The Gravity-Defying Madonna

Madonna della Corona is one of the most breathtaking sanctuaries in Italy — both for its dramatic setting and its spiritual significance. The Sanctuary of the Lady of the Crown is a Catholic pilgrimage site built into the side of a sheer cliff on Monte Baldo in the Veneto region. It looks almost suspended in mid-air, carved directly into the rock, and is perhaps one of the most breathtaking scenes I’ve ever had the privilege to photograph — so please enjoy it from all angles and focal lengths!

I’m also including my favorite (only?) orange Italian villa I’ve ever stayed in — Venturini Baldini.