Sanctuary of Maria del Patrocinio in Castelnuovo Berardenga
For centuries, the image of the Virgin and Child kept in the church has been believed to be miraculous
The history of Castelnuovo Berardenga is closely linked to the cult of the Madonna del Patrocinio. As early as 1367, the Virgin was thanked for the fortifications built by Siena to defend the town from looting during the struggles between Florence and Siena. Miraculous healings have long been attributed to the Madonna, including, more recently, the providential error of a military charter which, in 1944, brought a strong contingent of British troops into the area that freed the country from the Germans, who didn’t succeed in detonating the mines as planned.
The Sanctuary of Maria Santissima del Patrocinio (built in 1680) has a gabled façade with travertine slabs lining the lower part, while the upper section is plastered. It was built according to a Latin cross plan, withchapels along the arms of the transept. The vaulted roof is supported by semi-pillars leaning against the walls and bordered by round arches. Of particular interest are a wooden compass, the orchestra supported by marble columns, a stucco decorated parapet, the travertine balustrade and the evocative altar with the image of the Madonna and Child in terracotta. This venerated effigy in glazed terracotta was originally kept in the Church of the Compagnia and placed in a "majesty".
