Business Hours
Contacts
Closing Day
Holidays
An explosion of colors standing out among the emerald green hills of the King of Wines, a treasure chest of lysergic hues that catches the eye and provokes immediate empathy. The Barolo Chapel, also called the Brunate Chapel, is a true jewel hidden among some of the world’s most famous vineyards. A country church that was transformed from a shelter for farmers during storms into a total work of art in the 1990s thanks to the genius of Sol LeWitt and David Tremlett, its colorful walls, which change in intensity depending on the light, have become an icon of the Italian wine scene, so much so that it is a true landmark of the Langhe, one of the most visited and photographed places in the Piedmont hills.
TheHistory
The Chapel of Barolo
The Barolo Chapel, centrally located in the Langa del Barolo, is now one of the most iconic and photographed places in Piedmont.
Humble Origins
Built around 1914 near the Brunate vineyard (hence the name), the Barolo Chapel was desired by a group of farmers working in the surrounding area. We have no official records of its construction, but we do know that it was initially dedicated to the Most Holy Madonna of Grace. Its purpose was the same as that of all country churches: on the one hand, to protect the harvest; on the other, to serve as a shelter for stormy days and, if necessary, as a storehouse for tools. What we do know is that the chapel was never consecrated.
Ceretto's insight
In the 1970s, almost completely in ruins, the chapel was purchased along with the surrounding vineyards by the Ceretto family, one of the area's most renowned producers. The little church, as they tell it, was little more than a storage room, in the central hall, "A tractor would fit perfectly." It was only in the 1990s that Bruno Ceretto, a wine and art enthusiast, had the idea of turning a ruin into an icon. He understood that Barolo needed physical places where it could be celebrated. He therefore chose to entrust the restoration of the chapel to two Anglo-Saxon artists, Sol LeWitt and David Tremlett, to whom he left carte blanche.
The artistic restoration
The American Sol LeWitt, known for his wall drawings, created the exterior of the church by choosing bright hues, almost in contrast to the landscape. The Briton, David Tremlett, on the other hand, focused on the interior, decorating the walls with warm hues that recall the colors of earth and wine.
A landmark for the Langhe
The Barolo Chapel, in no time at all, became a real landmark for visitors to the Langhe, an icon-place where the marriage of wine and territory could be celebrated. Accomplice to the absence of other similar works (which today are instead multiplying), Bruno Ceretto 's "vision" anticipated the fashion of creating Instagrammable places. It was immediately an instant cult of the Langhe and Barolo vineyards, one of those unmissable places (must see) that are included in guidebooks and where no tourist can fail to take a picture, today as then.
The Exterior
Sol Lewitt between provocation and reflection
If the interior of the Barolo Chapel is intimate and welcoming, the exterior is lysergic. A slap of bright colors and manly geometries willed by Sol LeWitt, Connecticut-born artist and undisputed master of wall drawing. LeWitt’s colors strive hard to clash with the agricultural nature of the surrounding landscape, but without creating a caesura. Rather they act as a counterbalance to the seriousness and rigor of the vineyards, as if, at that point, one were running into a vintner disguised as a Harlequin. LeWitt intervened on the chapel’s exterior facades with a series of stark geometric lines and shapes, executed in bright, contrasting colors. Each element is determined by a set of internal rules and instructions, unknown, however, to the observer. The result is a dynamic and joyful, harmonious work that uses a combination of straight lines, curves and simple geometric shapes. The carefully chosen colors create a lively counterpoint to the surrounding landscape and give the building a festive air, with a touch of irony that invariably leads one to reflect on the clashing encounters between nature and culture, past and present, spontaneous and artificial. Sol LeWitt ‘s intervention on the exterior of the Barolo Chapel is a perfect example of his conceptual approach to art: the transformation of a simple rural building into an immersive work of art, capable of enriching our experience of the world.
Not to miss
Visit Duration
Ticket Price
Audioguides
Guided Visit
The Interior
David Tremlett in dialogue with the landscape
The interiors of the Barolo Chapel were entrusted to David Tremlett. A British artist naturalized Swiss, Tremlett is famous for his mural designs that fresco dozens of famous works and palaces around the world. Through his combination of signs, shapes and colors, Tremlett has given the interiors of the Barolo Chapel an intimate and contemplative atmosphere. The walls, entirely hand-painted by the artist, are wrapped in a warm, enveloping color palette dominated by earthy, ochre tones that recall the colors of earth and wine. The broad, gestural brushstrokes create a textural and vibrant surface, inviting the viewer to touch the walls with their gaze. The skillful use of natural light filtering through the windows enhances the hues of the colors and creates an iridescent atmosphere that varies with the time of day. Tremlett chose to paint the entire interior space, including the ceiling, creating an immersive experience that completely envelops the visitor. The overall effect is that of “a maternal embrace, a place of peace and reflection where time seems to stand still.” The interior of the Barolo Chapel fits perfectly into Tremlett’s philosophy, whose total artworks blend architecture, senses and landscape.
Not to miss
N° of rooms
Visit Duration
Ticket Price
Audioguides
Guided Visit
Partisan Pedaling #4 Dogliani, Monchiero, Monforte
Via Torino, 215, 12063 Dogliani CN, Italia
Discover ↝
Are you planning a trip in the Langhe region?
Let us help you design the perfect vacation, and live your stay like a true insider
Free
Service
Ask us
For advice
Free Service
Ask us
For advice
Free Service
Fill in the form
reporting your interests and preferences
Receive our suggestions
directly into your inbox
And if it's not enough
we'll design a personalized trip!