The Shrine of Our Lady of Grace, also known as Sanctuary of Montenero, is a religious complex in

Monte Nero Krn (; ) is a mountain in northwestern Slovenia. It is the highest peak of the Krn Mountains, a sub-chain of the southwestern Julian Alps. Geography Krn is located about from the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic. The Soča River flows to the west of ...

, a village in

Livorno Hills The Livorno Hills (also known as Leghorn Hills, or in Italian as the Colline Livornesi) is a mountain range, hill range in Tuscany, included in the municipalities of Livorno, Collesalvetti and Rosignano Marittimo, and in the Province of Livorno. ...

, near

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...

, central

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

reachable by a

funicular A funicular ( ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep grade (slope), slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to ...

. The complex, elevated to the rank of

Basilica In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica (Greek Basiliké) was a large public building with multiple functions that was typically built alongside the town's forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek Eas ...

and maintained by Vallombrosian monks, is devoted to

Our Lady of Grace Our Lady of Grace is a Titles of Mary, Title of Mary. The feast day associated with this title is February 7. The title of Our Lady of Grace is venerated in many countries throughout the world under various aspects. Many parishes, churches, and sc ...

of Montenero, patron of

Tuscany Tuscany ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region in central Italy with an area of about and a population of 3,660,834 inhabitants as of 2025. The capital city is Florence. Tuscany is known for its landscapes, history, artistic legacy, and its in ...

. It also includes a rich gallery of

votive offering A votive offering or votive deposit is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally ...

History

To commemorate a legend, a small Chapel was built at the beginning of the road that leads to the shrine dating back to 1603. In 1956 it was replaced by a larger church. The

Theatines The Theatines, officially named the Congregation of Clerics Regular (; abbreviated CR), is a Catholic order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men founded by Archbishop Gian Pietro Carafa on 14 September 1524. Foundation The order wa ...

enlarged the sanctuary. Between the end of the 16th century and early 17th century an oval atrium was added and richly decorated. After the suppression of religious orders by Grand Duke Peter Leopold, the sanctuary fell into ruin. It was later restored.

Grottos

The presence of caves dug into the hill behind the shrine is attested since ancient times and probably have also been a refuge for robbers. Montenero was known as "the devil’s mountain"."Sanctuary of Montenero", Visit Tuscany, Fondazione Sistema Toscana
/ref> In the early 20th century, they were extended as a result of an excavation company, which obtained permission for the extraction of the stone material. Having hosted shelters during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, it had been fully consolidated in 1971 and then open to visitors of the shrine. Due to land fall the Grotto has been closed to the public for quite a few years now.

References

Sources

*G. Batini, ''Toscana fuoristrada'', Bonechi Editore, Florence 1971. *G. Piombanti, ''Guida storica ed artistica della città e dei dintorni di Livorno'', Livorno 1903.

External links

Official websiteArtistic information ''Madonna delle Grazie di Montenero''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sanctuary Of Montenero Monasteries in Tuscany Votive offering Basilica churches in Tuscany Buildings and structures in Livorno