Santa Maria Maddalena Festival

A celebration of faith and mountains in the municipality of Terragnolo

The Santa Maria Maddalena Festival is one of the most evocative summer events in Terragnolo, a small, scattered municipality in the Autonomous Province of Trento, Trentino-Alto Adige, nestled along the Leno Valleys between Rovereto and Mount Pasubio. Every year, around July 22nd—the day the Church celebrates Saint Mary Magdalene—the community gathers at the church of the same name for a day of celebration that combines religious tradition with the discovery of a place of rare beauty.

The Romanesque church above Puechem

The heart of the festival is the church of Santa Maria Maddalena, which stands on a rocky knoll at an altitude of about 925 meters, above the hamlet of Puechem. It is a small treasure trove of pictorial art: inside, there are well-preserved 14th-century frescoes, commissioned by the lords of Castelbarco in the first half of the 14th century and attributed to a follower of the Venetian Giotto school. The building, constructed from local stone, combines the older medieval section with a more recent extension, featuring a deep portico supported by massive circular pillars.

A panorama over the Leno Valleys

Climbing up to the Maddalena also means enjoying one of the most beautiful views in the area: from the knoll, the gaze embraces the entire Terragnolo valley, Mount Altissimo, the Ledro Alps, and the surrounding peaks. It is no coincidence that the church is one of the most beloved destinations for short hikes in the area, serving as a landmark along the trails that climb the streams of the Leno Valleys, between the municipalities of Terragnolo, Trambileno, and Vallarsa.

The spirit of the festival

The Santa Maria Maddalena Festival is an authentic village celebration, far from large-scale events: Holy Mass at the church, the gathering of the community and the many devotees who return to the sanctuary every year, and the opportunity to rediscover a place steeped in history and spirituality together. It is a popular Trentino tradition that weaves together devotion, local memory, and mountain life, included in the summer calendar of events in the Leno Valleys.