Deruta Maiolica: The Sanctuary of the "Madonna dei Bagni" in Deruta

On the way to Rome and in the territory of Deruta there is a Sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary, known as "Madonna dei Bagni".

The inside walls of the Church are fully decorated with ceramics plaques of "Ex-voto" (tr. fulfillments of a vow, votive offerings) from the 17th century to nowadays.

The plaques of this Church are distincted by the acronym: PGR  (Per Grazia Ricevuta= in receipt of a miracle) and by the Virgin Mary with Child on an oak tree top.

Local people are very devoted to the Sanctuary, which is a place of election for weddings. My parents got married here on September 15th, 1963. 

Ex voto plaque dated 1543.
Married couple praying the
Virgin Mary.

The tradition of ceramics votive plaques was not new to Deruta. We show here an example of a Renaissance ex-voto plaque belonging to the Commune of Deruta.

Credit: Deruta Ceramics Museum.
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By visiting the Sanctuary of the "Madonna del Bagno" (Original name of the Church, tr."The Virgin of the Fount"),  you may have the opportunity of studying 350 years of evolution of the ceramics art of Deruta. Also interesting from the social and anthropological point of view. The Church is an open museum!