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Meda
Brianza’s very own Sistine Chapel? The church of San Vittore. Find out what to see in Meda, the furniture capital of Monza e Brianza.
Meda is - with Lissone - the design capital of the Monza area of Brianza.
Its heart beats in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, which is home to two authentic treasures: the 16th-century oratory of San Vittore, known as the Sistine Chapel of Brianza because of its magnificent Renaissance frescoes, some of which were painted by Bernardino Luini, and the splendid Villa Antona Traversi, designed by Leopold Pollack.
Find out what to see in Meda.
Church of San Vittore
The Sistine Chapel of Brianza. This is what this splendid 16th-century church is known as. Why? Inside, it is completely frescoed with some magnificent works by the great Renaissance masters. Don’t miss the busts by Bernardino Luini. If you want to see this small gem, every last Sunday of the month (March-October), the “Gli amici dell’Arte” association organises guided tours.
Piazza Vittorio Veneto
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Villa Antona Traversi
Filled with frescoes, it was built in the early 19th century, incorporating the female monastery of San Vittore. The design? By Leopold Pollack, an architect who studied under Piermarini. Hidden from view, you enter it through an arched passage next to the oratory of San Vittore. The villa is not normally open to the general public but you can visit it during the Ville Aperte (Open Villas) festival in Brianza, held in September every year.
Piazza Vittorio Veneto
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Maunier House
An old 15th-century stately manor house in the centre of Meda. What makes it special? On one of the courtyard's facades, there are still some frescoes, made using the Trompe-l'Oeil technique and attributed to a Spanish artist. The fresco depicts a loggia with pillars, balustrades, arches and a view of a lake landscape. The villa is now home to the nursery school but you can see the frescoes from the outside.
Via Palestro
Church of Santi Nazaro e Celso
The origins of this church are unknown: some scholars date it to the 7th century, others between the 11th and 12th centuries. Both the external and internal walls are adorned with fine artistic decorations. A very unusual representation of the Virgin Mary and the dead Christ with two angels can be seen in the lunette above the entrance. The church is normally open only on the last Sunday of July for the feast day of Saint Nazareth.
Via San Celso 1, Meda (MB)
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Hiking through the heart of Brianza
22 kilometres between the provinces of Monza and Como, in the heart of the Brianza district, in the Regional Park of Groane-Brughiera. You set out from via Varese, in Meda and after a hike of about 5 hrs (2.5 hrs by bike), you’ll arrive at Lake Montorfano (Como). Here you can choose between two tracks: Trail 1, further to the east, which crosses Mariano Comense, or Trail 2 that heads west, from Carimate.
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