Santuario di Nostra Signora della Salute

The Sanctuary of Nostra Signora della Salute in Volastra is a Romanesque hillside church documented from 1240, surrounded by the terraced landscape above Manarola.

Why it matters

Volastra is one of the hillside hamlets of the Cinque Terre, where settlement grew around religious buildings among cultivated terraces. The sanctuary's early documentation and restrained architecture make it a notable part of the area's devotional and agricultural history.

What to notice

The church is a single hall without an apse, built from regular stone courses. Its Romanesque facade includes an ogival portal and a small bifora. Around Volastra, dry-stone terraces, vineyards and olive groves form an engineered landscape rising above Manarola.

Context and history

The sanctuary is documented from 1240. Its image of the Madonna was crowned in 1861, formalizing a devotion already established in the community. Volastra belongs to the municipality of Riomaggiore and sits within the ring of Marian sanctuaries associated with the Cinque Terre villages. The church's elevated position reflects the close relationship between coastal settlements and hillside religious life.