Church of St.
Michael Archangel, Busto Arsizio
The Church of St. Michael Archangel is one of t he most import ant Cat holic churches of Bust o
Arsizio. The church was const ruct ed above an ancient Lombardic fort ificat ion, demolished at t he
beginning of t he 12t h cent ury.[1]
History
The medieval church
A small chapel was present in t he Lombardic Fort ificat ions. This was demolished during t he 12t h
cent ury, and replaced wit h a much larger church, shaped like a basilica, wit h various alt ars.[2]
The current church
The church photographed from Via
Matteotti
Church of Saint Michael Archangel
Provostal Church of Saint Michael
Archangel
The church during its expansion in 1937
Church of St. Michael Archangel
The church after its expansion
Const ruct ion of t he current church began on Wikimedia | © O penStreetMap
25 March 1653, and finished in 1679 (t he
Location Busto Arsizio,
façade would be finished nearly 120 years
Lombardy
lat er, in 1796). The church was designed by
Francesco Maria Richini. The church's Country Italy
const ruct ion was orient at ed around t he bell Denomination Roman Catholic
t ower. The bell t ower was facing t he apse of
t he old church, so t he new church was rot at ed History
so t hat t he bell t ower faced t he left side of Founded 1000 (old church)
t he building.[3] 1652 (current
church)
The marble alt ar was complet ed in 1753, and
was designed by Bust occo Biagio Bellot t i. In Dedication Saint Michael
1796 t he façade was complet ed. It was t hen Archangel
rest ored in 1924.[4] Consecrated 1753
The bapt ist ery was const ruct ed in 1884, and in Architecture
[5]
1937, t he church was expanded.
Architect(s) Francesco Maria
Richini
Style Baroque (church)
Architectural design Romanesque (bell
tower)
Exterior
Years built 1652–1796,
expanded in 1937
The church has a large Baroque façade. On t he
left of t he building t here is t he bell t ower. The Specifications
bell t ower is one of Bust o Arsizio's oldest
Capacity 500
buildings, wit h it s const ruct ion commencing in
c. 10t h cent ury. Before being a bell t ower, it Administration
served as a t ower for t he lombardic
Diocese Diocese of Milan
Fort ificat ion.[6]
Parish Saint Michael
The clock of t he bell t ower was made in 1559.
Archangel
The church init ially had 3 bells, but in 1889
anot her 9 bells were added.[7] Clergy
Priest(s) Don Giorgio Fantoni
Interior Don Fabio Ercoli
Don Adriano
Colombo
The frescos
The church has t he shape of t he Lat in Cross, wit h a single nave covered wit h a barrel vault along
which t here are t en side chapels, five on each side.
On t he right side of t he nave are:
‘’Chapel of t he Crucifix‘’: it is locat ed near t he t hird arch. In it t here is a wooden crucifix dat ing
back t o t he 16t h cent ury and a canvas from t he end of t he 15t h cent ury at t ribut able t o t he
school of Ambrogio da Fossano known as il Bergognone (1481–1522) depict ing t he Virgin wit h
t he deposed Christ and angels. Inside t he chapel t here is also a chiselled silver cross at t ribut ed
t o Biagio Bellot t i t hat holds a relic of t he Holy Cross. At t he sides of t he alt ar are frescoes of
Mary Magdalene and Veronica.
‘’Chapel of St . Felix and t he relics‘’: locat ed near t he fourt h arch. It cont ains t he urn of St . Felix
and, kept in a niche above t he alt ar, reliquaries dat ing back t o t he XVI and XVII cent uries. One is
in t he shape of a cross, t wo in t he shape of bust s of saint s and ot hers of different
workmanship. There is also a paint ing by Giovan Mauro della Rovere known as il Fiammenghino
(1575–1640) depict ing St . Charles in adorat ion of t he Holy Nail. On t he sides of t he alt ar are
frescoes of t he early Christ ian mart yrs and t he cat acombs.[8]
‘’Chapel of St . Francis of Paola‘’: built in 1738, it is locat ed near t he fift h arch. In it are t wo
paint ings, bot h by an unknown aut hor: one, rect angular in shape, depict s t he apparit ion of St .
Michael t he Archangel t o St . Francis of Paola, t he ot her, oval, shows a miracle by t he lat t er. On
t he sides of t he alt ar are frescoes of St . August ine and St . John t he Bapt ist . [8]
On t he left side of t he nave are:
‘’Chapel of St . Joseph‘’: it is locat ed near t he t hird arch. In it t here is a wooden group t hat was
ordered in 1903 from t he firm Mayer of Munich. On t he vault of t he chapel, t he glory of Saint s
Cosmas and Damian is depict ed. On t he sides of t he alt ar, t wo frescoes show Joseph t he Jew
and David. [7]
‘’Chapel of t he Sacred Heart ‘’: is locat ed near t he fourt h archway. Unt il 1882 it was dedicat ed
t o t he Holy Innocent Mart yrs, whose memory remains in t he cart ouche on t he vault of t he
chapel. The st at ue of t he Sacred Heart is by t he firm Mayer of Munich and was placed in t he
niche in 1882. On t he sides of t he alt ar are St . Thomas Aquinas and St . Margaret Mary
Alacoque.
‘’Chapel of Madonna‘’: it is locat ed near t he fift h archway. In addit ion t o t he st at ue of t he
Immaculat e, t he lunet t e above t he alt ar depict s an angel wit h t he words t aken from t he Tot a
pulcra hallelujah verse: ‘’et macula originalis non est in t e‘’. [7]
References
1. "Chiesa di San Michele" (ht t ps://web.archive.org/web/20100307122006/ht t p://www.dist ret t
obust oarsizio.com/product s/chiesa-di-san-michele/) . Archived from t he original (ht t p://ww
w.dist ret t obust oarsizio.com/product s/chiesa-di-san-michele/) on 7 March 2010.
Ret rieved 4 Sept ember 2011.
2. "Chiesa San Michele – Bust o Event i" (ht t ps://www.bust oevent i.it /locat ion-event o/chiesa-sa
n-michele/) . www.bustoeventi.it.
3. AA. VV., 2006, vol. I, p. 16.
4. "Parrocchia San Michele Arcangelo – Realizzat o con WordPress" (ht t ps://www.sanmichelebu
st o.it /) .
5. "Archit et t ura Romanica Provincia Varese - Bust o Arsizio - S. Michele Arcangelo" (ht t ps://sit e
s.google.com/sit e/varesearchit et t uraromanica/home/bust o-arsizio---s-michele-arcangel
o) . sites.google.com.
6. "CHIESA DI SAN MICHELE ARCANGELO | I Luoghi del Cuore - FAI" (ht t ps://fondoambient e.it /
luoghi/chiesa-di-san-michele-arcangelo-bust o-arsizio?ldc) . fondoambiente.it.
7. "Chiesa di San Michele - DUC Bust o Arsizio" (ht t ps://www.ducbust oarsizio.it /bust o-arsizio/le-
bellezze-di-bust o/chiesa-di-san-michele/) .
8. "Parrocchia di San Michele Arcangelo, Bust o Arsizio" (ht t ps://www.it alia.it /it /lombardia/bust o
-arsizio/chiese-luoghi-di-cult o/parrocchia-di-san-michele-arcangelo) . Italia.it.
