The ancient parish church of St. Vincent is located next to the Church of S. Maria del Tiglio (St. Mary of The Lime Tree). In the architectural compound there is the church with the sacristy on the southern side, the crypt dedicated to St. Anthony and the two oratories dedicated to St. Martha and S. Michael.
Towards the second half of the X century and the beginning of the XI century, St. Vincent's church was built on the first ancient church: a new church with three naves of pagan origin, then place of worship in Roman times (a sacrificial altar, belonging to that time, is located at the side entrance corresponding to the crypt dedicated to St. Anthony, a small environment that once served as a real church).
The sacristy was adorned with carefully carved cupboards and surmounted by very fine wooden statues, preserves a treasure that is among the most important of Lake of Como, the fruit of various donations made to the church by the Gravedona’s inhabitants and consisting of numerous objects of great artistic and historical value and in particular a large golden cross and a chalice, works of the great local goldsmith Ser Gregori, and an ancient parchment dated 931 written under Ugo, king of Italy in the fifth year of his Reign.
Peculiarity of the Church of S. Vincenzo is the absence of a bell tower. In 1745 the two large paintings representing the Martyrdom of St. Vincent, placed on the sides of the presbytery, were made. Later, Carlo Scotti painted the fresco on the apse of the choir. Finally, in 1889, it was painted and embellished with ornaments by the painter Luigi Tagliaferri, redone the floor of the church and the front porch. Thanks to the work carried out in 1977/79 Romanesque elements were discovered, including two portions of the capital, the stone sacrificial wells and a floor with irregular stones that made one think of the existence of a pagan temple.
Opening hours
Every day: 8.30am-7pm
Masses schedule: view the dedicated section
