The historic Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Sorrento will not be converted into a hotel or holiday home. This confirmation comes from Franco Russo, head of the ‘Ente Conservatorio’ which manages the property, following public alarm over the sacred site’s future after the departure of its last nun and the subsequent closure for worship.
Russo explicitly denied the speculation, stating, “A 4-star hotel? It is a hypothesis without any foundation.” He further clarified that “to date, we have received no official communication from the Order of Dominican nuns regarding the release of the monastery.”
Concerns were initially sparked by news that the last remaining nun had decided to leave Sorrento. This fueled rumors about the convent’s potential repurposing, prompting a public outcry. For local citizens, the monastery is considered the heart of Sorrento—a place of faith, culture, and solidarity, as established by its founder, Berardina Donnorso. Approximately a thousand residents signed a petition sent to the city’s prefectural commissioner, opposing any transformation of the 17th-century building into a hotel.
In an official note, the Conservatorio’s board thanked the citizens who signed the petition for demonstrating their affection and participation in the city’s history. However, it emphasized that “the hypothesis feared in the motion is without any foundation and has never even been considered by the current administration of the Conservatorio,” which manages the building as a non-profit owner. The communiqué sought to “reassure the many who have committed to defending the convent complex that a prospect of use of the kind hypothesized in the petition remains entirely foreign, even for the future.”
The massive complex, a closed quadrilateral between Via S. Francesco, Via B. Donnorso, Via S. Maria delle Grazie, and Piazza S. Antonino, contains three cloisters and a green area. This prime location has long attracted significant interest; local historians report that since the 1600s, two Popes and members of the Bourbon dynasty have had to intervene to prevent the property’s appropriation by various interested parties.