The spiritual need to honor the memory of San Carlo Borromeo, that was deeply loved by the clergy and the believers, was widely felt since his sanctification, occurred seven years after his death. Probably the idea of raising an enormous monument on the lake side is due to father Marco Aurelio Grattarola, religious of the Oblate congregation, confranernity established by San Carlo himself. Immediately the Cardinal Federico Borromeo, archbishop of Milan since 1595, supported the idea. The project provided the building of the statue as well as of fifteen chapels spread beneath the woods on the slopes of the mountain where the San Carlo statue raises.
On July 13, 1614 the cardinal Federico laid down the first stone of the sanctuary. But this magnificent project was only partly realized and today only three chapels of the designed fifteen are built and just one og these is in good condition - the 'Cappella degli Oblati' - but the plastic group misses.
Thus the visitor’s attention concentrates on the great statue representing San Carlo Borromeo, called San Carlone for its dimensions. The austere façade of the old-seminary opens on the left side of the square in front of the stairway leading to the colossus,. The building was designed by the architect Francesco Richini between 1618 and 1643 and enlarged at the beginning of twentieth century. Besides Richini designed the church devoted to Saint Charles, on the opposite side of the square.
The spiritual need to honor the memory of San Carlo Borromeo, that was deeply loved by the clergy and the believers, was widely felt since his sanctification, occurred seven years after his death. Probably the idea of raising an enormous monument on the lake side is due to father Marco Aurelio Grattarola, religious of the Oblate congregation, confranernity established by San Carlo himself. Immediately the Cardinal Federico Borromeo, archbishop of Milan since 1595, supported the idea. The project provided the building of the statue as well as of fifteen chapels spread beneath the woods on the slopes of the mountain where the San Carlo statue raises. 
