Alvar Aalto's church in Riola di Vergato

The church of Santa Maria Assunta is the work of architect Alvar Aalto, one of the most celebrated architects of our century.

Around 1966, Aalto began working on the design of the church of Santa Maria Assunta in Riola, which is a synthesis of the vision of sacred architecture pursued by the architect throughout his long career. Cardinal Giacomo Lercaro's explicit request was a sacred space that could best express the renewed post-conciliar liturgy. Entering the bright single nave, one immediately notices the disarming simplicity, the timeless elegance of the furnishings, all designed by the Nordic artist. The building, due to financial difficulties, was not finished until 1980, after Aalto's death and with reduced dimensions compared to the original design. The church was completed in 1994, when it was also possible to raise the bell tower. Because, as his wife Elissa said, "the church without the steeple is a face without a nose."