Sistine chapel, Chapel in Savona, Italy
The Sistine Chapel of Savona is a religious structure designed in the Rococo style with richly decorated walls and an ornately crafted ceiling. The interior space is characterized by carefully balanced patterns and decorations that run throughout the entire building.
Pope Sixtus IV had the chapel built between 1481 and 1483 as a mausoleum for his parents, Leonardo della Rovere and Luchina Monteleoni, both from Savona. Francesco Maria Della Rovere, last descendant of the Ligurian branch, had it rebuilt between 1762 and 1764; only the parents' tomb, carved in 1482-1483 by the D'Aria brothers, was left unchanged.
The chapel displays ornate Rococo details throughout its interior with carefully crafted decorative patterns. It reflects the historical connection between Savona and the Holy See through its elaborate architectural expression.
The chapel stands next to the Cathedral of Nostra Signora Assunta, facing Palazzo Della Rovere, and its main facade opens onto the cloister of the San Francesco convent. The right side is painted in trompe-l'œil. It is now used for concerts and round tables, so access depends on those events; check times before visiting.
The organ on the counter-façade is the work of the Genoese Filippo Piccaluga and his son Felice, dated 1764; Graziano Interbartolo restored it in 2008. Its richly decorated wooden case is closed by painted doors, and the three cusps of principal pipes hold nine pipes each.
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