Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie del Rivaio
Place of devotion and pilgrimage destination
The Sanctuary of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Castiglion Fiorentino stands on an area that was originally known as Rivaio, the place name highlighting the presence of a small stream (rivus) that probably crossed the site.
A splendid and solemn image of the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus in her arms, the Madonna delle Grazie, has always been an object for devotion and a pilgrimage destination.
In 1625, a small oratory was built but, soon, extensions were necessary and a new building was erected between 1642 and 1655. The image was moved to the new church whose portico was originally crossed by the main road, the main route from Arezzo to Castiglion Fiorentino.
The current appearance of the church dates back to 1867. Inside, you can find an important wooden crucifix from the 16th century attributable to Romano Alberti, known as Nero dal Borgo. A curiosity: the loincloth that surrounds the hips of Christ was made with real cloth, covered with plaster and painted.
