According to local tradition, a deaf-mute child wandering the wooded slopes above Lake Como discovered a marble statue of the Virgin Mary—probably hidden during some ancient invasion and forgotten for centuries. The moment she touched it, her voice and hearing were restored. Around that miraculous image, a sanctuary rose in the sixteenth century; in the seventeenth, fourteen chapels climbed the hillside below it, housing 230 life-size terracotta figures that bring the mysteries of the Rosary to three-dimensional life. Today the Sacro Monte di Ossuccio stands as one of nine sacred mountains inscribed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, and certainly the most spectacularly situated—perched on a prealpine crag 200 meters above the western shore of Lake Como, looking directly across the water to Isola Comacina.
The walk up through the chapels is a meditation that unfolds through art and nature. Each small building contains polychrome statues and frescoes depicting a mystery of the Rosary: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, continuing through Christ's Passion to Mary's Coronation in Heaven. The craftsmen came from the nearby Val d'Intelvi, whose masters of stucco and sculpture deployed Baroque decoration across Italy, Austria, and Germany. The principal artist, Agostino Silva of Morbio, spent his career creating these figures and the ornate sanctuary where the miraculous statue still waits—a small white marble Virgin in a side chapel to the left of the altar.
The views alone would justify the climb: Lake Como spreading below in brilliant blue, the red roofs of Tremezzina along the shore, the Grigne peaks rising to the north, and just offshore the green hump of Isola Comacina—the only island in the lake, once a major religious center until Como's armies destroyed it in 1127. Pilgrims who reach the sanctuary find themselves suspended between water and sky, at a place where nature and devotion have merged since the Counter-Reformation first sent sculptors up these slopes.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
The Sacri Monti arose from Counter-Reformation spirituality's conviction that sacred art could move hearts where sermons failed. Beginning at Varallo in 1491, religious orders and local patrons built complexes of chapels in the Alpine foothills, populating them with life-size figures that made biblical scenes viscerally present to pilgrims who could not read Latin theology. Nine of these sacred mountains survive in Piedmont and Lombardy, inscribed together by UNESCO in 2003 for their "successful integration of architecture and fine art into a landscape of great beauty for spiritual purposes."
Ossuccio's Sacro Monte took shape between 1635 and 1710, though the sanctuary at the summit predates it. The site was built around the miraculous statue of the Madonna del Soccorso—Our Lady of Rescue—discovered by the deaf-mute child and venerated ever since as a source of healing and protection. The tradition of the "Madonna of the Rescuing" honored the Virgin who saves those in peril, particularly travelers in the dangerous mountains; pilgrims left votive paintings depicting miraculous rescues through her intercession.
The fourteen chapels illustrate three of the four mysteries of the Rosary: the Joyful Mysteries (Annunciation through Finding in the Temple), the Sorrowful Mysteries (Agony in the Garden through Crucifixion), and the Glorious Mysteries (Resurrection through Coronation of Mary). Each chapel contains statues and frescoes designed to draw pilgrims into prayerful contemplation—the Rosary made visible and tangible. The devotional logic is simple: as pilgrims climb, they meditate; as they meditate, they pray.
Agostino Silva of Morbio (1620-1706) served as the principal sculptor, creating most of the 230 figures that populate the chapels—163 human figures, 52 angels, and 15 animals. Silva belonged to the maestri intelvesi, the masters from the Intelvi Valley whose stucco work adorned churches from Urbino to Assisi to Vienna. His figures at Ossuccio combine technical mastery with emotional intensity, particularly in the Passion scenes where suffering and devotion merge.
The sanctuary at the summit was completed in 1719, its ceiling richly frescoed with the Coronation and Assumption of Mary. The miraculous fourteenth-century statue—a small white marble Virgin—rests in a side chapel to the left of the main altar, still the focus of pilgrimage after five centuries.
Below the Sacro Monte stands the ancient church of Santa Maria Maddalena, with its distinctive Romanesque bell tower dating to the twelfth century and a Gothic-Moorish spire added in the fourteenth or fifteenth. This campanile has become a symbol of Lake Como itself, rising above the shore as it has for eight hundred years.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Ossuccio
Sacro Monte della Beata Vergine del Soccorso
Sacred Mount of Our Lady of Rescue
The fourteen Baroque chapels ascend a wooded hillside above Lake Como, each housing life-size polychrome statues and frescoes depicting a mystery of the Rosary. Built between 1635 and 1710, the chapels contain 230 terracotta and stucco figures by Agostino Silva and other masters from the Intelvi Valley. The walk from the hamlet of Molgisio near Lenno takes approximately 30-45 minutes, climbing about 200 meters through a tree-lined avenue paved with old cobblestones. The path cannot be driven; pilgrims must walk. Each chapel invites pause for prayer and contemplation before continuing to the sanctuary at the summit. UNESCO inscribed the Sacro Monte as a World Heritage Site in 2003.
Santuario della Beata Vergine del Soccorso
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Rescue
The pilgrimage church at the summit of the Sacro Monte, completed in 1719, houses the miraculous statue that gave rise to the entire complex. The ceiling frescoes depict the Coronation of the Virgin and her Assumption into Heaven in rich Baroque color. The miraculous image—a fourteenth-century white marble statue of the Madonna discovered by a deaf-mute child who was healed upon touching it—rests in a side chapel to the left of the main altar. The sanctuary terrace offers panoramic views of Lake Como, Isola Comacina, and the Grigne mountains. Mass is celebrated regularly; pilgrims are welcome throughout the year.
Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena
Church of Saint Mary Magdalene
The Romanesque oratory in the hamlet of Ospedaletto dates to the eleventh or twelfth century and was first documented in 1169 as part of the Antico Hospitalis di Stabio, which welcomed pilgrims and the poor traveling the ancient Via Regina. The single-nave interior preserves frescoes of the Lombard school, including a sixteenth-century depiction of the Giovio family offering themselves to the Virgin surrounded by saints. The distinctive bell tower—with its square Romanesque base from the twelfth century and Gothic-Moorish spire added in the fourteenth or fifteenth—has become an iconic symbol of Lake Como, recognizable in photographs and paintings for centuries.
Isola Comacina
Comacina Island
The only island in Lake Como lies directly offshore from Ossuccio, accessible by taxi-boat from the waterfront. Before its destruction in 1127, the island was one of the most important religious centers in the Diocese of Como, hosting several churches including the eleventh-century Basilica of Sant'Eufemia. The island sided with Milan against Como in the Ten Year War and was completely destroyed by Comaschi forces allied with Frederick Barbarossa; the population fled, and the Church of Santa Eufemia in Ossuccio took over the island's religious functions. Today visitors can explore archaeological remains and the Antiquarium museum in Ossuccio, which displays Roman and early Christian artifacts recovered from the island. The island's tragic history adds poignancy to the view from the Sacro Monte above.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Feast of Our Lady of Rescue — First Sunday of September
The principal feast of the sanctuary draws pilgrims from across the Lake Como region to honor the Madonna del Soccorso. Solemn Mass is celebrated at the summit sanctuary, and special processions may accompany the feast. The occasion recalls the miraculous healing that gave rise to the devotion.
Feast of the Rosary — October 7
The commemoration of Our Lady of the Rosary takes on special significance at a Sacro Monte whose chapels depict the Rosary's mysteries. Pilgrims are invited to walk the devotional path praying the Rosary, chapel by chapel, mystery by mystery.
Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene — July 22
The patronal feast of the ancient church of Santa Maria Maddalena is observed in the lower village, honoring the penitent saint and the Romanesque heritage of this pilgrimage stop on the Via Regina.
🛏️ Where to Stay
Grand Hotel Tremezzo ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — The legendary 1910 lakefront property with 90 rooms, a floating pool on the lake, spa, and fine dining. Faces Bellagio with the Grigne mountains as backdrop. Closed in winter; reopens mid-March. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Albergo Lenno ⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Overlooking Lake Como in the Golfo di Venere bay, steps from the Lenno ferry dock and the path to the Sacro Monte. Thirty-one rooms with lake-view terrace and swimming pool. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Hotel Rusall ⭐⭐⭐ — Family-run property in Rogaro above Villa Carlotta, with swimming pool, tennis court, and panoramic lake views. Free parking; car recommended. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel
Hotel La Darsena ⭐⭐⭐ — Budget-friendly option in Tremezzina with lake views and a welcoming atmosphere for pilgrims. Reserve this hotel
🚗 Getting There
By Air: Milan Malpensa Airport is approximately 70 kilometers south. Take the Malpensa Express train to Saronno, then a regional train to Como Lago (approximately 1 hour 15 minutes total). From Como, continue by bus or ferry to Ossuccio.
By Train: Trains from Milan Centrale or Milan Porta Garibaldi reach Como San Giovanni in 40-60 minutes. From Como, buses to Tremezzina run twice per hour (approximately 45 minutes to Lenno/Ossuccio). Ferries also operate from Como to Lenno, offering a scenic alternative.
By Car: From Milan, take the A9 motorway to Como, then follow the SS340 along the western shore of Lake Como to Tremezzina (approximately 1.5 hours total). Parking is available at the first and fourth chapel; it is not possible to reach the sanctuary by car.
On Foot to the Sacro Monte: From Lenno's main square, follow the Greenway del Lago di Como toward Ossuccio (marked with medallions). The path to the first chapel begins in the hamlet of Molgisio. The climb takes 30-45 minutes, covering approximately 1.5-2 kilometers with 200 meters of elevation gain. The cobblestone path can be slippery when wet; good walking shoes are recommended.
By Ferry: Navigazione Laghi operates ferries year-round from Como to Lenno. Spring through fall, boats run from 7 AM to 8 PM, every 30-60 minutes. The ferry is slower than the bus but far more scenic.
📚 Further Reading
Online Resources:
Sacro Monte di Ossuccio — Official information from the Sacri Monti regional authority.
UNESCO World Heritage: Sacri Monti — Official UNESCO listing for all nine sacred mountains.
Lake Como Travel — Practical information on transportation, ferries, and accommodation around Lake Como.
🔗 Useful Links
Navigazione Laghi — Ferry schedules and routes on Lake Como.
Lake Como Tourism — Regional tourism portal.
Tremezzina Municipality — Local government information and events.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Como Cathedral (25 km) — The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, one of the most important religious buildings in northern Italy. Construction spanned from 1396 to 1770, making it the last Gothic cathedral built in Italy.
Piona Abbey (45 km) — Founded in the seventh century by Benedictine monks on a promontory at the northern tip of Lake Como. Now home to Cistercian monks who produce artisan liqueurs and herbal teas. A place of profound peace.
Sacro Monte di Varese (40 km) — The closest of the other UNESCO Sacri Monti, featuring fourteen chapels depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary along a 2-kilometer cobblestone path to the sanctuary of Santa Maria del Monte.
Varallo Sesia (90 km) — The oldest and largest of the Sacri Monti, founded in 1491 as a "New Jerusalem" with forty-five chapels housing over 800 life-size statues.
Milan (75 km) — The Duomo, Saint Ambrose's basilica, and Santa Maria delle Grazie with Leonardo's Last Supper.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"The Rosary is the compendium of the entire Gospel." — Pope Paul VI, Marialis Cultus, 42
