Eremo di San Donato, 15th century hermitage in Como, Italy.
The Eremo di San Donato is a religious complex in Como situated on a rocky outcrop at about 453 meters elevation, featuring a single-nave church and bell tower. The structure was partly developed from a natural cave and now houses residential apartments while the church remains in active use.
The complex was founded in the 15th century as a Franciscan monastery on a site previously used by Benedictine monks for spiritual retreats. The bell tower was reconstructed from a 7th-century fortified signal tower that once connected to Castello Baradello.
The hermitage contains two ancient saint statues within the Cave of Blessed Jeremiah, one of which lost its head during the Napoleonic period.
Access is via the Giuseppe Bernasconi road from Garzola Superiore. The location is straightforward to reach, though it is an active residential area with a functioning church, so visits should be respectful of its current use.
A natural cave within the complex houses two ancient saint statues, one of which lost its head during the Napoleonic period. This preserved damage tells a quiet story of the site's turbulent past.
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