Macereto, an octagonal temple a thousand metres up in the Sibillini

There are places that deserve the effort of reaching them. The Sanctuary of Macereto, in the municipality of Visso in the province of Macerata, is one of these. It stands at around a thousand metres of altitude, on a vast grassy plateau on the western slope of the Sibillini Mountains, where the silence is broken only by the wind and, in summer, by the bells of the grazing flocks. The first thing that strikes you is not the church, but the emptiness around it: no packed car park, no queue, only meadows and mountains.

The legend

Tradition tells that in 1359 the mules of a caravan carrying a statue of the Madonna knelt down right here, refusing to go on. A first chapel rose on the spot. But the monument we see today is a work of the Renaissance: construction of the sanctuary began in 1528 under the direction of the architect Giovan Battista da Lugano, who continued a design attributed to Bramante, and was completed in 1556 by Filippo Salvi da Bissone.

The building

The building has an unusual and elegant octagonal plan, entirely clad in travertine, with three carved portals. Inside it housed a small central shrine built at the end of the 16th century on the model of the Holy House of Loreto. All around stretches a larger complex, with the pilgrims' house, the guardhouse and the palace of the guaite: a small stone village born to welcome those who climbed all the way up here.

Earthquake and restoration

The earthquakes of 2016 struck the whole complex hard, and since then works of consolidation and restoration have been under way. In August 2025 the historic statue of the Madonna returned in procession inside the sanctuary, a concrete sign of rebirth. Before setting off, it is worth checking whether the church is open, as building works may limit access to the interior.

When to go

The best period runs from late spring to early autumn, when the plateau is passable and in bloom. Visit it with respect: take your rubbish away, respect the grazing and the contemplative quiet of the place. Macereto does not ask for crowds, it asks for attention.

Getting there

The Sanctuary of Macereto stands on a plateau at around a thousand metres in the Sibillini Mountains, near Visso. You reach it by car along scenic mountain roads: from the Adriatic coast you follow the SS77 state road to Camerino and from there climb towards the Sibillini National Park in the direction of Fiastra, while from Visso you continue towards Cupi. The road is narrow and has some hairpin bends; the reference airports are Ancona and Perugia.

Practical guides for Todi

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