About Sicily

Unknowns Sicily: The Sanctuary of the black Madonna of Tindari and the archaeological park

Today I will talk about the sanctuary of the black Madonna of Tindari and the archaeological park. We were there a few days ago, and we have the pleasure of sharing the story and some photos.

In Tindari, Messina there is one of the most beautiful sanctuaries in Sicily. The story tells that at the time of the iconoclastic persecution a ship returning from the East carried, hidden in a box, an Image of the Madonna. As the ship sailed along the Tyrrhenian Sea, a storm suddenly rose and the ship was forced to interrupt the voyage and take refuge in the bay of Tindari. After the storm, the sailors had to leave, but the ship, too loaded, could not move. Sailors decided to abandon stuff. In one of these containers there was the image of the black Madonna. The inhabitants of the place found it and placed it at the highest and most beautiful point, where today stands the sanctuary.

A few meters from the sanctuary, there is the archaeological park of Tindari. Founded in 396 B.C. by Dionysus I as a colony of Magna Grecia, Tindari rises on top of a rocky promontory overlooking the Gulf of Patti. The name Tyndaris is given in honor of the King of Sparta Tindarus. Here you can admire ruins of the Greco-Roman era. Some Roman domus with black and white mosaics, the roman baths and the basilica.

From here, the view of the bay of Patti is simply STUNNING . If you want to take a walk to the lakes there is a path, fox tail path (sentiero coda di volpe), that goes from the top of the Sanctuary to the lakes of Marinello. The lakes hide a legend that I will leave you the pleasure of discovering on your own.

To get to the sanctuary of Tindari, you must have a rental car or ask for a tour because depending on the starting point Public transport could take a long time.

Spending a day in Tindari means a journey through culture, nature and spirituality.