Sanctuary of the Beata Vergine delle Grazie, Curtatone

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Sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin of Grace (Santuario delle Beate Vergine delle Grazie) is a Roman Catholic church in the hamlet of Grazie, Curtatone, Mantua, Lombardy, Italy. It sits just south of the Mincio river near Mantua’s Lago Superiore.

Origins and history
- A roadside image of the Virgin drew pilgrims, leading to a sanctuary and a Franciscan convent in 1399.
- In 1406, to thank the Virgin for saving Mantua from the plague, Francesco I Gonzaga commissioned the present basilica, with designs attributed to Bartolino da Novara.
- The convent was suppressed during Napoleonic rule and partly torn down. It was later restored to the Franciscans, then to the Passionists, and since the mid-20th century has been associated with the Diocese of Mantua.

Architecture and interior
- The brick façade features a large portico and frescoed lunettes.
- Inside, Gothic tracery and notable side niches (designed in 1517 by monk Francesco da Acquanegra) line the walls. The niches hold statues donated by people who credited prayers answered, including some depicted facing capital punishment.
- A taxidermied crocodile is mounted above the entrance.

Notable artworks and history
- The first chapel on the right houses the mausoleum of Baldassarre Castiglione (1478–1529), a design by Giulio Romano.
- The sanctuary once housed a collection of armor, now in the Museo Diocesano di Mantova.

Nearby significance
- The church is near the site of the Battle of Curtatone and Montanara (29 May 1848) in the First Italian War of Independence. The façade features plaques recounting events, including a plaque by Cesare de Laugier and a plaque by Napoleone Sforsi about two brothers who died at Osone; Sforsi notes that King Charles Albert could not enter the church to help the wounded.

Events
- In August, the square in front hosts chalk decorations for the Fiera delle Grazie.