At Rovenna, the highest hamlet of Cernobbio, the parish church is dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel: rebuilt in Baroque forms after 1667 on a medieval church, it keeps the Croce di Rovenna, an 11th-century processional cross that also appears in the coat of arms of the Province of Como.
History
The building already existed at the end of the 13th century, as a dependency of the chapter of Como Cathedral, and was already standing in the 16th century; it has been a parish church since at least 1590, when it was visited by Bishop Feliciano Ninguarda (Wikipedia). It was rebuilt “from the foundations” starting in 1667 (Le Vie del Viandante, UPEL): on the facade the stone portal remains, remade in 1857 according to Le Vie del Viandante, and coming according to Wikipedia from the Como monastery of San Marco in Borgovico. It was consecrated on 29 September 1785 by Bishop Giambattista Mugiasca; since 1946 it has been the seat of a provostship. The patron saint is celebrated on 29 September.
What to see
The church stands on a small rise, with a single hall, two side chapels, an apsed presbytery and, on the left side, the bell tower with a four-pitched roof. The facade is simple, and its focus is the Baroque portal with a broken pediment, volutes and statues in niches (UPEL). The interior is unexpected: every surface is covered with frescoes, stuccoes, gilded inlays and canvases. The refined wooden altar shows the archangels Raphael and Michael, crushing the devil (UPEL); Wikipedia attributes it to the sculptor Giovanni Battista Barberini, to 1692, and notes a painting by Giovanni Pietro Gnocchi.
The most precious piece is the Croce di Rovenna, a processional cross of the 11th century, reproduced in the provincial coat of arms: until 1861 it stood on a column outside, and in 1996 it was displayed at Lazzago during Pope John Paul II’s Mass (Wikipedia).
Practical information
- Address: via Umberto I 1, Rovenna, Cernobbio. We found no official source for opening hours (a tourist site gives 10-5 every day, without a source): it is best to ask the parish.
- From Rovenna starts the road to Monte Bisbino.
Sources
- UPEL Italia, Chiese di Rovenna (2022)
- Le Vie del Viandante, Cernobbio - Chiesa di San Michele Rovenna
- myLakeComo, Church of San Michele
- Wikipedia, Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo (Cernobbio) entry.