Chiesa di S. Maria delle Grazie di Fornò

In the flatlands of the Romagna, the Chiesa di S. Maria delle Grazie di Fornò presents an unusual Renaissance silhouette. Its circular plan, a deliberate departure from the standard longitudinal church, draws the eye inward toward a central edicola, a small, shrine-like structure, capped by a hemispherical dome. This centralised geometry, popular in Renaissance architectural theory for its symbolic perfection, creates a contained, contemplative space.

The building’s substance is robustly local: brick walls built with a dry cavity between the inner and outer leaves, a practical technique for insulation and moisture control. Above, a pitched roof clad in traditional clay tiles rests on a wooden truss system. This is a church of thoughtful, unshowy construction, where humanist ideals of form meet the honest, workmanlike traditions of the Italian countryside.

Description via source. Coordinates and heritage data from the Atika atlas.