Sorba of the paeonia officinalis, which grows along the white detritus of the marble quarry, together with lilies of the valley and mountain irises. The peonies have a beautiful pinkish colour, and sprout among the stones; there are no trees here like in Perloz. I suggest taking this tour to see this wonder in bloom. The territory of Rassa, around 1300, was the scene of some events related to Frà Dolcino, and the memory of his deeds still survives today in the stories of the population. Rassa is a small Walser village that lies at the confluence of two valleys, Val Sorba and Val Gronda, where the two streams of the same name join. Its population in 2001 was 71, in 1881, 699. The parish church was built on an earlier parish church from 1523. The village is one of the prettiest and most characteristic in Valsesia, and has preserved intact the characteristics of its Walser houses; its inhabitants are called the 'tremendi', perhaps due to the strong character of the population. The two arched stone bridges and the sawmill fed by the waters of the Sorba stream are remarkable. Around Rassa, in the woods, there are several charcoal pits, which in the past met the needs of the valley; above Massaro there is a quarry of very pure marble, better than that of Candoglia, which is still used today for the factory of Milan Cathedral; in past centuries the marble of Rassa was also used, but the exploitation of this quarry was abandoned due to the prohibitive cost of transporting the material and the difficulties involved. The blocks were cut in the summer season, left on site and brought down to the valley in the winter by sledges in the snow (like the roofing beolae, taken from another quarry). It is precisely this vein of marble that has made possible the growth in Val Sorba of the 

[[paeonia officinalis]], which grows along the white detritus of the marble quarry, together with lilies of the valley and mountain irises. The peonies have a beautiful pinkish colour, and sprout among the stones; there are no trees here like in [[Perloz]]. I suggest taking this tour to go and see this wonder in bloom. The territory of Rassa, around 1300, was the scene of some events linked to [[Frà Dolcino]], and the memory of his deeds still survives today in the stories of the population.

Information

Area: 43.27km²
Altitude: 917m
Maximum elevation: Punta Lazouney (2579m)
Number of inhabitants: 66
Name in dialect: Ratsa
Inhabitant name: rassesi
 Patron Saint: Santa Croce (3 May)
Website: www.rassavalsesia.com
Webcam:
Neighbouring municipalities: Andorno Micca, Campertogno, Gaby, Gressoney-Saint-Jean, Pettinengo, Piode, Riva Valdobbia, Selve Marcone, Tavigliano
 Villages and hamlets:
Landscapes: