A Jewel of Calabria’s Coast – Unusual Places

Located majestically atop a rocky promontory overlooking the turquoise waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Santa Maria dell’Isola is one of the most amazing sights that can be seen in Southern Italy. The ancient monastery greets visitors in Tropea, Calabria, offering fantastic scenic views apart from housing a millennium of history and spiritual values. For voyagers in search of natural beauty amalgamated with cultural heritage, Santa Maria dell’Isola is the destination to visit.

A Historical Sanctuary

Over the centuries, Santa Maria dell’Isola has undergone numerous earthquakes and invasions, each time rising from its ashes due to restorations. Its rebirth is a mirror of the strong faith and spirit that dwells in the sanctuary. People have been living in Tropea for at least 2,000 years, ever since Sextus Pompey defeated the emperor Octavius. Legend says it was founded by Hercules himself. A destination of pilgrimage and hence holy, this church houses a 12th-century Byzantine portrait of the Virgin Mary, which protects the area according to locals. In 1638, the Virgin from the portrait appeared to the Bishop in Calabria and warned him of the earthquake that would take place. In the same year, on March 27, he gathered the people of Tropea and took them out of town. An earthquake did occur on the same day, but the people remained safe.

Legend of the Church of Santa Maria dell’Isola

There is also a legend about the small church of Santa Maria dell’Isola that tells how the Virgin arrived in the village. During the time of iconoclasm, a statue of the Virgin arrived in Tropea from the East. The people of the village, together with the bishop and the mayor, went down to the beach to celebrate the arrival of the wooden statue of the Madonna. The two leaders of the village agreed to place the statue of the Madonna inside a niche located in a natural cave in the rock of the cliff. However, the statue was too large for the size of the niche.

To resolve this, the leaders of the community called a carpenter to fix the problem by sawing off the legs of the Madonna. But as soon as the carpenter touched the statue with the saw, he became paralyzed in his arms, while the mayor and the bishop died at that moment. In the following days,…