Sacro Monte della Beata Vergine, Oropa, Italy, ID=1068-005
N 45° 37.556 E 007° 58.963
32T E 420700 N 5052990
This location is part of the series "Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy". The Sanctuary of Oropa is located at a height of 1,159 metres in a small valley of the Alpi Biellesi.
Waymark Code: WM11A0Z
Location: Piemonte, Italy
Date Posted: 09/14/2019
Views: 2
According to legend, a black wooden statue of the Virgin Mary carved by Saint Luke was found in Jerusalem by Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, carried to Oropa in the 4th century AD and placed into a small niche in a big boulder. In the Middle Ages, a church was built around the niche housing the statue, and was replaced in the early 17th century with what is known today as the Ancient Basilica. During the following two centuries, several other buildings were added to the complex, including the royal apartments of the House of Savoy, a big library and the Royal Gate, a masterpiece designed by the architect Filippo Juvarra in the 18th century.
The last addition to the sanctuary was the Upper Basilica, a monumental church built between 1885 and 1960 due the large number of pilgrims visiting Oropa. It can hold 3000 people and its dome is 80 metres high.
In 1617, the complex of the Sacro Monte di Oropa (literally Sacred Mount of Oropa) was built not far from the sanctuary. It is a devotional path now composed of twelve chapels (plus another seven nearby) containing groups of statues representing scenes from the story of the Virgin Mary's life.
Type: Site
Reference number: 1068
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