The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Brughiera, near Trivero (Biella province), lies over 800 meters above sea level amid chestnut woods and alpine meadows, along the CoEUR and St. Charles pilgrimage routes. Its origin dates back to the 16th century, when, according to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to a mute shepherd girl, restoring her speech and hearing. In gratitude, the locals built a chapel on the remains of a 14th-century church once linked to Fra Dolcino’s followers. Over time, devotion spread, leading to the construction of a larger church, which became a key Marian pilgrimage site in Piedmont.
The sanctuary includes two churches: the Old Church, a humble medieval structure, and the Great Church, which features Gian Giacomo Barbelli’s Nativity and frescoes by Pietro Lace. Its history is marked by the “Battle of the Gunshots” (March 25, 1643), when the people of Mosso and Trivero clashed over ownership of the site; tradition says the Virgin miraculously stopped the bullets, preventing injuries—a scene depicted in a large fresco. In the 19th century, a Via Crucis of fourteen chapels, painted by Giovanni Avondo and Antonio Ciancia, was added along the path to Bulliana. Declared a Diocesan Sanctuary in 2002, Brughiera remains a living center of faith, art, and devotion, offering pilgrims spiritual renewal and a link to the sacred landscapes of the Biellese hills.
- Address
1 Frazione Brughiera, Trivero, Italy - Web
https://www.santuariodellabrughiera.it/ - Visiting Hours
Always open - What to see
Two churches
