In the province of Verona, excavated in the hollow of Monte Baldo, there is a surreal, almost fairytale-like place. A Sanctuary with a historical and cinematic charm, which stands out over the valley arousing the curiosity of those who see it from afar.

The Sanctuary of the Madonna della Corona, in Ferrara di Monte Baldo, in the province of Verona, is a church literally carved into the rock, inaugurated in 1530 and then rebuilt by the Knights of Malta in 1680.

The intervention of the Knights of Malta can only underline the legendary nature of this magnificent and unlikely place, which seems almost clinging to the mountain, barely with the necessary space to be built on solid foundations.

The sanctuary is now easily accessible, one more reason to visit it and admire its beauty in person. In 1899 the façade was in fact renovated, also expanding the entrance to the square and decorating the façade with its characteristic Gothic appearance with precious marble from Sant’Ambrogio di Valpolicella.

At one time, the only way to access the church was via a small path that originates from Brentino Belluno in Vallagarina, a neighboring town from which it is still possible to walk along the fourteen stations of the Via Crucis represented by bronze statues.

The Sanctuary of the Madonna della Corona is a magnificent place, as is the panorama that can be enjoyed from its square. The path to reach it is equally impressive and the journey is rewarded by the precious works and reproductions inside the church.

Also for its history and its works of religious art, the Sanctuary is a place of devotion known, admired and visited on pilgrimage from all over Europe for half a millennium. A perfect place for a fantastic spring day, perhaps walking the path that leads to this surreal place of faith carved into the rock.

The visit to Monte Baldo can be an excellent point of arrival for a trip along Benaco starting from Peschiera del Garda, where you can exit at the A4 motorway toll booth, then go north through other enchanting towns such as Lazise and Bardolino, and then from here go up until you reach, in less than half an hour, the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Corona.

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A land to discover:

Food and wine: Between Verona and Lake Garda, one step away from many places of the Italian culinary tradition.

History: An ancient sanctuary rebuilt by a legendary order of knights.

Territory: A mountainous area with breathtaking views.