The church of San Zenone, in piazza della Vittoria in Mandello del Lario, was born as a cemetery oratory: it has two naves, each with its own apse, 18th-century quadratura frescoes and, on the south wall, a Dormitio Virginis of the late 15th century.
History
The regional record places the construction between the last quarter of the 13th century and the 16th. According to Wikipedia the first records, when it was still an oratory, come from a will of 1354, and its cemetery function is confirmed by documents of 1445; in 1593 Bishop Ninguarda described it with the cemetery on the north side, and Bishop Archinti visited it in 1600 and 1613. The altars were dedicated to San Zenone, San Giovanni Battista, the Beata Vergine and, originally, San Biagio. It is not known which of the some fifteen saints named Zeno it is named for.
Again according to Wikipedia, the confraternity of the Immaculate, established in 1508, built the south nave with its vaulted ceiling, the bell tower (1685) and, in 1739, the ossuary. That same year Canon Ambrogio Airoldi had the church enlarged to the north and east, and the works ended in 1768. The cemetery ceased to be used after the construction of the new one, in the 1920s.
What to see
According to Wikipedia the plan has two naves covered by six cross vaults on multi-column pillars; the nave of San Zenone, the older, has a trussed ceiling. The facade, 19th-century and neoclassical in taste, has three doors but misleads: behind there are only two naves, and above the central door, a false one, is the inscription “Divo Zenoni”.
Most of the frescoes date between 1756 and 1768 and use quadratura, a technique with an illusionistic effect; studies think the oldest are by Giovanni Antonio Torricelli. In the apse of the titular saint a false altarpiece, a deep architectural space and an illusory dome are painted. The oldest work is the Dormitio Virginis on the south wall, of the late 15th century: it was divided into two registers of ten panels, but only the lower register can be read, because the other was covered in the 18th century when the vault was lowered. It follows the announcement to Mary of her death, her passing, the funeral rites, the tomb and the Assumption, and there is a link with the apocryphal Gospels.
Practical information
- The church is at piazza della Vittoria 3, in Mandello. We found no official source for opening hours: it is best to ask the parish or the Pro Loco.
- On 5 October 2024 it was one of the stops of the “Cammino nella fede e nell’arte”, with a guided visit at 14 (Lario News).
Sources
- Lombardia Beni Culturali, Chiesa di S. Zenone, complesso (record 1n070-00041)
- Lario News, Mandello: Cammino nella fede e nell’arte (30/9/2024)
- Wikipedia, Chiesa di San Zenone (Mandello del Lario) entry.
