Located in Arezzo, Tuscany, the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie offers you a rich journey through Italian history. It sits on a site once dedicated to Apollo during the Etruscan-Roman era, known as Fonte Tecta in the Middle Ages. After Saint Bernardino of Siena successfully pushed to replace the ancient spring, an oratory was built.
Inside, you will see a striking marble altar crafted by Andrea Della Robbia between 1487 and 1493, which encloses a fresco of the Madonna of Misericordia painted by Parri di Spinello from 1428 to 1431. Della Robbia's altar features a tympanum depicting the Madonna with Child between two Angels, niches with saints Laurentinus, Pergentinus, Donatus, and Bernardino, and a Pietà on the paliotto. Outside, you can admire a beautiful portico added around 1490 by Benedetto da Maiano, inspired by Filippo Brunelleschi's Ospedale degli Innocenti and featuring seven arcades with medallions set on a stepped basement.
Constructed between 1435 and 1444 by architect Domenico del Fattore, the church itself is a late Gothic edifice with a single cross-vaulted nave, a short apse, a late 15th-century fresco of Pope Sixtus IV Enthroned, and a dedicated chapel for Saint Bernardino.
What to see at Santa Maria delle Grazie church
- Marble altar by Andrea Della Robbia enclosing Parri di Spinello's Madonna of Misericordia fresco
- Portico designed by Benedetto da Maiano featuring seven arcades and inspired by Brunelleschi
- Late Gothic single-nave architecture designed by Domenico del Fattore
- Historical fresco depicting Pope Sixtus IV Enthroned between cardinals Gonzaga and Piccolomini
- Dedicated chapel built for Saint Bernardino following his death in 1444
Visiting tips
Take time to step back outside and examine the portico's seven arcades, which draw direct architectural inspiration from Filippo Brunelleschi's famous Ospedale degli Innocenti.
How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Morning
How to get there & what’s nearby
Santa Maria delle Grazie church is easy to reach on Arezzo’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Arezzo Cathedral and San Francesco, Arezzo. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Arezzo travel guide.
See the full Arezzo travel guide for where to stay, the best time to visit and the top things to do.