Santuario di San Damiano

Sanctuary linked to the Marian cult of the Annunciation of March 25 in the San Damiano hamlet shared between Cogliate and San Dalmazio, from which the inhabitants take the nickname of the Benedictines, that is, "Sant'in Bianc" It was the chapel of the ancient Benedictine Convent of the IX sec, owners of Cogliate then called San Dalmazio. under the control of the Pieve di Seveso, the current church in late Romanesque style dates back to at least the 14th century on a pre-existing construction, in fact the gabled plan recalls the Lombard churches. the bell tower is from the eighteenth century but the convent is no longer there, inside there are magnificent frescoes by Mariani and the typical fifteenth-century frescoes typical of San Rocco protector from the Plague of the Luini school between 1400 and 1600. The apse behind the altar has a unusual crucifixion of excellent quality and from the Comacina school, similar to the frescoes of Sant'Abbondio in Como or San Stefano in Lentate. its contained architecture is of a refined Romanesque-Gothic style. It can be considered among the most interesting and beautiful village churches in Lombardy. it is open only on Sunday morning and for the numerous weddings, which however are accepted only for local residents and those who have a necessary advance booking as the request is large. It has a beautiful avenue of plane trees which, however, some old ones got sick due to the woodworm but unfortunately they were replaced by new trees. The square is large and it is possible to park all customers.

Coming from Ceriano Laghetto, at the beginning of Cogliate in Borgo San Dalmazzo, on the left and in the background of a path with trees appears the church of San Damiano. The building dates back to the end of the 14th century, with a classic hut shape in the late Gothic style, and is made up of red bricks and river pebbles. Valuable inside and to be admired are the frescoes of the 400 of the school of Bernardino Luini and depicting the theme of the Annunciation, the life of Saints Cosma and Damiano and the Crucifixion.

The sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of San Damiano is small and graceful, a real jewel of simple architecture with richly frescoed interiors. The first construction dates back to the XII century. The valuable frescoes of the church were made between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries; some of them are attributed to the school of Bernardino Luini. The Sanctuary is the focal point of the traditional popular festival of the "Madona de Marz" which is celebrated on March 25th.