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The Hermitage of San Paolo, framed by the rocks
- Category What see Lake Garda and Verona
The Hermitage of San Paolo, a small church, set in the rock.
Number of views: 6508Agriturismo - Where to stay overnight
The Hermitage of San Paolo
The Hermitage of San Paolo, perched on the Prabi road just outside the town of Arco (Trentino), is a jewel of cliff‑side sacred architecture and one of the oldest devotional sites on Lake Garda. The altar was already consecrated on 9 April 1186, yet dendrochronology suggests the original timbers date to the late 11th century.
Carved into a natural rock recess, the building is strikingly simple: a single rectangular nave (approx. 8 × 4 m) whose southern wall and part of the vault are formed by the overhanging limestone cliff. To the north opens a small room once reserved for hermits; a stone stairway—partly hewn from solid rock—leads from this cell to a lower service chamber with a rain‑water cistern.
Both inside and out the hermitage dazzles with 13th–14th‑century frescoes. On the sanctuary wall, a Romanesque Last Supper shares space with scenes from the Life of Saint Paul the Hermit: the raven miracle, Paul’s meeting with St Anthony in the desert, and his burial aided by lions—works attributed to a Veronese workshop influenced by Giotto’s Padua circle. Above the entrance survives a delicate exterior Maria Lactans.
Centuries of neglect left the site fragile until a major restoration (1950–1952) by the Municipality of Arco and the Trento Fine‑Arts Office: masonry was secured, the larch‑shingle roof rebuilt, and—under Gino Fogolari—the most vulnerable frescoes were detached, cleaned and reinstalled. A second conservation campaign in 2019 introduced passive climate control and discreet LED lighting that reveals the original tempera palette.
Access & visiting: the exterior is always open via a paved trail from the Prabi car park (10 min walk; 60 m climb). The interior is closed from October to March for micro‑climatic reasons; in spring and autumn the Garda Dolomiti tourist board runs guided visits every Saturday at 10:00 and 14:30 (online booking advised). Schools and groups can request special openings with certified guides and on‑site supervision.
Curiosity: local lore says the hermitage bell once warned farmers on the Arco plain of storms sweeping in from Monte Brione, giving them time to save the hay. Each 15 January the feast of Saint Paul the Hermit is still celebrated here with a torch‑lit mass and the sharing of “raven bread”—small blessed loaves recalling the miracle depicted inside.
