Cappella Delle Brunate (Barolo Chapel)

On the grounds of a vineyard in the hills of La Morra in Italy, this beautiful brightly-colored chapel honors the Barolo wine. The chapel is more than a century old, but was renovated and repainted in 1999 by two contemporary artists.

When it was first built in 1914, the small chapel served as a shelter for the vineyard workers. It was never formally consecrated. In the early 1970s, the land—and the chapel—was acquired by the Ceretto family, who were expanding after entering the wine business in the 1930s. At the time, the chapel was nearly in ruins and being used to store farm equipment.

Rather than knocking it down, the new owners allowed a pair of artists to reinterpret the building in a more modern style. The artist David Tremlett had visited the area in the late 1990s and became friends with the Cerettos He suggested transforming the old church into a brand new work of art. Tremlett worked with fellow artist Sol LeWitt to create the boldly colored chapel that now stands in the vineyard. Today, the Cappella Delle Brunate has become one of the area’s most modern symbols.