Santuario della Madonna della Portella

The Santuario della Madonna della Portella is a shrine built in Renaissance style in the Rivisondoli highlands. The structure features three entrance doors, six windows across the front, and a distinctive dual-sloped roof covering the main body.

The shrine was founded in 1589 as an expansion of an earlier religious building and underwent major renovation around 1802. After a roof collapse in 1875, structural repairs were made to restore its stability.

The sanctuary is named after the Madonna della Portella, reflecting centuries of religious devotion in this mountain location. The regular masses and the feast celebration on the first Tuesday after Pentecost show how this place remains part of local spiritual life.

The shrine sits along the historic highway 17 and is accessible via the well-maintained Celano-Foggia track. The location follows the route of the old Via degli Abruzzi mountain path in an area that is relatively easy to reach.

The interior is divided by a marble balustrade decorated with gypsum angels, separating the elevated presbytery from the main hall below. This ornamental barrier creates a visual connection between the sacred and ordinary space, typical of religious architecture from this period.