The Basilica Sanctuary of Santa Maria de Finibus Terrae, located in Castrignano del Capo, is an important place of worship that stands on the promontory of the south-eastern tip of the Italian peninsula. Originally, there was a temple dedicated to Minerva in this place, transformed into a Christian church after the conversion of the local population.
Over the centuries, the church has suffered numerous destructions due to Saracen and Turkish incursions, but has always been rebuilt. The current structure, built in fortified style, was completed in 1755. In 1990, during a visit by John Paul II, it was elevated to a minor basilica.
The basilica has a fascinating architecture, with a decorated façade and a single-nave interior that houses several chapels. Among the works of art, the painting of the Madonna de Finibus Terrae, crowned in 1722, and a series of stained glass windows that tell the life of the Madonna stand out. The complex also includes a museum of contemporary art and an open-air Via Crucis, making the sanctuary a place of faith, art and culture.
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