Santuario di Maria SS. della Misericordia

The Sanctuary of Maria Santissima della Misericordia (Most Holy Mother of Mercy), or "del Pozzo" (of the Well), is a place of worship located in Fontanarosa.

According to local tradition, the religious building was built after the discovery of a miraculous statue of the Madonna near a well, which had been hidden to escape the devious actions of the iconoclasts. Legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared to a local shepherdess, guiding her to the discovery of the statue and, consequently, to the construction of the current Sanctuary, which has undergone various renovations and extensions over the centuries. The famous popular devotion of the straw cart, dating back to the 16th century, is also inspired by the Marian cult in question. The tradition is linked to the thanksgiving offering that the farmers of the various districts gave to the Virgin Mary on her feast day, even before the 16th century, by loading sheaves of wheat onto their carts and holding a competition to determine the most beautiful cart. 

Today, the Sanctuary has a nave and two aisles, with six altars in the side aisles and a central altar, the main altar, in the choir area. Each period of history has marked this place of worship with an artefact or decoration that gives a sense of opulence and magnificence. The religious building is dominated by the statue of Saint Mary of Mercy, a unique sculpture from the medieval period, and the beautiful stone portal that closes the main entrance.  
There is also an original chapel from 1731, now a basilica, which houses a 17th-century coloured and gilded wooden triptych, a gift from Prince Carlo Gesualdo, and a painting of the Virgin and Child giving the lily to Saint Anthony, from the school of Luca Giordano. Finally, inside the mystical cave dug out at the back of the basilica is the famous well of the Madonna, from which it is possible to draw water that is considered miraculous by many. 

A centuries-old place of faith, legend and tradition, the Sanctuary of Maria Santissima della Misericordia (Most Holy Mother of Mercy) is a unique example of the decorative elements and works of art of great value that enrich the entire building.