The Italian Riviera is dotted with picturesque sanctuaries full of history. These places of worship can be appreciated by anyone – even non-believers – for their architecture, the role they played or still play in local communities, the panoramic views, and their location in wonderful landscapes. Let’s discover 12 beautiful sanctuaries between the Gulf of Poets and Cinque Terre.
Sanctuaries in Portovenere
The Santuario della Madonna Bianca, also known as Chiesa di San Lorenzo, is located in a Romanesque-style building that was started in 1116 and consecrated in 1130 by Pope Innocent II. The façade was rebuilt in a Gothic style after a devastating fire in 1340, and the architecture was further transformed with Renaissance elements during the 16th century following the damages inflicted by the Aragonese in 1494. This sanctuary has some remarkable features, such as the lunette with the martyrdom of San Lorenzo sculpted on it, 15th-century frescoes, a precious baptismal font, a majestic wooden ceiling, and an altarpiece by Cigoli. Last but not least, it hosts a famous painting depicting the Madonna Bianca, Patron Saint of Portovenere and protagonist of a local tradition. Learn more about the Madonna Bianca Festival here.
The Santuario di Nostra Signora delle Grazie is located in Portovenere’s small fraction of Le Grazie. According to local sources, the primitive foundation of the Church was built by a group of monks from Tino Island around the XI century. The place was abandoned in 1789 following orders by Napoleon’s Ligurian Republic. Today, the ancient convent has been transformed into a private residence while retaining, in its total integrity, the cloister and the refectory. But the devotion of the faithful still continues, especially on 8 September when locals celebrate the Nativity of Mary. Among the works of art to be admired, are the image of the Virgin Mary painted on wood and the walnut choir attributed to Fra Paolo da Recco (1511).
Sanctuaries in Lerici
Located in Lerici, the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Maralunga, also known as Chiesa di San Francesco d’Assisi, boasts some Baroque-style elements. Its primitive foundation is thought to date back to the end of the XIII century, but the building was completely rebuilt in the 1630s. Among the noticeable features inside, are altarpieces by the Genoese pictorial school, a painting by Domenico Piola (1659) and a statue of Saint Francis of Assisi in white Carrara marble (1792).
In Lerici’s fraction of San Terenzo you will find the Santuario di Nostra Signora dell’Arena, consacrated in 1625. It hosts a 15th-century oil painting on slate, representing the Virgin Mary, Baby Jesus and angels. According to the local legend, this painting was found on the beach, where it probably arrived from a shipwreck, although the date of the discovery is unknown.
Sanctuaries in La Spezia
The Santuario di Nostra Signora della Neve is a beautiful church in La Spezia, with neo-Romanesque features and white and gray stripes that decorate its outdoor building. Indoors you will find Byzantine-inspired paintings, columns in Red Verona marble and items of artistic heritage, such as sculptures by Angiolo Del Santo (1882 – 1938) and paintings by David Beghè (1854 – 1933) and Felice Del Santo (1864 – 1934). Above all, devotees worship the painting on wood of the Nostra Signora della Neve, which had survived a devastating flood of the Lagora river by remaining intact. This Sanctuary was born in 1595 out of the devotion of the people of La Spezia.
Located in the city center, the Santuario di Nostra Signora della Salute (also known as Madonna della Scorza) was built between 1887 and 1900, although its two bell towers with neo-baroque domes were in completed in 1912. It inherited the name and devotion of the ancient Convent dedicated to the Madonna della Scorza, which dated to the second half of the 16th century. The protagonist throughout all these centuries is the effigy of the Madonna della Salute, an oil on canvas of unknown origin and author. In 1925, the canvas was adorned with gold diadems made by fusing jewels donated by the worshippers.
The Santuario della Madonna Pellegrina (also known as Madonna Mater Ecclesiae) is located in La Spezia’s Cattedrale di Cristo Re. The first stone of its crypt was blessed in 1957. This is where the statue of the Virgin, known as the “Pilgrim Madonna” is kept: it was donated in 1949 by the Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre.
Cinque Terre Hiking Trail: the Way of the Sanctuaries
There are hiking trails that take you to the sanctuaries of the Cinque Terre villages passing though vineyards, olive groves and Mediterranean shrub. While the hikes can be tiring and a bit challenging, they are worth the effort!
In Riomaggiore, which is the village nearest to Portovenere, is the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Montenero, surrounded by a meadow and pine trees. It was erected between the XI and XIII centuries by a group of Franciscan monks devoted to the Madonna, while the square bell tower was added in 1740. It treasures a painting of the Assumption, which was probably painted in the late Renaissance. Every year, this image is carried in a solemn procession on the Monday of Pentecost and on the 14th of August. You can reach the Sanctuary of Monterosso from Portovenere with this hiking trail.
The Santuario di Nostra Signora della Salute is in the hamlet of Volastra, a one-hour hike away from Manarola. The church was built in the XII century in Romanesque style, and Gothic elements were added later. It contains a Baroque altar and the image of the Madonna, venerated by the inhabitants of Volastra, Riomaggiore and Manarola.
The views from Corniglia and its Santuario di Nostra Signora delle Grazie (also known as Santuario di San Bernardino) are among the most impressive in the Cinque Terre. It is believed that Saint Bernard of Siena lived here and had built a chapel on this site in the 5th century. Documents date the original church to the 7th century. It is home to a painting of the Virgin Mary that is venerated by locals for a miracle that occurred during its restoration.
You can reach Santuario di Nostra Signora di Reggio, 365 meters above the village of Vernazza, through a narrow path that was once a mule trail and that bewitched D.H. Lawrence on his way to the Sanctuary. The whole surrounding area and views are magical. The church was built in the year 1000 on top of a crypt, the entrance of which was hidden in the pavement and used as a hiding place for religious objects. This sanctuary preserves the venerated painting of the Black Madonna with Baby Jesus.
About 4km away from Monterosso you will find the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Soviore, set on a plateau overlooking the valley of Levanto to the west and Vernazza to the east. The walls are covered with naif style frescoes that portray episodes of the history of Albareto, a hamlet that was destroyed by the Longobards in 641 forcing locals to move to the coast where they founded Monterosso. According to the legend, while escaping, the population buried a sacred wood statue of the Virgin Mary to protect it. It was found a hundred years later and, to celebrate the discovery, the chapel was built, representing the first historical nucleus of today’s Sanctuary.
