The Sanctuary of the Madonna del Monte, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Assumed, is located atop the second highest hill of the Euganei, between Rovolon and Teolo. The presence of this sacred place has consequently determined the name of the hill itself, Monte della Madonna.
A church has existed here since the XIII century, mentioned in a will from 1253 and serving as a landmark for hermits and pilgrims. Joined by Pope Julius II in 1508 to the Benedictine abbey of Praglia as its dependency, the church was enlarged several times and became a true sanctuary entrusted to the care of a local Marian brotherhood. In 1940 the church was largely rebuilt, while between 1955 and 1965 a small monastery with a cloister was built next to it, where Benedictine monks from the Praglia community still reside permanently.
The modern church preserves part of the walls of the ancient chapel built in the 1500s, which have been uncovered through recent restoration.
Inside, on the central wall of the presbytery, there is a 14th-century statue of the Madonna with Child, made of polychrome stone, attributed to Andriolo de’ Santi. Other artistic testimonies of the ancient church date back to the 17th century, including a painting by Giovanni Battista Bissoni (a student of Varotari) depicting Saint Roch and a wooden crucifix by an unknown author.
Like the abbey of Praglia from which it depends, the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Monte is today a destination for visitors and devotees.
