Chiesa dei Santi Salvatore e Margherita

Did you ever hear of a church that took nearly two centuries to finish its facade? I’m talking about the Chiesa dei Santi Salvatore e Margherita right here in Busto Garolfo. The story of this church is a testament to patience. The Chiesa dei Santi Salvatore e Margherita isn’t just a beautiful building. It’s a time capsule, holding centuries of Busto Garolfo’s history within its walls. The first whispers of a chapel here date back to the Middle Ages. The Liber Notitiae Sanctorum Mediolani mentions it as a branch of the Pieve di San Genesio di Dairago, a fact confirmed in the 1398 Notitia Cleri. It wasn’t until 1464 that Busto Garolfo finally got its own parish church, the Chiesa dei Santi Salvatore e Margherita. The current structure started taking shape in the early 16th century. Construction wrapped up in 1542, and the church was consecrated in 1570 by Archbishop Carlo Borromeo. Then comes the fascinating part. The facade, designed by the renowned Francesco Maria Richini, wasn’t actually built until the 17th century. Can you imagine? A church without its face for nearly two hundred years! The Chiesa dei Santi Salvatore e Margherita continued to evolve. Records from Archbishop Giuseppe Pozzobonelli’s 1753 visit reveal the church’s reach, with chapels dedicated to Santa Maria Maddalena and San Remigio under its wing, along with the Oratory of the Olcella farmhouse. By 1780, the congregation had grown to nearly 1300 souls. Even in the 20th century, the Chiesa dei Santi Salvatore e Margherita wasn’t done transforming. It served as a vicariate for a time, and underwent renovations in 1937. The current facade? That’s a surprisingly recent addition, constructed between 1960 and 1961. Talk about a long-term project! Today, the Chiesa dei Santi Salvatore e Margherita stands as a testament to time, devotion, and the ever-changing face of faith. Inside, you’ll find artistic treasures, including a magnificent wooden choir carved by Carlo Garavaglia in 1742, and paintings from Giovanni Battista Crespi and Carlo Naymiller. The Chiesa dei Santi Salvatore e Margherita is more than just bricks and mortar. It’s a living story, echoing with the voices of generations past.