Before the Basilica di Santa Margherita (also known as the Sanctuary of Santa Margherita) occupied this hilltop above Cortona, an 11th-century church dedicated to San Basilio stood on-site. After the church sustained damage during a siege, St. Margaret herself led efforts to rebuild it. A larger structure created to house her relics was eventually built, though it was later replaced by the basilica that stands today, with its richly painted ceilings, array of artworks, and the silver altar that still showcases Margaret’s remains.
Cortona and the Basilica di Santa Margherita can be visited on a select, tour itinerary departing from Siena that also visits the nearby town of Arezzo.