Gottasecca
Welcome to Gottasecca!
Hello friends, today we will be talking about the Municipality of Gottasecca, a small yet charming village in Piedmont, located in the province of Cuneo. With only 128 inhabitants, this municipality is perfect for those who want to escape the chaos of the city and enjoy some peace and nature.
History
The legend of the miraculous oil of Gottasecca is part of the ancient history of the municipality. It is said that once upon a time, a miraculous oil that healed the sick used to flow from the rocks of the village until a lady brought her sick pig to kiss the oil with the intention of healing it. From that moment on, the rock stopped producing the oil and the place was called "Gutta Sicca", which means "dry drop". Over time, the name was corrupted and became "Gottasecca". The stone from which the oil flowed is still visitable today inside the Sanctuary of Gottasecca.
Before the 10th century, Gottasecca was called "Lavaniola" and was a historic district of Lavagnola. In 998, Otto III decided to assign the proceeds from his parishes to Bernardo, Bishop of Savona. The coat of arms and the banner of the municipality were granted by decree of the President of the Republic in 1977.
Sanctuary of Gottasecca
The Sanctuary of the Assumption will leave you speechless. Located near the Bric della Croce, this building presents an extraordinary flowering of Baroque paintings, stuccoes, and friezes. The twisted columns and the altars richly represented by the saints and angels supporting the columns are truly surreal. The bell tower, 20 meters high, has two orders of arches and ends with a 3.5-meter onion dome, covered with Lavagna tiles. Inside, the sanctuary consists of three naves, a central one and two side ones, connected to the primary nave by four arches on each side, resting on pillars.
At the entrance of the sanctuary, on the left, is the first side altar that, unfortunately, has suffered theft of the painting. Unfortunately, even three other altars have been desecrated by pirates of religious art. But despite this, the Sanctuary is a place of incredible artistic beauty, located on a deserted plateau, where only the surrounding nature makes it possible to admire such architectural splendor.
Conclusion
In short, dear friends, if you want to enjoy some relaxation and admire the beauty of Baroque art, we invite you to visit the Municipality of Gottasecca. And if you are looking for a miracle, why not try kissing the Stone from which the oil used to flow, maybe you too could be healed!
