Sant'Ambrogio Church

Sant'Ambrogio (Saint Ambrose): The Baroque Heart of Lierna

Historical records trace the presence of a church dedicated to Sant'Ambrogio (Saint Ambrose) back to the 1500s, when the parish was part of the ancient Pieve di Mandello district. The church we admire today is the result of an ambitious reconstruction project initiated in 1593 by the Bishop of Como, Feliciano Ninguarda. Formally established as a parish in 1619, the structure was completed in 1626 and consecrated the following year by Bishop Lazzaro Carafino.

The Architecture of the Church of Sant'Ambrogio

In 1778, the church underwent a significant expansion; the interior was modernized, and the bell tower was raised to its current imposing height. The early 19th century saw the addition of the magnificent marble high altar, which serves as a sacred repository for the relics of Saint Columban, Saint Charles, Saint Perpetua, and Saint Diletto.

The frescoes in the Church of Sant'Ambrogio

Art lovers should look above the door on the right side of the nave to find a stunning 1628 painting of the Madonna of the Rosary with Saint Dominic and Saint Catherine. This masterpiece was created by Giovan Battista Macolino, a prominent 17th-century painter from the nearby Valtellina region. The church's aesthetic was further enriched in 1963 by the Bergamo-born artist Umberto Marigliani, whose vibrant frescoes on the vault depict pivotal moments in the life of Saint Ambrose. These works, along with the church’s antique organ, were meticulously restored in the 1970s, preserving the spiritual and artistic heart of Lierna for future generations.