The church stands inside the cemetery of Castelletto and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary of the Assumption, but everyone calls it Santa Maria d'Egro: the name comes from the Latin ager, the countryside. The present building was raised on the remains of an earlier one in the baroque age: work began in 1614 and ended in 1636.
What to see
The plan is rectangular, with three naves, the presbytery raised and facing east. The oldest fresco, recently restored, shows the Madonna of the Rose enthroned with the Child. Inside are inscriptions and engravings that recount local history: in particular the seals on the old tombs of the confraternities of Suffrage, of the Blessed Sacrament and of the Rosary, and those linked to the Visconti and to the convent of the Ursulines.
Visiting
It was Sant'Antonio Abate that overtook it in importance, when the baptismal font was placed there around 1578; but Santa Maria d'Egro kept the title of co-parish church until the middle of the eighteenth century. It stands outside the built-up area, keeps the cemetery's hours and takes a few minutes to see.
Our editors' tip
During the conflict between the Franco-Savoyard army and the Spanish imperial forces of Milan the building was used as a hospital. It is the kind of detail that explains why a country church is this large: armies passed through here, and a covered space with three naves served many purposes besides mass.
