St. Leonardo church and cemetery
At the northern end of the village of Tesero, along the ancient street that leads to Stava, there is the church consecrated to St. Leonard and Gottardo, Patron Saints of prisoners, women in labour and livestock. It is a Gothic building constructed on a slope, outcome of the extension of a previous little chapel dated 1440, whose bell tower has partly been incorporated in the present structure: its base has been used as sacristy till the construction of the present one in 1683. The church was consecrated on 14th September 1474.
Next to the steps that lead to the church there is an ancient capital consecrated to the Virgin Mary, and inside it is possible to admire many ancient frescoes.
On the bell tower there are two bells: the oldest one dates back to 1864, and the other one was donated in 1988 in memory of the victims of the tragedy of Stava. Indeed, in the church cemetery are buried the victims of the tragedy of 19th July 1985, when the tailing ponds of the mine Prestavel collapsed, causing a mud flow that swamped everything there was along Valle di Stava and the consequent death of 268 people. In their memory there are a bronze monument, made by Felix Deflorian (native of Tesero), and a stele which commemorates the visit of Pope Giovanni Paolo II to the church on 17th July 1988.
The church is closed in winter and opens after Easter.
