The Green Church

The church of the Sacred Heart of Mary ( Sacro Cuore di Maria ) is an important monument in the history of the district San Salvario. It was built in the late nineteenth century through the initiative of Olivero theologian, around 1885 to the district, which was then in strong urban growth, but still marked by fields, canals, factories and barracks. Thanks to his determination, in a short time created an organizing committee for its construction. 

 With the contribution of Count Architect Carlo Ceppi, master of the 'Turin eclectic and designer (for free) of the church, and the Count of Viancino Viancino, the main funder of' work together with the numerous offers of the inhabitants, in 1890 it began building. In just over five years the church was completed (1897) and was used for several important organ's concerts and for the Marian Convention. The church was served as a sanctuary, dedicated in 1900 to the Sacred Heart of Mary, and it was until 1910 when it became parish.

The Sacred Heart of Mary stands out for its neo-gothic characters and its two towers with high spiers, visible from many points of the neighborhood. It looks like a compendium of Gothic styles: German, Pisa, Genoa and who knows how many others. But it is not only a neo-Gothic monument, presents inverosibilmente Nouveau decorations, geometric and floral, and inside the volumetric arrangement, punctuated by geometric forms (octagonal, hexagonal and pentagonal), is inspired by Guarini architectures.

The space of three typical aisles is distorted by the innovative internal geometry, it then creates a large bustling central nave and two aisles winding that produces the chapels. Unusual are also the external sides of the church, in which the geometric structure is not hidden but revealed in simple, with volumes that create a more rationalist than eclectic joints. In the interior numerous objects (lamps, balustrades and beautiful stained glass windows) are all inspired by floral motifs.