Arconate: Churches, Art and History

Churches and Sacred Art

The Chiesa di Sant'Eusebio was rebuilt in Arconate between 1901 and 1904, on the site of a predecessor church dating from the 16th century. The dates distinguish the new building from the older religious use of the same site: its building history reaches further back than the early 20th century. If you would like to get to know Arconate through its architecture, this sequence offers a concrete starting point.

Inside the Chiesa di Sant'Eusebio, paintings titled “Battesimo di Cristo,” “San Carlo,” “Santa Teresa d'Avila” and “Sant'Antonio da Padova” are preserved. The titles cover a biblical event and three depictions of saints. For a decorative project begun in 1946, Giovanni Garavaglia was commissioned to paint the figurative frescoes in the apse and nave; Pietro Colombo of Arconate took on the decorative work. This division thus distinguishes figurative painting from decorative work and also identifies the areas covered by the fresco commission.

The Chiesa di Santa Maria Bambina presents a different architectural emphasis. It has a single-nave interior with a polygonal choir. “Single-nave” describes a church space with one main nave; “polygonal” refers to a choir terminating in several sides. The bays of the area intended for the faithful are covered by groin vaults, while the bay of the presbytery is crowned by a spherical dome. Thus, when comparing the churches, the sequence of construction dates takes centre stage at Sant'Eusebio, while at Santa Maria Bambina the focus is on the layout and ceiling structure.

Building History and Feast Day

The Santuario di Maria Nascente has two distinct building phases: it was built in 1616 to replace an older Marian chapel and enlarged in 1749 by the Arconati-Visconti family. While the focus at Sant'Eusebio is on a new building erected on the site of an earlier one, the history of the Santuario includes both its construction and a later enlargement.

Special devotion is paid to the Cappella di Sant'Antoni Abate on January 17, its annual feast day—a specific date to consider if you would like to plan your stay around the occasion.

Artwork and Historic Country Estate

The Pala Arconati is a wooden panel painting of the Madonna and Child, dating from 1536, and is kept in the Palazzo Taverna. The artist is unknown; the work is attributed to the school of Bernardino Luini. This attribution therefore identifies an artistic school, not an individual artist. The subject, material and year of creation can thus be distinguished from the unresolved question of individual authorship.

The Palazzo Arconati is a country estate whose construction dates back to the 15th century. Despite the similar name, it is distinct from the Palazzo Taverna, where the Pala Arconati is kept. For your travel planning, these are two separate historical points of reference: the Palazzo Arconati country estate and the place where the panel painting is kept.

Discover more destinations: Vaprio Dʼadda, Vimercate, Agrate Brianza, Boffalora Sopra Ticino, Millepini, Garbagnate Milanese, Ossona, Gudo Visconti.

For the broader travel overview: Milan.