Santuario di Santa Maria dell'Alzana

According to an ancient legend, the church was founded following a miraculous event, during which some shipwrecked sailors were rescued from the waters of the Alpone, thanks to the appearance of a rope. A Romanesque church was then built, dedicated to the Madonna and entitled to Santa Maria dell'Alzana. 

The term Alzana may derive from the Latin "altus," which means elevated place, height, because the place of worship was built on a site that rose above the surrounding marsh. The existence of a church at this location is documented by a record from 1199. The building adjacent to the church, which has existed since 1582, was used as the residence of the chaplain.

Thanks to certain elements of a painting preserved in the church, depicting the Madonna with the "Child standing," the place of worship can be dated back to the 14th century. Here, other paintings are also preserved, such as the Madonna with "Christ on the knees" between Saint George and a saint, and a Madonna with the "Child on the knees" surrounded by Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Bartholomew. 

After recent restoration work, the building now houses the museum of rural civilization.