Chiesa della Madonna del Lago, Religious sanctuary near Lake Scanno, Italy
The Chiesa della Madonna del Lago stands on the south-western shore of Lake Scanno, its square plan with chamfered corners topped by a dome. The building straddles the SS 479 Sannite road, which passes through a narrow one-lane tunnel beneath it; two stair ramps from the tunnel mouths lead up to the church. The east wall rests directly on bare, unworked rock, and trompe-l'œil paintings of biblical prophets decorate the upper corners.
The church was founded in 1702 as a religious center for the lakeside village population. Over the centuries it underwent several renovations and expansions that shaped the building as it stands today.
On 25 March a Mass for the Madonna del Lago draws people from Scanno, Villalago and Frattura di Scanno. On 30 April the effigy is carried to the Chiesa Madre di Santa Maria della Valle in Scanno, where it stays through May. On 24 August fireworks are set off over the lake, a tradition called "La Fiaccolata".
The church stands in front of the SS 479 Sannite road, which passes beneath it through a narrow one-lane alternating tunnel; two stair ramps branch off from the tunnel mouths to reach the entrance. The east wall rests directly on bare, unworked rock. From the small sacristy there is a viewpoint over Lake Scanno.
The church stands over a narrow one-way alternating tunnel of the SS 479 Sannite, which passes beneath it; two stair ramps branch from the tunnel mouths up to the building. The east wall rests directly on bare, unworked rock, with no masonry. The statue now in the church is a copy made after the 1979 theft of the original.
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