The beauty of the Chiesa di Piedigrotta

According to legend, around the year 1600 there was a shipwreck. The sailors prayed in their distress and vowed to build a church if they were saved. The ship sank, but the sailors were all able to reach land. The revered painting of the Madonna and the ship's bell were found after the shipwreck. As promised, the sailors dug a small church into the rock and left the painting of the Madonna there.

In 1880, an artist from Pizzo came to the small cave. He enlarged it with a hammer and chisel and carved the stone figures out of the rock. A life's work - he worked on it for almost 40 years. When he died, his son continued the work. He worked for another 30 years and carved more figures into the rock.

Unfortunately, the church was destroyed by vandalism in the 1960s and could only be partially rebuilt.

We are fascinated by the beauty of the church.

The figures are beautiful.

What a work!

        

The lighting is also beautiful.