Chiesa del Sacro Cuore

The Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus stands above Canazei’s Gries quarter. Built in the twentieth century as the village’s population grew and winter sports developed, it became the parish church for Canazei.

Why it matters

The church reflects the growth of Canazei beyond its older settlements. Dean Fortunato Rossi initiated its construction to serve the expanding population and the development of the village as a winter-sports destination. Its history therefore records a modern change in the valley’s social and religious life.

What to notice

The church has an exposed-stone façade and a portico that continues along its sides. Inside, eighteenth-century wooden side altars stand alongside twentieth-century works, including the Way of the Cross painted by Bruno Colorio in 1945 and a wooden statue of Christ the Priest by Siegfried Demetz. The church also contains an organ by the Mascioni firm and six bells cast in 2009 by the De Poli foundry.

Context and history

The foundation stone was laid in August 1935. Archbishop Carlo De Ferrari blessed the unfinished building in 1942, when the parish title held by San Floriano passed to the new church. Its solemn consecration followed in 1967, after work was completed. The design is credited to Guido De Unterrichter and Renzo Masé. Later renovations enlarged the church, raised its bell tower and altered the interior.