Perched halfway up the slope overlooking the upper Magra valley and the Valdantena valley, the village of Cargalla was, for many centuries, a strategic hub along the historic routes leading to the Apennine passes, but also a well-exposed, hospitable place, nestled in the countryside.

The parish church of Cargalla is located where the village is divided and is dedicated to St. Lawrence the Martyr, once under the jurisdiction of the priory of Montelungo. The first records date back to 1473, when the parish of Cargalla was joined with that of Cavezzana d’Antena, a hamlet that was easily accessible.

The current church is likely not the original building, as it has been suggested that the ancient structure was located in a more isolated area, in the locality of Cerminuto. One particularly unique feature of Cargalla is a sandstone lintel dated 1838, on which a series of scenes are carved that remain to be interpreted. Another distinctive feature of Cargalla is the significant number of sandstone road signs, dating back to the 1850s, when the Duchy of Parma ordered the creation of this signage to be placed along the roads within its territory.