Castelmonte

investment

Castelmonte (Slovenian: Stara gora , Friulian: Madone di Mont ) is a Capuchin monastery and pilgrimage site in the Julian Alps near Prepotto . It is located on a mountain top at an altitude of 618 m.

history

The Marian shrine has been occupied since 1175. An antique brick floor, however, suggests that the pilgrimage site was built before the 6th century, making it one of the oldest Marian pilgrimage sites in the world. In the 13th and 14th centuries Castelmonte experienced an upswing, u. a. by promises of indulgence by Popes Innocent IV and Urban VI. In 1419 it was damaged by Hungary. In 1478 the complex was fortified against the Turkish army . In 1479 the existing statue of the Virgin Mary was erected, the creation of which is located in the early 15th century. Earthquake damage occurred in 1511 and 1513 . The current church building was built in the 16th century, but was repeatedly redesigned. In 1797 the church was sacked by the French during the Italian campaign . Bomb damage occurred in 1944. After the earthquake in Friuli in 1976 , the brothers organized a pilgrimage to Castelmonte, which has been repeated every year on September 8th ever since.

Building description

The oldest part of the sanctuary is the crypt , but it was expanded after World War II. The church was rebuilt in 1419 after the previous building had been destroyed. In addition to the limestone statue of the Madonna, the altar by Venetian masters from around 1685 and numerous popular votive images should be mentioned. In the 20th century, a valuable Slovenian manuscript from the 15th century, the Starogorski rokopis, was rediscovered . It contains Slovenian translations of the Our Father , the Ave Maria and the Creed . In the fortified castle there are also former craftsmen's houses that were used to supply the pilgrims. Outside the fortification is the Grotta San Giovanni d'Antro, carved into the rock .

supporting documents

↑ ^a ^b Prazniki v deželi gubane. In: gorenjskiglas.si. Gorenjski glas , accessed on November 10, 2016 .
↑ POT VERE. In: comune.sanpietroalnatisone.ud.it. Retrieved November 10, 2016 .
^ Castelmonte - one of the oldest pilgrimage churches in Italy. In: kirche-in-not.de. Retrieved October 24, 2016 .