Montagnaga: Discover the Sanctuary and Pilgrimage Routes
Accommodation in Montagnaga
The Sanctuary in the Centre
The main sanctuary stands in the centre of Montagnaga and is dedicated to Saint Anne. It is always open during the day. For planning your day, the opening information provides a general daytime window without tying visitors to a specific visiting time. The sanctuary has collected more than 7,000 votive offerings. Its dedication to Saint Anne and this large number of votive offerings give Montagnaga a clear religious focus.
File:Montagnaga, monumento al Redentore - Affreschi dell'atrio 03 - Celestino Endrici.jpg
Photo: Syrio via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
In Montagnaga, the Scala Santa has 28 steps. Each one contains a display case with earth or pebbles from the Holy Places of Palestine.
The Comparsa and the Stations of the Cross
South of Montagnaga lies the Conca della Comparsa, a natural hollow between forests. It is traditionally regarded as the site of the first apparition, which is said to have taken place on Saturday, 14 May 1729. Here, religious tradition meets the landscape of the natural hollow and forests south of Montagnaga. The Conca della Comparsa soon became a destination for pilgrims.
A Stations of the Cross route runs up towards the sanctuary. Its stations depict scenes from the Passion in the form of wooden reliefs. The final three stations of the route end in the meadow of the Comparsa. In this way, the religious sequence of the route continues into the landscape south of the town.
Guardia and the Casa di Domenica Targa
The preserved house where Domenica Targa was born on 9 August 1699 is located in the rural hamlet of Guardia. The interior of the Casa di Domenica Targa has retained its original structure. The site complements Montagnaga’s sacred destinations with a tangible testimony to local history.
Pilgrimage Routes and Destinations in the Forest
The Cammino delle Apparizioni is a pilgrimage route that begins in Vicenza at Monte Berico and ends in Montagnaga. Those interested in longer religious routes will therefore find in Montagnaga both an independent destination and the endpoint of this route.
The Quarta Comparsa in Pralongo lies in a forest a few kilometres from the town. It can be reached on foot via a convenient forest road closed to traffic. Both the distance from the town and the convenient forest road are relevant when planning a visit to this destination. The destination combines the religious theme with a route through a wooded setting, without implying that it is located in the town centre.
Views over the Upper Valsugana
The hill on which the Monumento al Redentore stands offers views over the upper Valsugana. Montagnaga can therefore be explored both through its religious destinations and through the view across the upper Valsugana.
Other Destinations for Orientation
For further orientation, you can also consider Caderzone, Tuenno, Ballino, Tremalzo, Besenello, Calceranica Al Lago, Torra and Soraga.
For the higher-level travel overview: Trentino.
