Amongst Tirano’s bounty of architectural brilliance, the Basilica di Madonna di Tirano truly stands out: an age-old destination for believers from across Europe, it’s a reference point for the region’s past. In 1946, Pope Pius XII proclaimed her ‘the special celestial patron of the whole of Valtellina’ given the many prodigious events attributed to the Beata Vergine di Madonna di Tirano (the Blessed Virgin of Tirano). This majestic basilica was built on the spot where, according to Catholic tradition, the Virgin appeared in front of local resident Mario Omodei on 29th September 1504, promising an end to the plague that was terrorising the population and animals. Less than six months later, on the 25th March 1505, the very first stone was laid in the presence of the Bishop of Como.
In all its artistic grandeur, the sixteenth-century basilica represents one of the most monumental renaissance buildings in Valtellina. Inside it features a triple nave in the form of a Latin cross, plus a wealth of stuccoes, sculptures, and works of art. There’s also a grand organ featuring exquisite carvings, first begun in 1608 by Giuseppe Bulgarini from Brescia, and later completed by the Milan-based G.B. Salmoiraghi with the addition of three panels on the organ’s parapet.
June - September
Everyday: from 9.00 to 19.00
October - May
Everyday: from 7.00 to 12.00 and from 14.30 to 19.00
Mass:
Weekdays: 7.30/9.00/17.30
Sundays and holidays: 7.30/9.30/11.00/17.00
BASILICA MADONNA DI TIRANO
Piazza Basilica, 1
+39 0342 701203
tiranosantuario@gmail.com
visita il sito
Tirano has a lot going on in terms of its geography. After all, it’s where Switzerland and Italy meet, where the Aprica and Bernina passes merge, and on the road connecting Milan with the upper part of Valtellina. For a dose of ancient history, quaint old town charm and appealing views of centuries-old buildings, Tirano’s wealth of churches
