Santuario di Nostra Signora del Prodigio (Tempio degli sport nautici)

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Prodigy stands on Garzola hill above Como. Its modern, ship-like architecture unites Marian devotion with a memorial dedicated to nautical sports and the people whose lives were connected with the water.

Why it matters

The sanctuary brings a particular aspect of the lake's culture into a religious setting. The memorial honours sporting and naval experience alongside the veneration of the Virgin. Its hillside position establishes a visual relationship with the city below.

What to notice

Fulvio Cappelletti's design evokes a vessel in both plan and elevation. A gilded bronze statue of the Immaculate Virgin crowns the roof. The memorial hall below the church contains sporting and naval mementoes, stained glass recalling water-sport federations and the Olympic rings, and biblical scenes made with shells.

Context and history

Antonio Pagani brought the venerated Marian image to Garzola in 1915. A foundation stone was laid in 1919, but financial difficulties halted construction. Don Luigi Galli revived the project in 1957, adding the nautical memorial to its conception. The present church was built between 1963 and 1968; the gilded statue was installed in 2008.