The Renaissance church of Santa Croce rises above the town of Riva San Vitale and was built towards the end of the 16th century. The yellow facade and the mighty dome are particularly striking. It's also worth taking a look inside.
Dating back to the last decades of the 16th century (1580-1594, consecrated in 1599) and characterized by an imposing lowered vaulted dome covered in copper, it dominates the historic core of the village from above. Built near the family home at the behest of Canon Giovan Andrea Della Croce who also chose it as his final resting place, the building has a square plan on the outside which becomes octagonal in the upper part, the latter also being repeated on the inside. Of particular value are the three wooden portals modeled with decorative motifs. Inside you can admire rich stuccoes, frescoes and characteristic Doric columns made of fake marble. The floor, finely made with polychrome stones and marbles inlaid and arranged in geometric shapes, contains the symbols of the Passion of Christ in the centre. On the surface of the dome you can glimpse what presumably was the representation of Paradise, the work of the Pozzi brothers originally from Valsolda. The three canvases and frescoes adorning the vault of the main chapel and the two altarpieces of the side chapels can be traced back to the inspiration of Camillo Procaccini (1561-1629), an established artist working in Lombardy; the remaining canvases and part of the frescoes are instead by the artists active in his workshop. The main chapel has a canvas in the center depicting St. Helena adoring the Cross and on the sides the Dream of Constantine and the Finding of the True Cross. The side chapels are dedicated to the Assumption of Mary and to the figure of St. Bernardino, the latter chosen to be traced back to an act of devotion and gratitude by the founder of the Temple, towards the homonymous and illustrious uncle Bernardino Della Croce, already a close collaborator of Pope Paul III Farnese, Bishop of Casale Monferrato and Como. The elements of the coat of arms of the Rivense family, the eight-pointed cross surmounted by the three Farnese lilies, can be traced back precisely to this connection.
The balustrades and stoups present are made of Arzo "marble", like many artefacts existing in the sacred buildings of the region. The construction is today attributed to the architect Giovan Antonio Piotti, originally from Vacallo, who also worked on the Cathedral of Como and built prestigious noble residences in Como.
Source: Riva San Vitale municipality website
Translated by Google •
In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!