ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Basilica of the Madonna della Madia

The Basilica of the Madonna della Madia is a special building where people go to worship and pray to God. It is located in a city called Monopoli, which is in Italy.

The basilica is a very beautiful building, with a big dome-shaped roof and lots of intricate decorations on the walls. It was built a very long time ago, in the 13th century, which is over 700 years ago!

What makes the basilica so special is a statue of the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus, called the Madonna della Madia. This statue is said to have been found floating in the sea near Monopoli by some fisherman a long time ago. They found it on a piece of wood, which in Italian is called a "madia."

When people go to the basilica, they admire the statue of the Madonna della Madia and pray to Mary for help and protection. The basilica is also a place where people come together as a community to celebrate important events and holidays in their religion.

So, in summary, the Basilica of the Madonna della Madia is a beautiful building in Italy where people go to worship and pray to God. It is special because it houses a statue of the Virgin Mary called the Madonna della Madia, which was found in the sea a very long time ago. People come together as a community to celebrate their religion in the basilica.