Santuario della Madonna del Frassino

The Sanctuary of the Madonna del Frassino stands among fields south of Peschiera del Garda. Its name recalls the ash tree in which, according to local tradition, a small image of the Virgin was found in 1510.

Why it matters

The apparition tradition is associated with farmer Bartolomeo Broglia, who found the statuette among the branches of an ash tree. The church was built on the site between 1511 and 1514 as devotion to the image spread. The sanctuary's Franciscan convent and cloisters form part of a religious complex that has shaped the surrounding locality for centuries.

What to notice

The church has a single nave with eight side altars. Two chapels organise the interior: the Cappella del Santissimo Sacramento and the Cappella dell'Apparizione, where the statuette is venerated. The Franciscan convent and its cloisters extend the architectural complex beyond the church itself. The rural setting near Lake Frassino gives the sanctuary a different character from Peschiera's fortified centre.

Context and history

Local documentation dates the finding of the image to 1510 and the construction of the Renaissance church to 1511–14. The Franciscans established a convent beside the sanctuary, providing continuity for the site as a place of devotion. The Diocese of Verona lists Santa Maria del Frassino among the churches in the parish territory of Peschiera.