Santuario Madonna della Corona, Minor basilica in Ferrara di Monte Baldo, Italy.
The Santuario Madonna della Corona is a minor basilica tucked into the vertical cliff of Mount Baldo at 775 meters above sea level, barely visible from above. Inside, the space opens into a carefully carved chapel with multiple areas cut directly from the rock, creating an intimate prayer hall within the mountain itself.
The site began as a hermitage for solitary prayer and was transformed into a chapel in 1530, later cared for by the Order of Malta. This military-religious brotherhood managed the sanctuary until the early 1800s, when its role changed.
The sanctuary holds a replica of the Scala Santa, representing the stairs Jesus climbed in Pilate's palace. Pilgrims visit this sacred space to pray and experience the religious heritage within its rocky setting.
Visitors can reach the sanctuary either by a mountain path from Brentino that takes about an hour, or via a paved road that ends at a tunnel through the rock. Choose hiking boots if you take the trail, or drive to get closer to the entrance.
The building is almost invisible from above because it blends so seamlessly into the cliff face that it appears as a natural part of the rock. This hidden integration is intentional, designed to make the sanctuary merge with the mountain landscape.
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