A notarial deed dating back to the year 1445, speaks of "Our Lady of the Elm" as a chapel that has long existed and is well-known throughout the neighbouring region, above all for a miraculous painting depicting the Virgin. Soon afterwards it became a mecca for pilgrims. On 5 August 1595 - the holy day of the Madonna della Neve - the Friars of the Order of St. Augustine entered it in a solemn procession. The Convent, due to its geographical position, was seriously damaged in 1744 during the War of the Austrian Succession. The community of the Augustinian Fathers was suppressed and the Friars were dispersed or massacred. The whole complex of the Convent fell into the hands of Count Bruno of Tornaforte and San Giorgio Scarampi, who transformed the building into a patrician residence.

The building is surrounded by an English park : a wonderful ecological oasis of about 5 hectares with ancient trees, as well as many tree, shrub and flower species. The splendid lake, which stretches for about 6,000 square meters, is divided by an ancient arched bridge and populated by rare species of fish. The park has been the subject of various publications for its beauty and for the particularity of the tree species that grow there.

The monumental park also offers visitors some permanent points of interest such as the “Dieci Vie di Luce” Interreligious trail, the sensorial trail for adults and children, the tree trail, the Collinetta dello Specchio and the bird-watching trail.