The Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie is one of Grado’s oldest and most evocative places of worship, a precious witness to the city’s long Christian history. Located in the heart of the historic center, just a few steps from the Baptistery and the Basilica of St. Euphemia, it overlooks the striking Campo dei Patriarchi, a symbolic place of the Grado patriarchate.
The basilica was built at the end of the 6th century at the behest of Patriarch Elias, incorporating the remains of an earlier early Christian church dating from the first half of the 5th century, probably founded by Bishop Cromazio. Even older traces indicate the existence in the 4th century of a simple rectangular cocciopesto hall, considered the site’s first Christian core.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the building is the presence of two floor levels: the present nave and altar are on the upper level, while the right aisle retains the original 5th-century mosaic floor, located about a meter below. Here one can admire geometric mosaics, stylized flowers and donor inscriptions, as well as the only fish represented in the Grado mosaics, a strongly evocative symbol.
The interior of the basilica has a square base plan, with three naves punctuated by two rows of five marble columns, all of different origins, with reused ancient capitals. The narrow, slender nave lends verticality to the space, contrasting with the building’s small size. The atmosphere is one of understated elegance, where natural light enhances the beauty of the architectural details.
Particularly significant are the Helian altar, the stoup and the wooden statue of Our Lady of Grace, located in the left aisle, an object of deep popular devotion. Not surprisingly, the basilica is also known as the “Cesa de le Grasie” or “women’s church,” in reference to the traditional Marian intercession between the divine and human realities.
At the ends of the apse are two small side rooms, the prosthesis and the diaconic, which are connected in an unusual way and used for offerings and liturgical preparation. Also prominent in the apse area are the cathedra, presbytery seats made of stone and marble, and a precious carved enclosure decorated with symbolic figures such as doves, peacocks, and lambs, probably the work of lapicides from Aquileia.
Over the centuries, especially in the Baroque and nineteenth centuries, the basilica underwent alterations and additions, which were later removed during restorations conducted in 1924 by architect Alessandro Rimini, which restored the church to its original appearance. Among the modern reconstructions, of particular interest is the perimeter trace of the now lost quadriporticus, now visible on the exterior floor.
The Basilica of Santa Maria delle Grazie, although smaller in size than the nearby Sant’Eufemia, has nothing to envy it in terms of charm, historical value and spiritual intensity. Visiting it, one has the feeling of entering a true early Christian treasure chest, where every architectural and decorative detail recounts centuries of faith, art and devotion.
