Santuario Nostra Signora della Bruceta

The origins of the Sanctuary of Santa Maria della Bruceta, near the village of Cremolino, are traced back to the 9th century. Legend has it that from the ashes of a small chapel set on fire during a Saracen raid, the portrait of the Virgin Mary painted on stone was saved perfectly intact. It is now worshipped in the Sanctuary. The inhabitants declared this to be a miracle and rebuilt the chapel, calling it ‘Bruceta’. The church retains its Romanesque layout, even after much restoration and extension work, the most important of which was carried out between 1820 and 1823; part of the bell tower and the 12th century apse are what remains of the ancient chapel.