Things to see · Churches and sanctuaries
Sant’Antonio Abate Sanctuary, Grottole
Grottole (Matera)
Sant’Antonio Abate Sanctuary, Grottole is in Grottole, province of Matera. Opening hours: Open mainly on feast days (17 January and Pentecost): check before visiting. Admission: Free entry.
- Free entry.
- Open mainly on feast days (17 January and Pentecost): check before visiting.
About this place
The sanctuary of Sant’Antonio Abate stands in the countryside, on the ridge of Fosso Magno, above the Altojanni plateau, about 13 kilometres from Grottole.
History
The first building dates back to 1371 and was commissioned by Queen Joan I of Naples. Next to it was a small hospital where lepers and people suffering from «St Anthony’s fire» (a painful skin condition, also called ergotism) were treated. The present church was consecrated in 1733. In 1775 it passed to the Constantinian Order of Saint George and later to the diocesan clergy. In the surrounding area, the ruins of the tower of Altojanni remain, from a medieval hamlet that has since disappeared.
What to see
• The church, dating from the 18th century, and the buildings next to it.
• The open-air altar, built in 1986 about 400 metres from the sanctuary at the wish of the faithful of Ferrandina.
• The view from the ruins of Altojanni over the Basento and Bilioso valleys.
Festivals
The sanctuary is a pilgrimage destination on 17 January, the feast of Sant’Antonio Abate, and at Pentecost, together with the following Monday and Tuesday.
Useful information
• Outside festival days the church may be closed, so it is best to check with the parish in Grottole.
• In the village you will also find the Chiesa Diruta and the Sichinulfo castle.
