Convent of Santa Maria

Located in a small valley between the hills, one kilometer from the town not far from the state road to Desenzano, the Convent of Santa Maria is another important Aloysian place and is also one of the most interesting archaeological sites in the area. The convent complex, very scenic thanks to the elegant loggia on two floors, was built around the 16th century on the remains of an older building. The work was promoted by Father Girolamo Redini, founder of the Congregation of the Hermits of Santa Maria, who was later replaced by the Observant Minor Friars, known as Zoccolanti. In 1567, having become Marquis of Castiglione, Ferrante Gonzaga chose to use part of the complex as the family’s country residence.
The convent thus became a place of prayer for the young Luigi. It was here that Ferrante’s eldest son retired in 1584, at the crucial moment of his life, when his father refused him consent to embrace religious life: his son’s prayers and harsh penances ultimately overcame the Marquis’s resistance.
The convent was deconsecrated in 1798, following which part of the building and the church were demolished. The property has belonged to the College of the Noble Virgins of Jesus since 1846.