Interior of a church with a vaulted ceiling, central altar adorned with a painting of the Madonna and Child, and wooden pews.
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Church of the Madonna della Crocetta

The small but charming Church of the Madonna della Crocetta is located on one of the switchbacks leading to the town of Piegaro.

It was presumably founded in the second half of the 16th century by the families of Piegaro glassmakers in gratitude for the protection provided by the Virgin during the glass-making process. The church was the seat of the Confraternity of the Crocetta, as evidenced by the recurring symbol of a small Greek cross, which is found numerous times within the building. In 1851, the church underwent a major restoration, as indicated by the inscription on the lintel above the entrance door.

Altar with an image of the Madonna and Child, framed by columns and candleholders, under a semi-circular blue vault.

Fresco of the Madonna and Child on the main altar. A small Greek cross is depicted in the Virgin's pendant and in the stucco coat of arms.

Facade of a church with a wooden door topped by a small central rose window with a Greek cross emblem.

Facade of the Church of the Madonna della Crocetta.

The exterior of the building is very simple, with a bell tower and a small central rose window on the facade, where the customary Greek cross is depicted. The interior consists of a single nave with a barrel vault.

The ceiling features frescoes dating from the 16th and 17th centuries that depict the Assumption of the Virgin, though they are unfortunately in poor condition. Other tempera paintings can be found on the eight wooden panels of the 17th-century choir gallery on the counter-facade, depicting saints and biblical figures.

On the main altar is a 16th-century painting of the Madonna and Child, who wears a Greek cross pendant, surrounded by stucco decorations. The right altar houses a polychrome statue of Saint Joseph; the left altar features the interesting wooden statue of the Ecce Homo, dating to the 18th century, covered with a scarlet cloak that is replaced by a different-colored cloak during Holy Week. On Thursday, the statue is carried in procession in a traditional ritual involving the old Piegaro confraternities.

The church also houses the tomb of Marquis Geremia Misciatelli, owner of the Piegaro glassworks from 1815 and a key figure in modernizing glass production, highlighting the connection between devotion to the Madonna della Crocetta and the glassmakers of the area.

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