The Banchette sanctuary (Italian santuario di Banchette) devoted to the Virgin Mary situated in the Banchette hamlet, in the comune of Bioglio, near the village of Pettinengo.
It is built[1] at 675 m altitude and it is an extradiocesan sanctuary run by Barnabites. Behind the church there is a building, dating to the first half of the 18th century, destined to the pilgrims. This hostel was built thanks to the donation of a Spanish military officer.
According to the legend, the sanctuary was built in order to remedy to the profanation of the fresco of the Virgin Mary perpetrated by a fool who threw stones against the image painted on a column. This gesture origined the surname of Madonna dal bull, the Virgin with a bruise. The ruined fresco is still visible today inside the church.[2]
The actual building has been erected by the Barnabites around the ancient church which was used as leper hospital in 1630 during a plague.
The structure has been restored at the beginning of the 20th century. The parts of the original church are the façade and part of the lateral aisles.
