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Church of Madonna delle Carceri (Camerino)

Church of Madonna delle Carceri (Camerino)

Church of Madonna delle Carceri (Camerino)

Type
Church
Municipality
Camerino (MC)

Source: site database, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

The Church of Madonna delle Carceri (Chiesa della Madonna delle Carceri) stands in Camerino, in the province of Macerata. It is outside Porta Boncompagni, in the area known as the "contrata carcerum". It is recognized as an Italian cultural heritage site and is a Catholic place of worship. It was built to house a deeply venerated image of Mary, linked to a healing believed to be miraculous. The building has a central plan and a portico on pillars above a flight of steps. Since the 2016 earthquake it has been unfit for use and temporarily closed.

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On the map

Points from the site database. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors · Protomaps.

History of the Church of Madonna delle Carceri

The story begins with a deeply venerated image of Mary in the "contrata carcerum". In 1581 a crippled man is said to have been miraculously healed there. After the event, Bishop Gerolamo Bovio decided to build a church to house the image. The design was entrusted to Ottaviano Mascherino.

What to see in the Church of Madonna delle Carceri

The most recognizable feature is the architecture. Mascherino designed a centrally planned building, a layout common in Marian sanctuaries. A portico on pillars overlooks a flight of steps. The building is covered by a roof, which may have replaced a dome that was never built.

Visiting the Church of Madonna delle Carceri

The church is temporarily closed because it was made unfit for use by the 2016 earthquake: before setting out, it is best to check whether it has reopened. Camerino stands at 661 m above sea level, with winters marked by frequent and sometimes very heavy snowfall. In the cold months it is therefore useful to check weather and road conditions.

Where the Church of Madonna delle Carceri is located

The church is in the municipality of Camerino, just outside Porta Boncompagni. Camerino occupies a hill between the Chienti and Potenza valleys. To the south it is closed off by the massif of the Sibillini Mountains and to the north by Monte San Vicino.

Around the Church of Madonna delle Carceri

Camerino has many other places of worship. Among the main ones is the Basilica of San Venanzio in Camerino, whose facade and bell tower can be admired in the parts preserved after the 1799 earthquake. Within the municipality, in the locality of Renacavata, is the Capuchin convent, considered the cradle of the order. It houses a historical museum on the life of the Franciscans. Other religious buildings of the Sibillini are on the churches of the Sibillini Mountains page.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed the Church of Madonna delle Carceri in Camerino?

The design is by Ottaviano Mascherino. The construction was commissioned by Bishop Gerolamo Bovio, who decided to have a church built to house a deeply venerated image of Mary. Mascherino created a centrally planned building, with a portico on pillars and a flight of steps.

Why was the Church of Madonna delle Carceri built?

It was built to house a deeply venerated image of Mary in the "contrata carcerum", outside Porta Boncompagni. Devotion was linked to the miraculous healing of a crippled man in 1581. After that event, Bishop Gerolamo Bovio decided to give the image a church.

What shape is the Church of Madonna delle Carceri?

The building has a central plan, a layout common in Marian sanctuaries. In front is a portico on pillars, set above a flight of steps. It is covered by a roof, which perhaps took the place of a dome that was never built.

Is the Church of Madonna delle Carceri in the historic center of Camerino?

No, it is outside Porta Boncompagni. Camerino stands on a hill at 661 m above sea level, between the Chienti and Potenza valleys. The church is reached by leaving through the town gate, but since the 2016 earthquake it has been closed because it is unfit for use.

Nearby

What to see nearby

Where to eat

Straight-line distances.