The Madonna della Pioggia Church is located on a beautiful square at the intersection of the Via Galliera and the Via Riva di Reno in Bologna. The church, which is also known as San Bartolomeo di Reno Sanctuary, was built in 1204.
Madonna della Pioggia Church Bologna
Useful information
Address: Via Riva di Reno, 124 – Bologna. Phone: Unknown. Opening times: From 09.00 till 12.00 and from 15.00 till 18.00 (Sundays from 10.00 till 12.00; Mondays closed). Ticket price: Free.
History and description
The adjacent Oratory of San Bartolomeo served as a guesthouse for pilgrims on their way to Rome. In the 16th century, a shelter for orphans whose parents had not survived the plague and scarcity was added. In 1367, during excavations for the construction of a canal, an effigy of the Madonna was found, which was hung in the church. In 1561, during a period of great drought, the statue was carried in a procession through the town. The prayers of the inhabitants were answered and the procession became an annual event.
What to see
The frescoes that used to adorn the facade of the church have completely disappeared.
Agostino Caraccio painted the “Adoration of the Shepherds”. This work, in the first chapel on the left, was damaged by a fire in World War II.
The “Madonna and Child with the Saints Catherine and Lucia” was the work of Lorenzo Sabatini.