Santa Maria del Sasso

Santa Maria del Sasso, also known as the Sanctuary of Santa Maria del Sasso is a Renaissance church near Bibbiena in Tuscany, Italy.

View of the exterior showing the portico
Interior with tempietto

The first church on the site was constructed in 1347 following a reported appearance of the Virgin Mary on 23 June 1347. The current building was commissioned by Lorenzo de' Medici and constructed by Giuliano da Maiano starting in 1486. Following a visit by Savonarola in 1495 the work was expanded to include a convent and sanctuary.[1] It was given the status of minor basilica in 1942.[2]

In the centre of the church there is a tempietto or free-standing chapel containing a fresco of the Madonna and child by Bicci di Lorenzo. There is an altarpiece of Christ and John the Baptist in polychrome terracotta by Giovanni della Robbia,[3] and another Madonna and child by Fra Paolo da Pistoia.

References
  1. Sanctuary site Archived 2010-06-18 at the Wayback Machine (in Italian)
  2. List of basilicas in Italy
  3. Della Robbia page

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