Genga

Tucked away just inside the mouth of the Frasassi Cave, sits Giuseppe Valadier's neo-classical Temple. The domed roof of the octagonal Temple of Valadier enshrines a replica of the marble statue of the Madonna and Child by Antonio Canova within, while the original has been moved to the Civic Museum of Genga. Although the shrine is a recent addition, built in 1828 at the instruction of Pope Leo XII, the caves have long been a place of refuge for locals fleeing attacks. Following its establishment, the chapel came to be a place of pilgrimage for those seeking forgiveness, earning it the moniker "Refuge of Sinners". The Temple of Valadier remains a place of refuge to this day, its precise design a stark contrast to the rugged walls it shelters behind. A small hermitage sits just outside the cave.Read more