San Nicolao della Flue church, Modernist church in Forlanini district, Milan, Italy
San Nicolao della Flue is a church with three naves where the central section rises higher than the side areas, supported by curved concrete supports. Narrow slit windows along the walls flood the interior with changing light throughout the day.
Architect Ignazio Gardella designed this building in collaboration with Anna Castelli Ferrieri, with construction finished in 1970. It emerged during Milan's post-war expansion into newly developing residential neighborhoods.
The church is named after the Swiss saint Nicholas von Flue, embodying values of simplicity and spiritual reflection. This naming choice shapes how the space guides visitors toward introspection and quietude.
The building sits on a raised foundation that houses community spaces and a cinema theater below. Entry to the church itself is straightforward, with the elevated position creating a distinctive presence above street level.
The interior features 134 stained glass windows created by painter Pino Grioni that cast moving light patterns across the surfaces throughout the day. This collection of colored glass is the artistic centerpiece that most visitors discover only upon entering.
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