Sanctuary of Madonna del Monte (Caldarola)

The history of the Sanctuary of Madonna del Monte

A first small church was approved on December 13, 1447, on land near Porta Nova made available by Gentile Barlesi after a vow. It was entrusted to the Confraternity of the Madonna del Monte. According to tradition, it was founded in 1448 by Blessed Francesco Piani da Caldarola. The Confraternity also ran a pawn-lending service, set up to fight usury.

In 1768 it was decided to enlarge the church by buying four neighboring houses. On May 13, 1770 the bishop of Camerino, Luigi Amici, laid the first stone. The design is attributed to the architect Pietro Augustoni. The new church was blessed on Easter Day, March 26, 1780.

The sanctuary has been through several earthquakes. The 1799 earthquake damaged the belfry. The seismic crisis of 1936-37 had its epicenter in Caldarola. The events that began in September 1997 made it unsafe, and the restoration that followed returned the stuccoes and tempera paintings to their original colors.

What to see in the Sanctuary of Madonna del Monte

The façade has three orders, with a double pediment, large windows and lunettes. The tall bell tower ends in a hexagonal-based pyramid. The building is an example of late 18th-century architecture. Its construction features include ribbed barrel vaults, pendentives, a Lombard-style dome with a drum and a lantern.

The interior has a single nave with several side chapels. The wall decoration and stuccoes are very rich, especially around the high altar, where the image of the Madonna del Monte is kept.

How to visit the Sanctuary of Madonna del Monte

Because of the 2016 earthquake the church is declared unsafe. The interior is therefore not accessible, and there is no reopening date. In early 2026 the mayor explained that, for now, the sanctuary had been left out of the work on the square. The diocese did not intend to proceed with both projects at once and wanted to carry out the work on San Martino first. Before planning a visit, it is best to check the status of the work.

Where the Sanctuary of Madonna del Monte is located

The sanctuary overlooks Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, in the center of Caldarola. The large square was the work of Cardinal Evangelista Pallotta, who transformed medieval Caldarola at the end of the 16th century.

Around the Sanctuary of Madonna del Monte

Cardinal Pallotta replaced the old churches of San Martino and San Gregorio with the present ones. The one dedicated to Saints Gregory and Valentine is described on the page about the Church of Santi Gregorio e Valentino (Caldarola). The Collegiate Church of San Martino and the Palazzo dei Cardinali Pallotta were also badly damaged by the 2016 earthquake. In the hamlet of Vestignano stands the Church of Santi Martino e Giorgio (Caldarola). Other places of worship in the area are collected on the page about the churches of the Sibillini Mountains.