Nearby: Pompeii
Known throughout the world for the tragedy that struck it in 79 AD, Pompeii is famous not only for its archaeological site, but also for its sanctuary and for being a place of pilgrimage for many faithful.
Visited by millions of tourists every year, Pompeii embodies two different worlds: on the one hand what remains of one of the largest and most splendid cities of the Roman era, on the other the Christian spirituality witnessed by the faithful who come in large numbers to visit one of the major centers of Marian devotion in Italy, and beyond. A few meters away the pagan and Christian worlds coexist.
The ancient city of Pompeii offers visitors an extraordinary glimpse of life in imperial Rome. Its history originates between the end of the 7th and the first half of the 6th century. BC, when the first tuff wall was built, and ends with the tragic eruption of Vesuvius, which erased it but at the same time guaranteed its eternal life. The visit to the excavations allows you to observe the typical structure of the cities of the classical period, with the grandiose forums, theatres, gymnasiums, which constituted the hubs of public life.
Of notable interest are: the forum, center of public, religious and commercial activities; the house of the Vettii, one of the greatest examples of Roman art from the 1st century AD; the Stabian baths, the oldest in the city, dating back to the 2nd century BC; and civil buildings such as the House of the Surgeon, the House of the Faun, the House of the Chaste Lovers and the famous Villa dei Misteri, which preserves splendid examples of wall decoration. Walking among the remains of the city is a real journey back in time.
Alongside the archaeological excavations, the Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of the Holy Rosary was built at the end of the 19th century, whose history is strongly linked to that of Blessed Bartolo Longo, its founder.
There are numerous pilgrims from all over Italy and abroad who visit to pray, ask for graces, fulfill a vow and entrust themselves to the Madonna. Inside there are precious works dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries, the result of the inspiration of great artists such as Vincenzo Paliotti, Federico Maldarelli, Ponziano Loverini and Fermo Taragni. Marbles, frescoes and mosaics restored to their ancient splendor thanks to meticulous restoration work contribute to artistically enriching the sanctuary.
