Temple of Monte Grisa
Encyclopedia
The Temple of Monte Grisa is a Roman-Catholic church north of the city of Trieste
. Located at an altitude
of 300 meters on the edge of the Karst Plateau
it is a conspicious landmark
, seen by many, visited by few.
It was built at the initiative of Antonio Santin, since 16 May 1938 Bishop
of Trieste and Koper. Seeing the riot
s between the Nazi-German occupiers
and the Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale on 30 April 1945 he made a vow
to erect a church, if Trieste was saved from total destruction
. The city was saved and in 1959 Santin obtained permission from Pope
John XXIII to build a pilgrim
s church dedicated to the Holy Mary as a symbol
of the peace
and unity of all people, in particular on both sides of the Iron Curtain
(only 10 kilometers away).
The temple was designed by Professor
Antonio Guacci, after sketches by Santin. The triangular
structures should evoke the letter M as a symbol of the Holy Mary. The church was built in between 1963 and 1965, after a first stone had been laid on 19 September 1959. Santin inaugurated the church on 22 May 1966. On 1 May 1992 Pope John Paul II visited the temple. In 2010 restoration
works took place, because the concrete
had suffered from the Alkali Silica Reaction
.
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
. Located at an altitude
Altitude
Altitude or height is defined based on the context in which it is used . As a general definition, altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The reference datum also often varies according to the context...
of 300 meters on the edge of the Karst Plateau
Kras
Karst ; also known as the Karst Plateau, is a limestone borderline plateau region extending in southwestern Slovenia and northeastern Italy. It lies between the Vipava Valley, the low hills surrounding the valley, the westernmost part of the Brkini Hills, northern Istria, and the Gulf of Trieste...
it is a conspicious landmark
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
, seen by many, visited by few.
It was built at the initiative of Antonio Santin, since 16 May 1938 Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Trieste and Koper. Seeing the riot
Riot
A riot is a form of civil disorder characterized often by what is thought of as disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence against authority, property or people. While individuals may attempt to lead or control a riot, riots are thought to be typically chaotic and...
s between the Nazi-German occupiers
Occupation
Occupation may refer to:*Job , a regular activity performed for payment, that occupies one's time**Employment, a person under service of another by hire**Career, a course through life**Profession, a vocation founded upon specialized training...
and the Comitato di Liberazione Nazionale on 30 April 1945 he made a vow
Vow
A vow is a promise or oath.-Marriage vows:Marriage vows are binding promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a wedding ceremony. Marriage customs have developed over history and keep changing as human society develops...
to erect a church, if Trieste was saved from total destruction
Destruction
Destruction may refer to:* Destruction Bay, Yukon, Canada* Destruction , a German thrash metal band* Destruction , one of the Endless in Neil Gaiman's comic book series The Sandman...
. The city was saved and in 1959 Santin obtained permission from Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
John XXIII to build a pilgrim
Pilgrim
A pilgrim is a traveler who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journeying to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system...
s church dedicated to the Holy Mary as a symbol
Symbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
of the peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
and unity of all people, in particular on both sides of the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
(only 10 kilometers away).
The temple was designed by Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
Antonio Guacci, after sketches by Santin. The triangular
Triangle
A triangle is one of the basic shapes of geometry: a polygon with three corners or vertices and three sides or edges which are line segments. A triangle with vertices A, B, and C is denoted ....
structures should evoke the letter M as a symbol of the Holy Mary. The church was built in between 1963 and 1965, after a first stone had been laid on 19 September 1959. Santin inaugurated the church on 22 May 1966. On 1 May 1992 Pope John Paul II visited the temple. In 2010 restoration
Restoration
Restoration may refer to:-Historical examples :* Kemmu Restoration * Restoration * Portuguese Restoration War...
works took place, because the concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
had suffered from the Alkali Silica Reaction
Alkali Silica Reaction
The alkali–silica reaction is a reaction which occurs over time in concrete between the highly alkaline cement paste and reactive non-crystalline silica, which is found in many common aggregates....
.