About Clusone

Clusone was built in a dominant position in a large sunny plateau in the Seriana Valley, situated at an ideal altitude of 648 metres above sea level, and encircled by the Prealpi Orobiche mountains and the Selva pine forest. A truly artistic town, Clusone bears numerous examples of its remarkable artistic heritage.

The historic center, built on four successive tiers, is full of surprises around every corner. One prime example is the group of religious buildings surrounding the Santa Maria Assunta basilica, which feature two impressive fifteenth century frescoes. One is the internationally renowned painting of the Danza Macabra, and the other is the slightly lesser known Triumph of Death. Clusone's Museum of Art and Time in Marinoni Palace Barca is also well worth a visit, as it houses numerous works of art by painters and sculptors born in Clusone, such as Carpinoni, Cifrondi, Nazzari, Querena, and Trussardi Volpi. All of this contributes to Clusone's artistic dimension, for which it has become known as "the painted town".

As well as the most famous monuments there are many smaller buildings full of paintings from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. You can also discover monastery cloisters, large stone doors, loggiati, facades decorated in the fifteenth century, small painted squares, large "androni" halls, gardens and beautiful fountains.

Time is another dimension which characterises the town of Clusone. Its town hall, built in 1008, features the famous planetary clock "Fanzago" built in 1583 by Pietro Fanzago. By studying this incredibly complex clock you are able to determine the time, date, sign of the zodiac and phase of the moon. The Museum of Art and Time also houses an impressive collection of tower clock mechanics, dated from the fourteenth to twentieth century, and has become a European reference point for this subject matter.

Clusone is surrounded by spectacular Alpine scenery. By following sign-posted footpaths it's possible to immerse yourself in forests, pine trees and mountain pastures, ideal for hiking, horse riding or mountain biking. There are numerous places to visit in this way in the surrounding area, such as the refuge at San Lucio where, at an altitude of 1,000 metres, there is an unforgettable view of the whole Seriana valley and the Dolomitic mountain of Presolana. The tourist office, located in Piazza Orologio, can provide guides for the town as well as the local walks etc.

Every Monday the town's winding streets play host to a bustling market, which sells everything from local cheeses, sausages and other culinary delicacies to clothes, shoes and whatever else you could hope to find.

In July the town holds the annual Clusone Jazz Festival, featuring an excellent selection of international jazz artists spread over several weeks of concerts and events.

The Turismo Pro Clusone website, although only available in Italian, gives a lot of information about the town and surrounding area. If there's anything else you'd like to know about Clusone that you're not able to find on the websites we've linked on this page, please feel free to give us a call and we'll do our best to help.



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