In Gerola Alta, ancient traditions are celebrated.

For almost 500 years, in Gerola Alta, after the service on November 2,
loaves of bread and slices of cheese
Bitto have been distributed to the community: this is what the Legato Bedolino consists of!

This year, just like in the last 470 years and more specifically
on Wednesday, November 2, the ancient Legato Bedolino was celebrated.
To the population, bread and cheese were given, but not just any
cheese, but the Bitto, also known as grasso d’alpe (which
originates from this municipality and its alpine pastures).

This custom is celebrated to observe an ancient bequest known as
the “Legato Bedolino”. The “legacy” or bequest concerns the
will of the Gerola native Pietro de’ Mazzi, known as “Bedolino”:
he owned numerous meadows and hills in the beautiful Val Gerola. When
he died in 1545, he left half of Monte di Trona to his fellow villagers,
along with its pastures and alpine meadows, together with all the products and proceeds.

In the village, in the parish archive of the church of San Bartolomeo,
the original copy of the bequest related to
the “half of Monte di Trona”, known today as the alpine pasture of Trona
Soliva, states: _«That the consuls and administrators of
said Municipality of Gerola, in perpetuity, shall be obliged to convert the
proceeds of such mountain and distribute it to all the men of
any condition of said Municipality every year» _

In 1600, the assembly of the village decided that each year on November 2,
bread and cheese should be distributed, while salt on November 11,
on San Martino.

Cirillo Ruffoni, a historian of Gerola, during the celebration,
reminded that throughout Valtellina, the “Legato Bedolino”
represents the last testimony of this kind.

The Municipality of Gerola, on the other hand, recalled how, thanks to various
administrations, the historical cheese production has always been protected,
and in particular that of Bitto, thus recognizing its great
value for culture, tourism, and the alpine pastures.