Santa Maria del Monte sanctuary, Religious sanctuary in Varese, Italy.
Santa Maria del Monte sanctuary sits at about 807 meters elevation within the Campo dei Fiori Regional Park and is connected by a cobblestone path lined with fourteen chapels. The route links these devotional stops together as it climbs gradually toward the main sanctuary building.
The sanctuary's origins date to the fourth century when Sant'Ambrogio built an initial chapel on this site. A Romanesque structure emerged in the eleventh century, establishing the foundational form for the sanctuary that developed later.
The fourteen chapels along the path display terracotta figures and frescoes depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary, created by Renaissance artists whose works still shape the visual character of the site today.
You can reach the sanctuary via a walking path that takes about two kilometers or use the funicular service on weekends starting from the first chapel. The walk lets you visit each chapel along the way, while the funicular offers a faster option for those with limited time or mobility concerns.
The sanctuary holds a wooden Black Madonna statue, a venerated image with a distinctive form that draws particular attention from visitors. Below the main church lies a crypt containing frescoes from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries along with archaeological finds from ancient times.
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