Alcamo - Sanctuary of Maria SS dei Miracoli Alcamo (TP) Hotel

The Sanctuary of Maria SS dei Miracoli in Alcamo is located in a valley in the north of the city. The temple project  was planned in the XVI century by Girolamo Vicchiuzzo (from Palermo) and it was launched at the beginning of the XIII century.

Its style is a combination between the Baroque style and the Renaissance style.  It is a great example of the typical Sicilian Baroque style due to the presence of Puttini (little angels), drapery and festoons decorated with flowers. The facade has two doorways with ribbed columns and Corinthian capitals, one large window with two others little windows on its sides made by Innocenzo Arcodaci. The bell tower is located behind the church and it has a baluster of Calcarenite (a type of limestone) both on the top and on the base.

The fresco depicting la Madonna dei Miracoli (the Madonna of Miracles ) has become an important place of worship. It was accidentally discovered the 21th June1547 in the place where, according to tradition, in 1547, a miracle occurred: two women (one blind, the other deaf)  were near a brook when they were hit by some stones  throwed by a woman with a child and they miraculously cured. The next day, the image of the Virgin Mary appeared in that place. People in Alcamo call this place “La Maronna di ddà ghiusu” (which means that the church is located in the low part of the city where the water from the hills flows into) and the fresco “Madonna fonte della misericordia” (the source of Mercy). Every year, on the 21th June, the whole city partecipates to the great celebration in the honor of Madonna dei Miracoli.