A masterpiece of Franciscan art, the Antonian Sanctuary of Polla is located along the historic routes of the ancient Via Popilia. It was also recently included as a stop on the Way of Saint Anthony from Capo Milazzo – Assisi – Padua.

Construction began in the early decades of the 16th century, with the walls completed in 1541. The interior, which retains the 16th-century architectural layout with a single, wide, and luminous nave in the style of Franciscan “preaching” churches, features an extraordinary fusion of painting and sculpture, in an unparalleled synthesis of history and spirituality.

Built at the expense of the local population and the municipality, it has continued to be a landmark of religious and cultural history throughout the five centuries since its foundation. From the very beginning, the history of this Franciscan site has been deeply intertwined with the history of Polla itself. With its simple Renaissance architecture, stunning frescoes, precious canvases, and numerous wooden sculptures, the Sanctuary represents one of the most interesting chapters in the history of Baroque art in Campania.

It contains works by Michele Ragolia, Domenico Sorrentino, Anselmo Palmieri, Francesco de Martino, Nicola Peccheneda, Pietro Antonio Ferro, Fra Umile da Petralia, and various other artists.

The historical vicissitudes that have accompanied the Sanctuary up to the present day have always left a distinct mark, both in the architectural interventions of the convent spaces and in the artistic testimonies that convey the cultural sensitivity, over the centuries, of a great project with its architects, resources, objectives, and challenges.

It was declared a National Monument in 1925 and erected as a Diocesan Sanctuary in 1993. In 2012, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities included it among the “Thousand Wonders of Italy.”