One of the more delightful things about Italy is that round every corner there is a little gem, and one that the vast majority of tourists, speeding by, will miss out on. That's literally true here, as it is right next to the Perugia-Terni dual carriageway!
It is a totally charming and tranquil place (yes, in spite of the cars) and it has such an air of..peace and hope. Ok, that may be a bit West Coast. Really, it does. Go and see for yourself.
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| Madonna dei Bagni |
The Madonna dei Bagni is a small church, about 10 minutes from Deruta, the town famed for it's ceramics. In this small church, the walls are lined with a series of votive plaques. Unlike other churches, however, these do not commemorate the dead, but celebrate those who have survived accidents, because their relatives have prayed fervently to the Madonna for help.
And this is not just a historic thing. Sure, some of the plaques go back several hundred years, and give a fascinating (if naive) view of accidents - especially the perspective on things like ladders. It seems to be that the Italians of yore had a high propensity for falling from things...and then you round the corner and find a Ferrari wrapped round a cypress tree - visit and see if you can find it!
Outside of the church, there's a small monastery centre which hosts occasional day trips for young drug offenders to get them out of the city and hopefully out of drugs. Though, most of the time, there are just a few nuns! And they always seem to be cooking something for lunch..
A really lovely way to spend an hour on the way back from Deruta - before 12 of course!
Here are some of the plaques:
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| Saved from the Bosnian War |
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| 1664 - a fishing accident |
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| Attacked by a very Picasso-esque bull! |
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| Falling from a tree |
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| Falling yet again |
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| Saved in childbirth |
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| A car accident including a very specific impression of the lights - almost like a legal statement! |
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| And an accident right outside our church in Papiano, an 'Ape' that has fallen in the fog. |
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| Beautiful trees, such a spiritual place |
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| The surrounding buildings |
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