Santuario Nostra Signora di Soviore
Hilltop Marian church with a legend of a buried statue and medieval ruins hidden beneath its floor.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Santuario di Nostra Signora di Soviore in Cinque Terre centers on Don Sandro Crippa, rector here from 1973, who suspected the legend of a Madonna statue buried from Lombard raiders and later found by a dove-following priest wasn't the whole story. It follows the 1995 restoration he ordered, which broke through the sanctuary floor to reveal an older, unmentioned place of worship beneath it. You'll also hear how Crippa founded the Friends of Soviore, turning this remote mountain church into a gathering point for scout troops each Easter and Christmas. Look down at the section of ancient flooring now kept behind glass at your feet.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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