Santa Maria delle Grazie, Minor basilica and shrine in San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy

Santa Maria delle Grazie is a minor basilica and shrine built above the former San Lorenzo city gate. Its 19th-century neoclassical facade with a pediment carries statues of Saints Augustine, John the Baptist, Lawrence and Francis. Inside, three naves are divided by columns supporting twelve domes, with vault frescoes painted between 1698 and 1704 by Vincenzo Ferrati.

Construction started in 1484 following a reported miracle when a woman prayed before an image of Mary for her nephew's healing during a plague outbreak. This event sparked local belief and support that led to building the sanctuary.

The venerated image is a 14th-century fresco of the Madonna delle Grazie, originally painted on the San Lorenzo gate tower. In 1510 Luberto da Montevarchi added an adjacent fresco depicting the Miracle of Monna Tancia, the grandmother who nursed her grandson after praying to the image.

You can enter the museum through the right presbytery door of the basilica or from outside via the left portico staircase at Piazza Masaccio 9. It helps to check opening times before arriving, as the shrine gets busier at certain times of day.

The venerated Madonna delle Grazie is a 14th-century fresco moved to the high altar after the 1596 fire. Its Glory of Angels frame is the only known painting by architect Giulio Parigi, documented by payments.