Sanctuary of Monte Grisa: A Brutalist Ship of Concrete Triangles

The Sanctuary of Monte Grisa in Trieste, Italy, is a 40m-high pyramid of concrete triangles built between 1959 and 1966. Architect Antonio Guacci and engineer Sergio Musmeci designed it as a stylized ship, with the high altar as the 'bridge of command' and the lower church as a 'hold.' Bishop Antonio Santin vowed to build a church if the Virgin Mary spared Trieste during WWII. The structure's honeycomb concrete forms hexagons and the letter M for Mary. Located 330m above the Gulf of Trieste, it offers views of the sea, vineyards, and Slovenia. The church's only decoration is triangular elements like wall lighting and columns. Locally called 'el formaggin' after triangular cheese, it also resembles a beehive. The sanctuary preceded the Second Vatican Council's architectural reforms. Its terrace hosts spectators for the Barcolana regatta each October. In June 2024, the church designated the ship Amerigo Vespucci a site of sacred pilgrimages.