Madonna del Sasso

Locarno, Switzerland

The Madonna del Sasso is a sanctuary and pilgrimage church in Orselina, above the city of Locarno in Switzerland. It is the principal sight and goal of pilgrimage in the city.

The founding of the sanctuary goes back to a vision of the Virgin Mary that the Franciscan brother Bartolomeo d'Ivrea experienced in the night of 14/15 August 1480. The interior is highly decorated, and a platform gives a magnificent view of the city.

The sanctuary is linked to Locarno city centre by the Locarno–Madonna del Sasso funicular.

References:

Comments

Your name



Details

Founded: 1498
Category: Religious sites in Switzerland

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

maz iqbal (4 years ago)
The walk up to the monastery is rewarded by awe inspiring views of the lake and city. Or you can take the train up...If you are in Locarno then this is well worth doing.
Francois Cachat (4 years ago)
Lovely ride up with cable car
To Can (4 years ago)
Go early to avoid long queues. Interesting old cable driven railway. Church worth a visit.
Katarzyna Rodzik (4 years ago)
As always in Swiss all connections leads you easily and directly to your destination ?
Slinky (4 years ago)
Cute and vintage way to get to Orselina, though you can also get there by bus. The funicolare is cash-only
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Château de Foix

The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.