Itinerary 5 |
A visit to Montenero
Church of the Apparition, Funicular railway, Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, Gallery of Votive Offerings, Famedio
Visitors to Livorno should under no circumstances miss the breathtaking sight of the Livorno coastline from its highest hill, Montenero. You can reach Montenero on foot, by public transport (bus and funicular railway) or by car, taking the panoramic route (Via Giovanni XXIII) that starts from Antignano and meanders up to the Sanctuary of the Madonna delle Grazie, Patron Saint of Tuscany (Mater Etruriae).
The devout pilgrim will begin his/her ascent at the Chiesa dell’Apparizione [Church of the Apparition] (1957), built on the site of a previous Chapel (1603) that was badly damaged during the war and is situated just outside the Ardenza suburb. Stopping at the various votive shrines along the wayside, he/she will climb the whole of Via di Montenero to arrive at the celebrated Sanctuary – the same route presumably taken by the poor, crippled shepherd who found the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary in the place where the church stands today. Legend has it that, possibly motivated by a vision, with enormous effort and fatigue he felt impelled to carry the painting to the top of the hill where, on arrival, he found himself miraculously cured (1345). The people of Livorno are extremely devout and steadfast in their loyalty to the Madonna delle Grazie, and over the centuries the Sanctuary of Montenero has been the continuous destination of pilgrimages from all over Tuscany.
Founded as an oratory in the mid-fourteenth century, the Sanctuary in its current form is made up of various buildings that were added as a result of the massive enlargement project of the eighteenth century; it then underwent restoration in the late nineteenth century and in the mid-twentieth century the cloister of Vallombrosian convent, the east courtyard and the chapel of votive candles were annexed. The Sanctuary, with its handsome colonnade, looks onto a large square. A foretaste of the splendid Baroque interior is given in the elegant atrium, frescoed by Filippo Maria Galletti (1636-1714); images featuring events from the life of the Virgin Mary are interspersed with a series of pictures depicting Miracles benefiting the people of Livorno. The atrium has three entrances leading to the central aisle of the Church. Noteworthy is the wooden inlaid ceiling by Pietro Giambelli and the magnificent tabernacle, a late-Baroque work by Giovanni Baratta (1670-1747), which contains the sacred effigy of the Madonna di Montenero.
It is well worth visiting the Gallery of Votive Offerings, one of the most extensive in Italy, with its collection of devotional offerings, dating from the early nineteenth century up to today. The collection would have been even richer, with ex-votos from previous eras, had it not been for a rather dim parish priest in the nineteenth century, who destroyed them in a big bonfire to clear some space. The simple, naïve images offered up in thanks by the people are nearly always created by inexpert hands, but they are fascinating and moving because of this innocent authenticity; they also bear witness to historical events.
On the other side of the square from the Sanctuary, there is the Famedio [Memorial Chapel], consisting of a series of covered galleries, where some illustrious Livorno figures are buried or celebrated with commemorative plaques (Francesco Domenico Guerrazzi, Giovanni Marradi, Enrico Pollastrini, Carlo Bini, Giovanni Fattori, Paolo Emilio Demi, Mario Puccini, Amedeo Modigliani, Pietro Mascagni etc.).
Before leaving the hill of Montenero, don’t forget to have a last look at the stunning panoramic view of the coast.