SHARRYLAND
Church of Saints Peter and Paul and Baptistery, in Agliate
Extraordinary complex, among the earliest evidence of Romanesque in Italy
Where is
What is it and where is the church of Agliate
The church of St. Peter and Paul, with its four-sloped façade, appears austere, almost severe, made as it is of poor materials, herringbone pebbles and bricks; two splayed windows give light to the interior. The view from behind is the most beautiful, with the three apses equipped with single-lancet windows and the central one with a crowning of deep niches. Next to it stands the baptistery, with an irregular nine-sided plan, splayed windows, hanging arch decoration and deep niches as in the church.
Why it is special: striking capitals
In the austere interior, divided into three naves, the columns and capitals, which are all different from each other, are surprising. They are salvaged material from the ancient parish church and Roman buildings in the surrounding area. Not to be missed is the capital of the penultimate column on the left, with two dolphins drinking from an amphora, perhaps from a Roman temple dedicated to some river deity. Also interesting is the second column on the left made from a Roman milestone that still bears its inscription; it dates back to Emperor Julian the Apostate and indicated the second mile from Como.
Not to be missed: the baptistery
The interior of the baptistery is exciting, with the central immersion pool and frescoes still legible. Beautiful and expressive is the 14th-century deposition, perhaps of the Giotto school. The bearded, fur-covered saint is curious; he is supposed to be St. Onofrio.
A bit of history
The church was built in the late 10th and early 11th centuries on the foundations of a much older building. The baptistery is slightly later. Few traces remain of the original pictorial decoration because other frescoes, mostly votive, were superimposed over the next three centuries. The bell tower is a late 19th-century construction.
Curiosity: Agliate and the Lambro.
Agliate can also be reached on foot with a magnificent walk along the Lambro that starts from Monza Park and goes as far as Erba, but if you don't want to walk too far you can take the Lungo Lambro at Carate and go back up to Agliate.
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