Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Statue of the Buddha in the main temple
Gadaladeniya Viharaya
McClellan Falls
McClellan Falls
Kraken Habitat
Skye Textile Mill
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Caru' cu Bere
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Inside the Rothko Chapel
These Monuments Showcase the Beauty of Brutalism
about 14 hours ago
Aerial view of Pulau Tiga
The Original ‘Survivor’ Island Changed Television Forever
1 day ago
Obscura Day Summer 2025: Roaming among Assateague's feral island ponies
1 day ago
The main reading room of the Athenaeum.
Obscura Day Summer 2025: Literary Landmarks Across Providence
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Italy Pizzo Chiesetta di Piedigrotta (Church of Piedigrotta)

Chiesetta di Piedigrotta (Church of Piedigrotta)

This church carved into the rocks is full of enchanting stone statues.

Pizzo, Italy

Added By
Pierpaolo Ferlaino
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Chiesetta di Piedigrotta.   Pierpaolo Ferlaino / Atlas Obscura User
Chiesetta di Piedigrotta.   Pierpaolo Ferlaino / Atlas Obscura User
  ghostkamera / Atlas Obscura User
  ghostkamera / Atlas Obscura User
  ghostkamera / Atlas Obscura User
  ghostkamera / Atlas Obscura User
Chiesetta di Piedigrotta.   Pierpaolo Ferlaino / Atlas Obscura User
Chiesetta di Piedigrotta.   Pierpaolo Ferlaino / Atlas Obscura User
Chiesetta di Piedigrotta.   Pierpaolo Ferlaino / Atlas Obscura User
  ghostkamera / Atlas Obscura User
Chiesetta di Piedigrotta.   Pierpaolo Ferlaino / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Today, when walking down the concrete stairway leading to the beach, you’ll be struck by the incredible views of the sea. But what’s waiting at the end of this trail is even more incredible.

The Chiesetta di Piedigrotta awaits you, its dark air tinged with a with salty and humid scent. Light filtering in from above cascades down to sculptures covered in patches of moss. It’s an almost eerie atmosphere, one that beckons you to inquire about the unusual church’s origins.

Legend tells of a vessel caught in a violent storm during the 17th century. The captain and his crew did everything they could to steer it, but with no luck. All they could do was gather below deck and pray before a painting of the Virgin of Piedigrotta. The sailors promised that if she saved their lives, they would build a church in her honor. A few hours later, the ship sank, but the crew made it safely to a beach near Pizzo.

Next to them was a bell and the painting of the Virgin they had prayed to, which they interpreted as a sign they had to keep their promise. They placed the painting in a small cave dug into the tufa.

In the 19th century, Angelo Barone, a local shopkeeper, devoted himself to the cave and built a larger church there. He carved stone figures representing Christ and the saints into the stones. He worked there all of his life, and when he died, his son took over. Then the statues remained at the mercy of time and vandals.

In the 1960s, Giorgio Barone, a descendant of Angelo Barone, visited the area. He was so struck by the then-deteriorated church that he decided to restore it. He also added new sculptures, including a bas-relief of Pope John XXIII in front of John Kennedy.

Related Tags

Sculptures Caves Churches Outsider Art Outsider Architecture Ecosystems Sacred Spaces

Know Before You Go

You can reach Pizzo Calabro by train, but you have to order a taxi in advance to get both to the town (a five-minute drive) and the church (a 10-minute drive from the train station). The easiest way to reach Pizzo Calabro and the Chiesetta di Piedigrotta is by car. Park in the lot marked "Parcheggio Piedigrotta" then walk down the concrete stairway until you reach the church. There's a small admission fee. The church is closed during poor weather. Check the hours on the official website since the place isn't always open, especially in the low season.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Flavors of Italy: Roman Carbonara, Florentine Steak & Venetian Cocktails

Savor local cuisine across Rome, Florence & Venice.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

Pierpaolo Ferlaino

Edited By

ghostkamera

  • ghostkamera

Published

September 17, 2019

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.chiesadipiedigrotta.it/
Chiesetta di Piedigrotta (Church of Piedigrotta)
118 Via Riviera Prangi
Località, Via della Madonnella, 89812 Pizzo VV
Pizzo, 89812
Italy
38.742187, 16.174981
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Santa Maria dell’Isola Monastery

Tropea, Italy

miles away

Cattolica di Stilo

Stilo, Italy

miles away

Castello della Valle

Fiumefreddo Bruzio, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,073
Stories 111

Nearby Places

Santa Maria dell’Isola Monastery

Tropea, Italy

miles away

Cattolica di Stilo

Stilo, Italy

miles away

Castello della Valle

Fiumefreddo Bruzio, Italy

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Italy

Italy

Europe

Places 1,073
Stories 111

Related Places

  • Ra Paulette’s Hand-Carved Caves

    New Mexico

    Ra Paulette's Hand-Carved Caves

    One man has carved a number of natural New Mexico caves into psychedelic sandstone temples.

  • Dale Abbey, England

    Hermits Cave at Dale Abbey

    Inspired by a dream, a hermit carved out a home in this sandstone bank to live a life of contemplation and prayer.

  • The church tucked within a cave.

    Asturias, Spain

    Holy Cave of Covadonga

    A historic Christian shrine nestled within a spectacular natural cave.

  • Hermitage of Poggio Conte, dug in the tuff.

    Ischia di Castro, Italy

    Eremo di Poggio Conte (Poggio Conte Hermitage)

    A dreamlike medieval church dug into the tuff rock, with unusual carvings and possible traces of the Templar knights.

  • Pskov-Caves Monastery.

    Pechory, Russia

    Pskov-Caves Monastery

    This 15th-century cave complex is one of the very few monasteries to stay open throughout World War II and the Soviet regime.

  • The main altar in the cave.

    Italy

    The Grotto Church of Saint Michael

    A spiritual sanctuary in a natural cave.

  • St. Govan’s chapel.

    Pembrokeshire, Wales

    St. Govan's Chapel

    A hermit's tiny cell built into the cliffside that saved him in South Pembrokeshire.

  • Church of the Annunciation

    Haute-Isle, France

    Troglodyte Church

    The Church of the Annunciation was carved into the face of a cliff, just like the rest of the town of Haute-Isle.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.