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The Sacro Monte of Oropa near the town of Biella is one of the nine Sacri Monti (Sacred Mounts) to be listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The park covers 1,500 hectares at a height of 1,200m in the hills surrounding Biella. The Sacro Monte is made up of 12 chapels showing scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary which are all different: some are round or oval, some are rectangular and some are in the form of a cross.

Construction began in 1617 near to the site of an existing Sanctuary of the Virgin Mary and took 3 years to complete. It is now one of the most important places for worshipers of the Virgin Mary to visit.

The building of the Sacro Monte coincided with the building of a monumental complex dedicated to the Black Madonna nearby.

Since churches at Oropa were first documented in the 13th century many changes have taken place and it has now become a monumental religious complex which is a favoured destination for many pilgrims.

The two main attractions for pilgrims are the Basilica Antica and the Basilica Superiore.

The Basilica Superiore was built at the end of the 19th century and its majestic dome is over 80m high.

The Basilica Antica was built at the beginning of the 17th century and is where visitors go to worship the Black Madonna. The Basilica stands on the site where the original church of Santa Maria. Inside is the original 9th century Saint Eusebio Chapel containing the statue of the Black Madonna was brought to Oropa and hidden by Saint Eusebio. The statue is made of Swiss Pine and dates to the 13th century.

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Practical Info

Access to the site is free

Please check the opening times for the two Basilica and mass times using the link below