Information
Landmark: Ta' Pinu BasilicaCity: Gozo
Country: Malta
Continent: Europe
Ta' Pinu Basilica, Gozo, Malta, Europe
Overview
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu-known to most simply as Ta’ Pinu-is a cherished Roman Catholic church and popular pilgrimage site on the island of Gozo, its pale stone glowing under the Mediterranean sun.In the quiet countryside just outside the village of Għarb, the basilica rises in warm stone, a graceful blend of faith, art, and timeless architecture.The first chapel on the site was built in the 16th century, then rebuilt in 1619 by Pinu Gauci, a devoted local whose name the shrine still bears.In 1883, as Karmni Grima walked past its small stone walls, she claimed to hear the Virgin Mary calling her to prayer.Stories of miraculous healings and answered prayers soon followed, and pilgrims flocked to the spot.To welcome the growing crowds, the modest chapel was transformed into a basilica between 1920 and 1931.Consecrated in 1932, the Neo-Romanesque Ta’ Pinu Basilica blends graceful grandeur with the quiet beauty of its rural setting, its carved stone façade and freestanding bell tower rising against the sky, while inside, colorful mosaics, marble floors, and a luminous painting of the Assumption of Our Lady-present at Karmni Grima’s vision-draw the eye; revered as Malta’s National Shrine and a place of pilgrimage, it’s known for miracles, honored through ex-votos in the nearby museum, the humble chapel of Karmni Grima, and hillside Stations of the Cross, offering visitors not just art and architecture, but a sense of peace that lingers like the echo of a bell across the fields.Tucked into a peaceful corner of Gozo, it draws visitors with its graceful architecture and deep spiritual roots, whether you come to pray, pause in quiet reflection, or admire the centuries-old stonework.
