Stage 2 – From the Basilica of S. Vincenzo (St. Vincent) of Galliano to the Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine dei Miracoli (Blessed Virgin of Miracles)

Description

Going out of the Sanctuary, keeping the left, cross via Brighi on the pedestrian crossing in correspondence of the corner of the Sanctuary, take the sidewalk in porphyry cubes and, keeping your right, take again the alley called Viale della Madonna.
Keep on the alley, always on the right sidewalk, and cross, always on the pedestrian crossing, the streets that flow into it. Once you reach the square called Piazza degli Alpini and the crossing with via Ariberto da Intimiano, cross this street and turn left; after a few meters, take on your right in Via Fiammenghini for about 150 meters, then turn left in the narrow via Pietrasanta. The street, asphalted, climbs up the hill of San Paolo, on the side of the Oratory of the Blessed Virgin or Madonnina of S. Paolo, built between the end of 15th and the beginning of the 16th century around an older image of a breastfeeding Madonna, painted on the old city wall.
When going out of the oratory, take the descending street via don Carlo Annoni, cobbled, with a stone strip on your right. Go along via Annoni for about 130 meters towards Piazza Garibaldi, the main square of Cantù; at the end of the descent cross via Ariberto and, always keeping on the right, follow the perimeter of the square until you cross via Manzoni. Once you pass the pedestrian crossing, keep on the square up to the crossing with via Corbetta. Turn in via Corbetta, in descent, first on the left sidewalk, then on the right, in a protected walk. Via Corbetta is the heart of the Contrada delle Torri, that sends us back into middle-age Cantù. On the descent you will pass, on the right, the beautiful tower attached to the Palazzo della Permanente Mobili, crowned by an elegant roof terrace, and, on the corner of via Argenti, Casa Argenti (19^th century), whose facade shows a beautiful balcony over the arch of the portal, and a sturdy and well kept tower.
Further on, on the right, you reach the churchyard of the romanesque Church of S. Teodoro (St. Theodorus), that keeps a refined breastfeeding Madonna.
Just after the church, via Corbetta ends in Piazza Sirtori, once Fontana. We are now at the north-west border of middle-age Cantù: just a few meters after this square the Porta Fontana (Fontana gate) opened on the ancient Via Canturina, coming from Como, now called via Daverio. Out of the city walls, in a prudential attitude, stood the Hospitale (hospital) dedicated to Saint Antony, in order to receive pilgrims and people in need. At number 21/A of via Daverio remains a courtyard structure, which underwent many modifications, as well as the ancient Church of S. Antonio (St. Antony), where, just out of the fortified city, as the Madonna di Galliano and that of the Sanctuary, one last simple breastfeeding Madonna is still ready to protect the city, its walls and its people…

 

Gallery

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