The crumbling stones whisper tales of a forgotten past. Before you stands the Chiesa di Santa Maria in Stellanda a site rich with history. This wasn’t always a quiet corner of Milan. Originally known as Santa Maria della Natività it stood in the Borgo della Stella now Via Filippo Corridoni. Founded in 1354 by Bergamo de Ferrari it served the Order of the Servants of Mary.
In 1494 the de Montenati a wealthy merchant family and the Candiani brothers established a convent in Rosate. In 1502 Augustinian nuns moved this convent to Milan. They settled near the existing church. The church was then renamed Santa Maria della Stella. The nuns’ beautiful singing made the convent famous. A fascinating detail isn’t it?
The church was modest in size and appearance according to descriptions. It underwent restoration in 1732. The main altar was remade with marble and gilded copper leaves. This made it look far grander than before. Paintings adorned the walls including a Maria Addolorata by Giovanni Cucchi. Empress Elisabetta Cristina of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel even visited enjoying the nuns’ singing.
Sadly the convent’s poverty led to its suppression in 1778. The nuns moved to the Augustinian convent of San Filippo Neri. The church and convent were sold at auction to pay debts. Only fragments remain of this once vibrant place of worship and community. The Chiesa di Santa Maria in Stellanda stands as a testament to Milan’s rich and complex history. A silent reminder of lives lived and stories told within its walls. A story we can only partially reconstruct but one that speaks of faith devotion and the passage of time.