Pogliano Milanese: Churches, History and Basso Olona

Churches as a Key to Local History

Pogliano Milanese reveals itself through several layers of Italian local history. The Santuario Madonna dell'Aiuto was the town's parish church until the new church was completed in 1971. The new Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo was consecrated by Cardinal Colombo on 12 April 1971.

As early as 1566, parish pastoral care was transferred by decree of Archbishop S. Carlo Borromeo from the old church of S. Pietro to the church that was then called Oratorio di Sant’Ambrogio. The Santuario Madonna dell'Aiuto also houses a fresco depicting the Madonna dell'Aiuto from the second half of the 15th century. For visitors interested in culture, this is where the development of the town is connected with a specific work of art.

The Chiesa San Giuseppe has a single-nave layout with a wooden coffered ceiling from the late 17th century and a rectangular presbytery. A marble balustrade from the 18th century leads to the high altar from the 17th century. It is believed that the church was once the chapel of the Visconti palace. It is currently used as a subsidiary church for services. The Chiesa Santa Rita also bears several historical layers: its present form dates back to expansion work completed with its consecration on 28 September 1986. Stained-glass windows depicting scenes from the life of Jesus were designed by Padre Radaelli in 1984.

Memorial Sites and Ancient Traces

On Piazza del Santuario stands the Monumento ai Caduti, on the site of the former cemetery of Pogliano Milanese. The monument commemorates the comrades who fell on the battlefield during the First World War. It consists of a 3.5-metre-high pyramid made of white Alzo granite, supported by four bronze spheres. At its base are a bronze eagle with a flag lying beneath its feet and a laurel wreath in its beak, as well as two further bronze wreaths at the sides. The monument was initiated by First World War veterans together with the parish priest, Don Angelo Corti, and the civil administration.

A considerably older historical layer can be found on Via Arluno: the Roman necropolis on Via Arluno in Pogliano Milanese is dated to the period from the end of the 1st century BC to the third quarter of the 1st century AD. Together with the churches and the war memorial, this site shows how far back the municipality's historical connections extend.

Landscape along the Basso Olona

The landscape of Parco del Basso Olona is also part of Pogliano Milanese's character. It is shaped by fontanili, spring water, farmland, meadows, horticultural crops and dairy cattle farming. The PLIS del Basso Olona offers green paths for residents' well-being and envisages the development of educational and recreational trails for use of the park.

Orientation for Your Trip

Two transport connections are important for understanding the area's geography: the S.S. 33 del Sempione crosses the municipal area and separates the Bettolino district from the town centre. The Milano-Gallarate-Varese railway line also runs through the main town area; Vanzago-Pogliano station, however, is located in the municipality of Vanzago. Depending on your focus, Pogliano Milanese can therefore be explored from a cultural-historical, archaeological or landscape perspective. This combination of religious buildings, memorial sites, Roman traces and the Basso Olona landscape makes the town a versatile destination for an individually planned trip to Italy.

Further destinations in the same area: Casone, Arluno, Baranzate, Casorezzo, Inveruno, Colturano, Agrate Brianza, Boffalora Sopra Ticino.

For the higher-level travel overview: Milan.