What started as a modest wayside shrine, with an ever-burning lamp guiding travellers along the ancient, rugged route to Monastero, has grown into a symbol of mountain resilience. It offers stunning views and the quiet of a sacred site that has always held special meaning for those passing through these peaks.
Site overview
According to tradition, on the rocky outcrop above the Tesso plain, where the steep path linking Coassolo and Monastero runs, there once was a small roadside shrine. A lamp constantly burned before an image of the Blessed Virgin, honouring the protector of travellers on their journey.
In time, the simple shrine was transformed into a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. This building appears in the records from Archbishop Monsignor Carlo Broglia’s pastoral visit on June 26, 1594. During this visit, the Archbishop instructed that a proper floor be installed and the altar be expanded.
Over the next two centuries, the chapel gradually fell into neglect and is no longer mentioned after 1825 during any pastoral visit, indicating it probably ceased to exist. In 1876, the residents of Coassolo reconstructed it, following the initiative of Father Giacomo Ubaldi.
The following year, it was blessed, and permission was granted to celebrate two feast days: Santa Maria delle Grazie in June and the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in September.
How to visit the site
From the hamlet of Grata, Coassolo Torinese, follow Via della Grata along the carriage road to the bend at Via Magnetti. From there, continue on foot along a well-marked path to the chapel.
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