santuario, Santuario di San Donato Vescovo e Martire

Just outside the hilltop village of Anzi, the Santuario di San Donato Vescovo e Martire stands on the lane that shares its name. This Baroque church, built in 1770, announces itself with a broad stone staircase leading to a sober façade. A carved stone portal is topped by a commemorative plaque, while two arched windows flank it on either side, their symmetry broken only by a horizontal stringcourse. Above, a final register contains a niche holding the statue of Saint Donatus, the protector of Anzi.

Inside, the single nave leads to a presbyterial zone divided by a triumphal arch. The sanctuary is a significant centre of pilgrimage and popular devotion; each year on 5 and 6 August, the faithful gather in numbers to honour the saint’s simulacrum, drawn by his reputed healing powers. It is a place where Baroque formality meets enduring local faith.

Description via source. Coordinates and heritage data from the Atika atlas.