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Vicoforte Sanctuary, also known as the “Basilica Sanctuary of the Nativity of Maria Santissima” or the “Sanctuary-Basilica Regina Montis Regalis”, is a monumental church, one of the most important in Piedmont, featuring a majestic dome with an elliptical horizontal section (the largest in the world), designed in the first half of the XVIII century by architect Francesco Gallo.
The complex originated from a medieval sanctuary, consisting of a modest pylon decorated with a XV century fresco depicting the Madonna and the Child.

The current architectural complex, commissioned by Duke Carlo Emanuele I of Savoy in 1596, shows different styles: a lower Renaissance part, the Baroque drum and dome, as well as the eclectic bell towers.

The base of the Sanctuary is made of sandstone: the drum and the elliptical dome were actually built on it. There are four bell towers, according to Vitozzi’s project: the first one was built by Christina of France and connected the sanctuary via the nearby Cistercian monastery; the two front towers and, the symmetrical fourth one, were erected opposite the first (the only functioning bell tower until 1830), ten years after.
In 1829, the main façade was built, while in 1883 the construction of a Cistercian convent started.

The interior of the Sanctuary consists of a single central nave with a small temple-ciborium in polychrome marble that houses the historic pylon with the image of the Madonna.
The fresco decorations show the theme of Salvation, on more than 7.000 square yards of surface, completed in 1752 by Mattia Bortoloni and Felice Biella.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)