The Chapel of the Madonna delle Grazie is a unique place in Piedmont, embodying the perfect combination of contemporary art and patronage. A pleasant stroll through the picturesque vineyards of the Langhe-Roero and Monferrato – recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 – allows you to admire what has been called “Italy’s most colorful church”: a true manifesto of contemporary art set in a countryside renowned for its historical, cultural and gastronomic particularities.

Built in La Morra in 1914 as a shelter for the workers occupied in the surrounding vineyards, the chapel, better known today as the “Barolo Chapel,” was purchased by the Ceretto family in 1970 together with 6 hectares of the prestigious Brunate vineyard. The family’s history, intrinsically linked to their love for the vineyards and the local area, is also distinguished by a commitment to supporting contemporary art.

Having been reduced to ruins, the chapel was renovated in the late 1990s. The decoration was entrusted to artists David Tremlett and Sol LeWitt. While David Tremlett devoted himself to decorating the interior with warm, serene colors, the exterior was realized by Sol LeWitt with the cheerful, bright colors that have become the chapel’s hallmark and that make it recognizable from a distance. Today, the Barolo Chapel is one of the most admired buildings in the area, a symbol of the encounter of patronage and preservation of cultural heritage.