Vicoforte

Vicoforte is a commune in the Province of Cuneo in Italy. it is located above 598 meters above sea level and is 32 km from Cuneo.

The Basilica Regina Montis Regalis

Paintings on the cupola

It is known mainly for the Basilica-Sanctuary Regina Montis Regalis built between 1596 and 1733 by the religious population of the area to honour the Virgin Mary. The legend tells that on the place of the basilica at the end of the XV century a simple and rustical column was built and decorated with a painting of the Holy Mary and her son known as the Madonna del Pilone. In 1592 a hunter accidentaly shot the painting and since then the popular belief attributed to the painting miracolous properties, healings and conversions, the word spread and in a few years and pilgrims from all over Europe came to visit the miracolous painting. The Bishop of Mondovì moved by the view of so many pilgrims (more than 10.000 on some days) on 1596 decided to build a temple to honour the Virgin Mary on the place with the help of the donations of the pilgrims and many favours from the rich of the region. The Sanctuary eventually became one of the most admired and visited marian centers to this days.

The Bishop of Mondovì Castrucci and Carlo Emanuele I sponsored the building with the intent of celebrating the Holy Mary and make it the tomb for the kings of Savoy. Author of project and of the inferior part, neoclassic is the architect Ascanio Vitozzi from Orvieto. The upper part was made by Francesco Gallo, famous architect from Mondovì and this is considered his masterpiece.

It features the biggest elliptical cupola in the world:

major axis m. 37,15; 
height m. 75; 
perimeter m. 250.

It is decorated with mq 6032 of paintings with a single theme the Holy Mary reprenting three Italian painting schools: "Veneta" (Mattia Bortoloni), "Bolognese", " Milanese".