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Como

Sanctuary of the Santissimo Crocifisso

The church just outside Como's walls where in 1399 pilgrims coming back from Rome left their crucifix, with stucco, gilding and a frescoed dome.

Visit duration
20–45 min
Booking
Not required
Area
First Basin
The sanctuary's facade and the long arcaded portico on Viale Varese, the dome and bell tower behind.Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0

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The sanctuary's facade and the long arcaded portico on Viale Varese, the dome and bell tower behind.

Zairon · CC BY-SA 4.0

Why go

The Sanctuary of the Santissimo Crocifisso is a church with a single nave and a Latin-cross plan, just outside Como's walls on Viale Varese.

Its origins lie in the church of the Santissima Annunciata, built in 1236 by the canon Erasmo Campanacci on drained marshland. In 1399 pilgrims returning from Rome left here the crucifix that had accompanied them on their journey. The church was consecrated in 1783, extended and decorated in the Baroque style. The crucifix stands above the high altar, in a small shrine amid stucco and gilding. A frescoed dome rises over the crossing.

  • The pilgrims' crucifix of 1399, in an interior all gold, stucco and frescoes, a few steps from the walls.
  • The Latin-cross plan and the dome over the crossing.

Highlights

  • The crucifix in its shrine above the high altar
  • The portico on the street

Getting there

  • On foot from the centre: on Viale Varese, just outside the walls on the west side, a few minutes from Piazza Vittoria.

On the map

Explore the lake
ComoSanctuary of the Santissimo Crocifisso

© OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL

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Sources and credits

Verified at source1 Oct – 9 Oct 2026

Sources (2)

Sources and credits

Verified at source1 Oct – 9 Oct 2026

Sources (2)