Sanctuary of San Luca

History

The history of the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca dates back to the 12th century, when records first mention a hermitage on this hill, where a hermit named Euthymius had settled after arriving from Constantinople with a cedar panel bearing an image of the Virgin painted in the early Byzantine style. In 1149 the hermitage passed to the sisters Azzolina and Bice, daughters of Rampertino di Gherardi di Guezo, who were later joined by other young women wishing to lead a life of prayer. In 1194 a first small church was built to house the icon of the Madonna. It was in 1433, after a long drought, that the image was carried in procession to Bologna for the first time, and the rain that followed strengthened popular devotion. Since then, during Ascension week, the traditional procession has carried the Byzantine Madonna and Child to the city’s cathedral. Between 1674 and 1793 the famous San Luca portico was built, connecting the sanctuary to Porta Saragozza in the city: a masterpiece of urban planning unique in the world. In 1741, with the consent of the Commune and many devout benefactors, work began on building the sanctuary in the form we see today, to a design by the architect Carlo Francesco Dotti. In 1757, with the work almost complete, the foundations of the façade and its side galleries were laid. The Baroque building has a circular plan with short Greek-cross arms and a large dome, perfectly set into the hilly landscape.
Over the centuries the sanctuary has undergone various restorations, especially from the 19th century onwards and after the Second World War. Today it is a destination for pilgrimages and religious tourism and a symbol of Bolognese identity, clearly visible from much of the plain.