Chiesa di Sant'Orsola (Church of Saint Ursula), Como

Situated just outside Como’s medieval city walls near Porta Torre, the Church of Saint Ursula (Chiesa di Sant’Orsola) is a captivating Baroque‑style church consecrated in 1639, built between 1609 and 1614 over an earlier 14th‑century hall church. The earlier structure served a nearby Umiliate nunnery, founded in 1434; the cloistered design partitioned the sacred space for nuns and the public, a feature echoed subtly in the current layout.

The church’s exterior presents a brick façade with a large thermal window and a serizzo‑stone portal from the early 17th century. Though the façade was restored in 1939 and the original bell tower replaced with a modern version, the building retains a simple elegance that blends harmoniously with Como’s historic ambience.

Step inside to a single nave crowned by a barrel‑vault painted in 1614 with frescoes attributed to Giovanni Domenico Caresana. At the apse, a modern 20th‑century fresco by Mario Albertella honors Saint Ursula in glory. The main altar showcases a polychrome marble altarpiece by Moncalvo depicting the saint’s martyrdom, framed by a 17th‑century wooden choir featuring carved figures of nuns and the young noblewomen they once educated.

Along the side walls, visitors will discover the Chapel of the Madonna, which preserves an original fresco by Andrea De Passeri transferred from the old church-it portrays the Madonna offering a carnation to the Christ Child holding a goldfinch. The opposing chapel houses artworks of Franciscan themes, while additional paintings include devotional works by the local Recchi workshop and a striking crucifix with real hair and beard from the 17th century.

For tourists intrigued by art, history, or spiritual architecture, the Church of Saint Ursula provides a peaceful haven off the beaten path, rich in centuries‑old layers, frescoes, and local devotion without the crowds of major attractions.