Morbegno - Palazzo Malacrida
Palazzo Malacrida, located in the historic heart of Morbegno, is one of the most important eighteenth-century noble residences in Valtellina. The building acquired its present appearance between 1758 and 1762, when it was extensively renovated at the behest of the Malacrida family under the direction of the architect Pietro Solari da Bolvedro. Its architecture combines the sobriety of the exterior with the richness of the interiors, where Rococo taste is interwoven with the tradition of Lombard Baroque.
Particularly significant are the entrance hall, the grand staircase and the rooms of the piano nobile, characterised by a refined interplay of architecture, painting and decoration. Some of the leading artists active in the area contributed to the interior decoration, including Pietro and Cesare Ligari, Giovanbattista Romegialli and the quadratura painters Giuseppe Coduri and Giuseppe Porro. The painted illusionistic architecture visually expands the interiors and helps make Palazzo Malacrida one of the most representative examples of eighteenth-century decorative culture in Valtellina.
The conservation and enhancement project
From 2008 to 2019, Palazzo Malacrida was the subject of an extensive multi-year conservation programme, supported to a large extent by the Isabel and Balz Baechi Foundation. The project began with the Ballroom and was progressively extended to the frescoed rooms of the piano nobile, the entrance hall and the grand staircase.
The interventions made it possible to conserve and recover the palace’s painted and decorative schemes while, at the same time, deepening knowledge of them through the study of execution techniques, materials and the different phases of decoration. This long conservation programme was accompanied by research and dissemination activities, transforming the restoration of Palazzo Malacrida into the starting point for a broader cultural project devoted to the protection and enhancement of Morbegno’s historical and artistic heritage.
In July 2026, the Municipality of Morbegno dedicated a room on the piano nobile of Palazzo Malacrida to the Isabel and Balz Baechi Foundation, in recognition of its long-standing commitment, which began with the restoration of the palace in 2008 and was subsequently extended to other important monuments in the town.
Collaborations
Supervision: Superintendency of Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape for the provinces of Como, Lecco, Sondrio and Varese – Arch. Silvia Zanzani
Municipality of Morbegno: Arch. Cristina Tarca, Sole Project Manager
Works supervision: Arch. Alberto Gavazzi and Arch. Antonio Songini
Conservation work: Amalia Sandri, conservator-restorer
Support and collaboration throughout the programme: Fondazione Promor, Fondazione Mattei and Fondazione Credito Valtellinese
Press coverage and outreach
18 July 2026 – Inauguration of the Fondazione Baechi Room, Palazzo Malacrida, Morbegno. The Municipality of Morbegno dedicates a room on the piano nobile to the Isabel and Balz Baechi Foundation in recognition of its contribution to the conservation and enhancement of the town’s cultural heritage. Further information online
28–30 November 2024 – 9th International Conference “Quadraturismo, grande decorazione e apparati effimeri dal XVII al XIX secolo”, Morbegno. The conference, supported among others by the Isabel and Balz Baechi Foundation, devoted particular attention to Morbegno’s Baroque heritage and the quadratura paintings of Palazzo Malacrida. Further information – Diocese of Como
17 September 2016 – Study Day “La Fondazione Isabel & Balz Baechi nelle Valli dell’Adda e della Mera. Da un restauro a un progetto culturale per il territorio”, Morbegno.
Rita Pezzola, Alberto Gavazzi (eds.), La Fondazione Isabel & Balz Baechi nelle valli dell’Adda e della Mera. Da un restauro a un progetto culturale per il territorio. Atti della Giornata di Studi, Morbegno, 17 settembre 2016, Morbegno, Ad Fontes, 2018, VII, 232 pp., ISBN 978-88-97664-23-9. Ad Fontes – publication details