This Is Italy
The Chapel of Our Lady of Grace, also known as the Santa Maria delle Grazie or the Cappella del Barolo, is a unique, colorful chapel located just outside La Morra. This is a medieval village on the Langhe hill in the region piedmont.
La Morra is located at an altitude of over 500 meters and has a long history of making excellent wines. The taste of the wine varies from hill to hill, but is always of special quality.
Chapel for the workers
The chapel is dedicated to Mary and is located in one of the vineyards where excellent Barolo comes from. It is now owned by a family who bought the land with the chapel in 1976.
Originally built in 1914, the chapel was intended as a shelter for workers in the vineyards. Officially, the building was never consecrated and therefore gradually fell into disrepair.
A multicolored new life
Until the owners decided to breathe new life into the place in 1999. The English artist David Tremlett (1945) and the American artist Sol LeWitt (1928 – 2006) were commissioned to do 'something' with the outside of the chapel.
As followers of conceptual art, they knew what to do with this forgotten place of worship. She used vibrant and contrasting colors and transformed the dilapidated chapel into a beautiful example of contemporary art.
The chapel is open to the public on weekends and hosts cultural events.
Photos: Renata Testa (Flickr)
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