Santa Maria di Caravaggio Church, Minor basilica and parish church in Porta Ticinese district, Milan, Italy
Santa Maria di Caravaggio is a parish church and minor basilica in Milan's Porta Ticinese district, built in the Romanesque Revival style. It follows a Latin cross plan with a single nave and has a crypt decorated with mosaics beneath the main floor.
A small wooden chapel built in 1902 first marked the site, serving the local community's devotion to the Caravaggio sanctuary. The architect Cecilio Arpesani then designed the permanent stone building, which was completed in 1911.
The church is dedicated to the sanctuary of Caravaggio, a pilgrimage site in Lombardy where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared in the 15th century. Inside, votive offerings and devotional art reflect this connection, and local worshippers still use the space for regular prayer.
The church is easy to reach on foot from central Milan, as Porta Ticinese is well served by tram lines. Those who want to visit the crypt below should avoid arriving during a Mass, when parts of the building may be less accessible.
Although the building serves a Milan neighborhood, it is named after a small town roughly 35 miles (55 km) from the city, reflecting how strong the pilgrimage tradition around that distant sanctuary was. The bell tower was added after the main building was finished, which means it was not part of the original design.
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