Sanctuary of the Madonna del Sasso
The pilgrimage site of the Madonna del Sasso is located on a granite ledge on Lake Orta at a height of 638 m in the area of the municipality of the same name in the district of Boleto.
From the square in front of the church, known as the “Balcony of the Cusio”, one has a breathtaking view of the whole lake, of Monte Mottarone , the Alps and the plain towards Novara .
The site consists of the church, the bell tower and the rectory.
history
For centuries, the white granite rock on which the pilgrimage rises was used to extract natural stone.
Here at the foot of Monte Avigno there was originally a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows and probably dating from the 16th century. In the square labeled “Tuchwiese”, it was common on hot and sunny days for the local women to lay out the home-made cloth for bleaching.
Due to numerous graces, the place gained prestige and instead of the small chapel, the first church was built, which in a niche of the sacristy kept a statuette of the Madonna in the rosary , which was considered miraculous.
The current building complex was wanted in 1706 by Pietro Paolo Minola from Boleto, who, after a gracious grace received from the Madonna, decided to build a new pilgrimage site at his own expense to replace the older one.
Work began around 1725, thanks in part to the contribution of the Boleto people. The church was completed in 1748, while the bell tower and building next to it were completed in 1760. The sanctuary was officially consecrated in 1771 by the Bishop of Novara .
The church has the plan of a Greek cross and is built in the Baroque style with two side altars. The architecture and frescoes are the work of the painter and sculptor Lorenzo Peracino from Valsesia . The altarpiece from the old pilgrimage site is a panel by Fermo Stella da Caravaggio (16th century) depicting the Pietà .
On the occasion of its 250th anniversary, the entire building complex was restored in 1998.
hike
The pilgrimage site is the arrival point of the Coeur hiking tour - in the heart of the paths of Europe , which connects various pilgrimage sites.
Web links
Coordinates: 45 ° 47 ′ 17.5 " N , 8 ° 22 ′ 26.2" E