Discover Baragazza

Two sacred sites provide a specific focus for a stay in Baragazza: the Santuario della Madonna delle Grazie di Boccadirio and the church of San Michele Arcangelo. The Santuario is located at Via Boccadirio 22 in the Baragazza district of Castiglione dei Pepoli. Its construction history, art and recurring religious traditions each offer a different perspective—a helpful guide if you want to plan your trip around architecture, art or pilgrimage.

Boccadirio: Construction History and Art

The Santuario church was built as a three-aisled structure towards the end of the 16th century. “Three-aisled” describes a church interior with three longitudinal sections. The present-day arches and façade date from alterations made in 1770 and towards the end of the 19th century. The main altar stands on the site of the Marian apparition of 1480. This makes it possible to distinguish the original structure, later architectural changes and the religious significance of the altar by period.

The Santuario houses a blue-and-white majolica bas-relief by Andrea Della Robbia. It depicts the standing Madonna and Child. Majolica is glazed pottery; here, the material, colours and depiction are all integral to the artwork. The Santuario’s cloister is surrounded by unspoilt nature. The loggia that surrounds it was built in the 17th century. The artwork, cloister and loggia each offer a different way to experience the site: through its imagery, the layout of the monastery and its surrounding architecture.

San Michele Arcangelo: Multiple Periods of Construction

The church of San Michele Arcangelo in Baragazza dates from 1788. Its bell tower was built by Giuseppe Brighenti between 1852 and 1867. The organ and altarpiece belong to a much earlier phase of the church’s furnishings: the organ dates from 1791 and was made by Pietro Agati. The altarpiece dedicated to the Archangel Michael is a work by Pietro Fancelli from 1792; Giovanni Pancaldi extensively reworked it shortly afterwards.

These dates make it possible to compare the architectural and artistic history without assigning all the individual works to a single period: the church of 1788 was followed by the organ and altarpiece in the early 1790s, while the bell tower was not built until the second half of the 19th century. At Boccadirio, by contrast, the focus is on the three-aisled structure, the alterations to the arches and façade, and the majolica relief. If you are particularly interested in sacred art, the sites differ both in their works and in the periods to which they date.

Pilgrimage Traditions Throughout the Year

Every August, the Santuario della Beata Vergine delle Grazie di Boccadirio is a destination for pilgrimages by thousands of faithful. If you would like to plan your trip around this occasion, check the exact pilgrimage dates before setting off.

Another annual tradition takes place in May during the Rogations: the Santuario’s icon returns to the church of San Michele Arcangelo in Baragazza until Ascension Day. As the dates vary with the liturgical calendar, the period is tied to Ascension Day rather than a fixed calendar date. The two traditions therefore have different seasonal focuses: in August, the pilgrimage to Boccadirio takes centre stage; in May, it is the return of the icon to San Michele. For your planning, it is worth first choosing the occasion and checking its exact date.

Discover more destinations: Ripoli, Pizzano, Suviana, Castel Guelfo Di Bologna, Mordano, Calderara Di Reno, Noce, Bentivoglio.

For the broader travel overview: Bologna.