Chiesa del Cuore Immacolato di Maria e di Sant'Ilario, Parish church in Rovigo, Italy.
The chiesa del Cuore Immacolato di Maria e di Sant'Ilario is a parish church with a monumental brick facade featuring a central alabaster rose window and decorative blind arches on three levels. The interior is organized into three naves and distinguished by a ceiling made of pine wood designed to mimic the shape of an inverted ship's hull.
Construction started in 1951 with a temporary chapel at Fratelli Cervi Square. The completed building was inaugurated in 1957 by Cardinal Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who would later become Pope John XXIII.
The artworks inside span different artistic periods, from a wooden statue of Saint Roch dated to the 16th century to modern creations from the 1970s. These pieces show how the church has gathered different creative expressions from various times into its interior.
The church is located on Fratelli Cervi Square and is accessed by a front portico reached through six stone steps with three separate entrance doors. Visitors should note that the approach involves climbing steps and the square can be quite open and exposed to weather.
The ceiling uses Swedish pine wood deliberately shaped to resemble an inverted ship's hull, creating an unexpected maritime quality inside the modern church. This design choice reflects a creative approach to the building's interior that visitors often notice upon looking up.
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