The Sanctuary of the Madonna della Fontana, Cremona

In the sunny plain, near the banks of the Po, in Casalmaggiore, one of the characteristic hamlets of Cremona, stands the Sanctuary of the Madonna della Fontana, which has become a center of Marian spirituality and devotion. Before the year 1000, a small chapel dedicated to the Madonna was built next to a fountain or well that was used by travelers to quench their thirst, so the source was called "Pozzo di Santa Maria". Passersby stopped to drink and in the meantime prayed to Our Lady, who protected them on the way. The erection of the current Sanctuary, in its beautiful and dignified forms, dates back to 1463.