Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Grazie

To view the video it is necessary to accept cookies experience, metering, marketing

Paolo Bertelli - Art Historian
We are inside the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Grazie here in Curtatone, near Mantua. A temple with an extraordinary history, which is itself an ex voto, born precisely because of a plague. We are at the end of the 14th century, when the captain of the people was Francesco I Gonzaga. By his vow, this sanctuary—which had already existed since at least the year 1000, if not earlier—was completely renewed in the Gothic lines that we still see today. More importantly, this place became a center of faith and art.
People from every corner of Italy, and even from abroad, came here near Mantua for the Madonna delle Grazie on the main altar. On the wooden scaffold along the sides of the nave, statues were gathered, created as ex votos: common people saved from death, and even the warriors of the Gonzaga family offered their armor here. And above all, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of small wax ex votos, testifying to the healings that took place.
The sanctuary, in fact, has a long history spanning centuries, hosting kings, popes, emperors, up to the most recent, John Paul II, who visited in 1991 to celebrate Saint Luigi Gonzaga and who signed a major work created by the Madonnari on the square right in front of us. Even now, behind me, in the left corner from your viewpoint, you can see a piece of asphalt still bearing the signature of the pope who is now a saint.
The sanctuary is located, not by chance, on the banks of the Mincio River. It is a strategic place: two important roads pass here—one from Mantua to Cremona, and the other branching off toward Brescia. But above all, the upper lake is a point of extraordinary beauty, where a sanctuary could be elevated. It is a point of contact: people coming from Upper Mantua or traveling to and from Mantua would find a landing here. It is therefore also a place of communication, where water meets land—a place, in quotes, magical. “Magical” is absolutely a positive term in this case: even nature here seems to give its best to make this place fascinating, beautiful, full of spirit, and truly full of graces.

The Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Grazie, in Curtatone, is one of the most fascinating and historically rich places of worship in Lombardy. Its origins date back to the late 14th century, when Francesco I Gonzaga, Captain of the People, had it erected as an ex voto for deliverance from the plague. The building, which had already stood for centuries as a site of Marian devotion, was renewed in the Gothic style that we can still admire today, transforming it into a center of faith and art that attracts pilgrims and visitors from all over Italy and abroad.

Inside, it preserves an extraordinary heritage: votive statues, armor donated by the Gonzaga warriors, and thousands of small wax ex votos as testimonies of healings and graces received. The imposing wooden scaffold along the nave, populated with life-size figures, tells stories of popular devotion, salvation, and promises fulfilled.

Over the centuries, the sanctuary has become a destination for kings, popes, and emperors. Among the most significant moments in its recent history is the visit of Saint John Paul II in 1991, who celebrated Saint Luigi Gonzaga here and left his signature on a work created by the Madonnari in the square in front of the sanctuary.

Its location on the banks of the Mincio River further enhances its charm: a crossroads between Mantua, Cremona, and Brescia, immersed in a picturesque landscape where water and land meet. This place, where faith, history, and nature harmoniously interact, has for centuries remained a privileged space of spirituality and beauty—a sanctuary that truly grants “grazie” to all who visit.