Piedigrotta Church in Calabria to Undergo Major Restoration

The rock-hewn church of Piedigrotta in Pizzo, Calabria, a masterpiece of outsider art, is set for a major conservation project. The €1.85 million funding, provided by the Calabria Region, will be managed by the Superintendency of Reggio Calabria, with all work to be completed by December 31, 2028. The project, initiated by the Pizzo municipal administration in November 2025, aims to consolidate the fragile sandstone structure, control humidity, and protect the coastal site. The church, carved into the rock overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea, is renowned for its sculptural groups created by self-taught artist Angelo Barone starting in the late 19th century. After his death in 1915, his son Alfonso continued the work for forty years, adding sculptures and frescoes. In 1969, grandson Giorgio Barone added portraits of Pope John XXIII and President Kennedy. The site, now part of the newly established Pizzo Civic Museums, has been under municipal management since August 2024, following a shift from external cooperative Kairos. The restoration aims to preserve this unique blend of popular devotion and spontaneous creativity, threatened by erosion and environmental factors.