Chiesa di Madonna dell'Olmo, Parish church and shrine in Madonna dell'Olmo, Cuneo, Italy.
The chiesa di Madonna dell'Olmo is a parish church with a single nave, lateral chapels introduced by rounded arches, and walls supported by pilasters. The bell tower features an octagonal drum that forms a distinctive part of the overall structure.
Augustinian monks began building the original church and cloister in 1594, completing construction in 1609. The dome was later added in 1648, enhancing the building's architectural profile.
The main altar displays a 16th-century painting showing the Madonna dell'Olmo between Saint Francis and Saint Bernard, reflecting local religious devotion. This artwork represents how the community has long honored these holy figures.
The church stands in the hamlet of Madonna dell'Olmo, a frazione of Cuneo in the Oltrestura pastoral zone, and serves as its parish church. The facade faces east, so morning light falls on the entrance portal. The building was adapted to post-conciliar norms in 1972 with the addition of the ambo and an altar facing the congregation.
The church traces its origin to a reported 1593 Marian apparition to a deaf-mute herdsman guarding cattle near a roadside shrine; he regained his voice, and the sanctuary was built from that episode. The 16th-century altarpiece of the Madonna dell'Olmo between Saint Francis and Saint Bernard is the building's oldest artwork.
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