Madonna di Pietralba Pilgrimage Site

At 1,520 m a.s.l., South Tyrol's most important pilgrimage site is located: Madonna di Pietralba, or "Maria Weissenstein" in German. The basilica rises majestically above the Val d'Ega valley near the village of Monte San Pietro. Here, in 1553, the Virgin Mother appeared to the hermit Leonhard Weissensteiner after he had fallen into a deep ravine. In her honour he erected a little chapel, which was subsequently expanded and turned into an impressive Baroque pilgrimage church. The imposing white monastery was added later. In 1885, the image of the Sorrowful Mother of God was re-crowned by the then Bishop of Trento, Giovanni Giacomo della Bona.

The numerous votive pictures in the church bear witness to the crowd of pilgrims who visit Madonna di Pietralba every year. Among the art treasures of the basilica are the high altar, which is covered with gold and silver leaf, the picture of the Sorrowful Mother of God and the beautiful frescoes done by Adam Mölk. Two chapels belong to the sanctuary: the original chapel inside the church and the Chapel of St. Peregrin Laziosi outside, patron saint of cancer patients.

In 1925, the pilgrimage site was handed over to the Italian Servites (Servi di Maria). The place gained further fame in summer 1988, when Pope John Paul II visited it. But already Pope John Paul I appreciated Madonna di Pietralba as a summer resort. And how to reach the pilgrimage site? A well-signposted road leads from the Val d'Ega valley to the pilgrimage church, where there is a large car park. It can also be reached on foot from Laives - the old pilgrimage path leads in about 4 hours from the Laives Parish Church via the Via Pietralba road to the basilica.