Overlooking the historic square of the old Carale pier, now known as Mazzini Square, the Church of the Madonna della Soledad is one of the most fascinating yet least well-known places in Gravedona ed Uniti. This small Baroque oratory harbours a surprising history that links Lake Como to 17th-century Spain.
The building was commissioned by Giovan Battista Giovannini of Gravedona, born in 1636, who moved to Spain, where he became the personal surgeon to Don Juan of Austria, the son of King Philip IV. It was during his stay in Spain that Giovannini developed a strong devotion to the Madonna della Soledad, to whom he dedicated the oratory upon his return to the Lake Como area.
Inside the church is a very rare artwork: a painting of the ‘Christ of Burgos’, an iconography of Spanish origin that is widespread in the Iberian world but almost unknown in Italy. Christ is depicted crucified and dressed in a long embroidered white cloth, which is why he is sometimes also called ‘Christ with the skirt’. According to the studies of the historian Paolo Militello, the painting in Gravedona is one of the very few examples in Italy of this particular sacred representation, alongside a work preserved in Scicli, Sicily. Both appear to draw inspiration from 17th-century Spanish pictorial models linked to the famous Christ venerated in Burgos Cathedral. The Church of La Soledad therefore represents not only a precious place of worship, but also a unique testimony to the historical, artistic and cultural links between Lake Como, Spain and the Mediterranean.
The church, which is still consecrated, belonged to the Motti family, who recently donated it to the Municipality of Gravedona ed Uniti. The church is not currently open to visitors, but plans are being drawn up for roof renovation and restoration work.
