The Sanctuary and the Basilica attached to it are dedicated to the Madonna di Bonaria.  They rise on the peak of the hill with a large stairway leading up to it.  The whole complex, together with the convent, belonged to Mercedar monks up until the XIV Century.
The Sanctuary was built between 1323 and 1326 by Catalan-Aragonese on the hill that constituted, at that time, their general quarters.  It represents the most antique example of religious, gothic-Catalan architecture on the island.  Part of the antique construction is still visible on the side of the apse with a bell-tower.
The basilica represents the most recent age.  Its first construction comes from the XVIII Century but was only completed in 1956.
The famous statue of the Madonna of Bonaria was placed on the high altar of the Sanctuary.  According to an antique legend, in 1370 a ship's crew navigating from Spain to Italy found themselves in dramatic weather conditions and were constrained to dump all of its cargo including the case with the Madonna statue.  That very moment, the storm calmed down and the crew was saved.  The case was found by the Mercedar monks on the sea board below the hill.  Nowadays, there is still a small column in the yard in front of the church that recalls this place of miracle and landing for the statue.

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