Museo del Santuario della Beata Vergine della Ghiara

About the museum

The museum was founded in 1982 at the wish of the fabbriceria (the church's administrative board) of the Tempio and the Musei Civici of Reggio Emilia, under the name Museo e Tesoro della Basilica della Ghiara. It is set up in some ground-floor rooms of the building that separates the two cloisters of the convent of the Servites, and holds liturgical objects and gifts that reached the sanctuary over the centuries as an expression of devotion to the miraculous image of the Madonna.

The route comprises three exhibition rooms and a teaching room with the sinopia of the fresco of the Madonna della Ghiara, painted in 1573 by Giovanni Bianchi, known as Bertone, after a design by Lelio Orsi. In the first room are the so-called ducal candelabra, offered by the Duke of Modena Francesco I d'Este and made in Rome by the goldsmiths Gianfrancesco Frangi and Marco Marchi between 1631 and 1634. The second room contains vases and other liturgical furnishings. The third houses the crown of 1674, a gift from the Community of Reggio to the Madonna for having protected the city from the plague, together with the finest of the liturgical vestments.

The route ends in the Tesoro room, which gathers reliquaries, ex-votos and sacred vessels.

Highlights

• Ducal candelabra of 1631–1634 given by Francesco I d'Este
• Crown of 1674 given by the Community of Reggio
• Sinopia of the fresco of the Madonna della Ghiara, 1573
• Treasury room with reliquaries, ex-votos and sacred vessels
• Liturgical vestments of the sanctuary

Permanent exhibition

• Museo e Tesoro della Basilica – Three rooms and a teaching room with ducal candelabra, vases and liturgical furnishings, the crown of 1674, vestments, and the Tesoro room with reliquaries and ex-votos.

Founded

1982

Operated by

Musei Civici di Reggio Emilia (con la fabbriceria della Basilica)

Visitors per year

approx. 3,312

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission to the venues of the Musei Civici is free; the ticket office closes half an hour before closing. Paid guided tours of all venues are available on telephone booking.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Guide dogs for blind people and assistance dogs are admitted to the Musei Civici venues; pet dogs are admitted on a lead and muzzled.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on the ground floor of the cloister of the Basilica della Ghiara, at Corso Garibaldi 44.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit