Azzida – Staircase with Medieval Shrine and Spring

In Azzida, there is a rare historical testimony: a 19th-century stone staircase and an adjacent medieval shrine, erected to protect a spring located halfway up the slope. The staircase descends from Via Algida, the main street of the village, along the rocky slope towards the Alberone stream, ending with a final concrete section that connects to the provincial road.
Before the existence of the road, the staircase provided a quick pedestrian connection with the old bridge (demolished in the late 1970s) that led from the left bank of the stream to the valley towards San Leonardo. About a third of the way down, on a small terrace and under the upper bend of the staircase (at the first ramp), the stone shrine with prominent Gothic features appears, probably dating back to the 14th century. The interesting construction is characterized by a pointed arch and fragments of an architrave decorated with small low-relief round arches. A recent restoration, carried out with meticulous work and careful choice of materials, allowed for the underpinning of the rock and the consolidation of the spring.