Church of Saints Ambrose and Bernard (Chiesa dei SS. Ambrogio e Bernardo)
The present church was built on the site of an earlier one, probably of early medieval origin. The reconstruction was completed in 1673 under Abbot Giuseppe Rainoldi, as stated on the plaque inside the entrance. From the older structure remains only a fragment of a fresco with the monogram IHS—a Latin abbreviation of Jesus’ Greek name—on the right wall of the nave.
The façade, divided by pilasters, has a large central window and ends with a triangular pediment. At the base stands a portico with three round arches, added in 1714. The parish house, attached to the right side, was once known as the Palace of the Monastery of Saint Ambrose in Milan, since Limonta was under its rule. This link to the Milanese abbey is confirmed by two imperial decrees from Emperor Lothair in 835, granting the monks oil to light the tomb of his brother-in-law Hugh, buried in the Milan basilica.
Inside, the single nave with a barrel vault ends with a square presbytery, preceded by two chapels: to the right, one dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua; to the left, one to Our Lady of the Rosary. The 17th-century enlargement gave the entire decoration its Baroque style.
Entering on the left, there is a small Baptistery chapel with a stone font. Nearby stands the organ, whose balcony is decorated with two reliefs of Saint Luke and Saint Mark, originally part of the pulpit. The pulpit, from the 1600s, has three high reliefs showing The Sermon on the Mount in the center, with Saint Matthew and Saint John on the sides.
The Chapel of Our Lady of the Rosary, built around 1680 and later modified, is rich in stucco decorations with angels, flowers, and two large statues of prophets. A modern statue of the Virgin stands between them. The frescoes above represent the Mysteries of the Rosary.
The triumphal arch is decorated with many small wooden angels in Baroque style, holding the Instruments of the Passion.
The current marble altar, brought here in 1797 from a former monastery in Domaso, replaced an older wooden Baroque altar, which was later moved to the Church of Saint Martin in Bellagio.
The presbytery decoration is rich and varied, with framed paintings celebrating the Holy Scriptures and the patron saints. On the left wall, between paintings of Saint Luke and Saint John, is the Lactation of Saint Bernard, a 17th-century work from the workshop of the Recchi brothers from Como, who also worked at the nearby Sanctuary of the Madonna del Moletto. Probably by the same artist is the large canvas showing Saint Anthony, Saint Dionysius, and Saint Dominic, placed on the opposite wall, next to paintings of Saint Mark, Saint Matthew, and an Angel—a clear homage to Caravaggio’s work in the Church of Saint Louis of the French in Rome.
On the back wall of the presbytery stands a fine late-15th-century polyptych depicting the Crucifixion with Saints. Before the 17th-century rebuilding, it decorated the main altar. The Crucifixion scene fills the upper and lower sections, while the side panels show Saint Ambrose, Saint Bernard, Saint Dionysius, and Saint Peter Martyr, all linked to local devotion.
The right chapel, dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, was built in 1672 by two local canons. In its niche, framed by stucco columns and angels, stands a wooden statue of the saint. The surrounding frescoes show the saint’s virtues and miracles. Another painting nearby represents Saint Joseph with Saint Charles Borromeo from the late 17th century.
The present church replaces an older, possibly medieval building. The reconstruction was completed in 1673, as recorded on a plaque placed on the inner façade. From the ancient church remains only a small fresco with the symbol of Christ on the right wall of the nave.
The façade is simple and well-proportioned, divided by pilasters and featuring a large central window topped by a triangular pediment. At the base stands a portico with three arches, built in 1714. Next to it is the parish house, once the palace of the Monastery of Saint Ambrose in Milan, of which Limonta was a fief. An ancient imperial document by Emperor Lothair, dating back to 853, confirms this link: the inhabitants of Limonta were required to supply the oil for the lamp that illuminated the tomb of Hugh, the emperor’s brother-in-law, buried in the Milanese basilica.
Inside, the church has a single nave covered by a barrel vault. On either side are two chapels: one dedicated to Saint Anthony of Padua, the other to the Madonna of the Rosary. The 17th-century renovation gave the church a Baroque character, evident in its decoration and design.
Near the entrance is the Baptistery chapel, with a stone basin. A little further on is the organ, whose balcony features carved decorations depicting the Evangelists. The pulpit, dating from the 17th century, is adorned with three decorated panels.
The Chapel of the Madonna of the Rosary, built in 1680 and later restored, is richly decorated with stuccoes, angels, and floral motifs. Beside the statue of the Virgin stand the prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah, while the walls are covered with frescoes illustrating the Mysteries of the Rosary.
The arch leading to the presbytery is adorned with wooden angels holding the symbols of the Passion. The marble altar, originally from an old monastery in Domaso, in the upper part of the lake, was installed here in 1797.
The presbytery is decorated with paintings and stucco frames depicting Biblical episodes and honoring the church’s patron saint. One wall features a large canvas representing an episode from the life of Saint Bernard, attributed to the Recchi workshop, painters active in Como in the 17th century.
On the back wall is a 15th-century polyptych showing the Crucifixion with saints, a valuable work that originally belonged to the old altar.
The right-hand chapel, built in 1672, houses a wooden statue of the church’s patron saint, Saint Anthony of Padua. The niche is framed by columns and angels, while the frescoes narrate the saint’s virtues and miracles. The decoration is completed by a painting of Saint Joseph and Saint Charles.
