This church and monastery was frescoed by Fiammenghino, but in addition included works by Gian Paolo Lomazzo, Federico Macagni, and Daniele Crespi.

With the approval of the local parish provost Giacinto Amati (brother of the architect Carlo), it was decided to raze the ancient structures, and create a larger church dedicated to Milan's own Archbishop Saint Charles Borromeo.

The new church was built in thanks for the ending of a recent cholera epidemic, and Archbishop Borromeo was admired in part for his work during the outbreak of bubonic plague in 1576 in Milan.

In the apse ceiling is a fresco depicting the Glory of San Carlo before allegories of Faith, Hope and Charity by Angelo Inganni.

The prominent Neolassical church of San Francesco di Paola in the central Piazza del Plebiscito of Naples, also influenced by Patheon, had been started in 1816.