Our Lady of the Fountain Church

La Brigue, France

Our Lady of the Fountain (Notre-Dame des Fontaines) is a Roman Catholic shrine located four kilometers (2.5 miles) from La Brigue, France, very close to the Italian border. The name derives from seven local springs that emerge from the rocks. It is one of the main tourist destinations in La Brigue, receiving up to 12,000 tourists per year.

The shrine is noted for a huge 15th-century fresco painting, depicting the cycle of Passion of Christ by Giovanni Canavesio. Some of the outstanding frescoes of the chapel have been reproduced in the Musée national des Monuments Français in Paris.

The church itself dates back to the 12th century, being enlarged in the 1490s. As is the case with other river sources in Liguria, this was a sacred site long before Christianity established itself in the region; Roman coins and other votive offerings have been found in the vicinity.

References:

Wikipedia

Address

D143, La Brigue, France

See all sites in La Brigue

Details

Founded: 12th century
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Château de La Brigue (3,1 km)

Monte Carlo Casino (40,2 km)
Saint Nicholas Cathedral (41,3 km)
Nice Cathedral (50,7 km)
Prince's Palace of Monaco (41,3 km)
Village of Èze (44 km)
Palais Lascaris (50,6 km)
Nice Castle Hill (50,6 km)
Musée Masséna (51,7 km)
Hotel Negresco (51,8 km)

User Reviews

Patrick Gmelch (5 years ago)
Chapelle was closed but it's still worth a visit. Go for a hike in the area, it's lovely

Orlando Harrison (5 years ago)
Fabulous hidden gem.

marko proust (5 years ago)
I did a detour from the walking trail to come here but there was an entrance fee to enter the museum. In my opinion a church should be free to enter else it has stopped serving its original purpose and become a museum.

Neil Williams (5 years ago)
A wonderful experience! The church doesn't look like much from the outside, but once you step through the door you're dazzled by the amazing frescoes. I loved the painting of Judas. If you can get there, GO. Try to take part in a guided tour, as there's a lot you will miss if you visit alone. All sorts of history and nefarious goings-on can be seen in the context of the paintings. Highly recommended!

Joel Villacampa (5 years ago)
Lieu très agréable, l'extérieur de la chapelle ne paye pas de mine, mais l'intérieur vaut le détour (se renseigner avant pour les visites).

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