Santuario della Madonna del Bosco, Imbersago, Minor basilica and shrine in Imbersago, Italy.
Santuario della Madonna del Bosco is a shrine with an octagonal structure and a three-lobed nave in Imbersago. The interior features a presbyterium decorated with a balustrade and a painted altarpiece showing Mary and the Christ Child.
Architect Carlo Buzzi designed and built the sanctuary between 1641 and 1644. Later expansions in 1677 and 1888 added to the structure, allowing it to grow and serve more pilgrims over the centuries.
The sanctuary draws visitors seeking spiritual help and gratitude, with hundreds of hand-painted ex voto tablets covering the walls as personal testimonies. These devotional gifts, created over centuries by ordinary people, reflect the deep faith and prayers connected to this place.
Access to the sanctuary is through the Scala Santa, a staircase with 392 steps leading to a belvedere with a bronze statue. The climb is physically demanding, so visitors should allow time and wear comfortable walking shoes.
According to local tradition, a child threatened by wolves was saved after the mother called upon the Virgin Mary for help. This event became the foundation for devotion at this location and drew pilgrims for centuries afterward.
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