Alpe Foppa: Santa Maria degli Angeli is a chapel designed by Mario Botta from 1990 to 1992. It was built from concrete and porphyry between 1992 and 1996 and stands 1530 meters above sea level on the Alpe Foppa on the northeast slope of Monte Tamaro, in the municipality of Rivera, in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. [1] (Wikipedia)
We drove to the "Rivera" valley station and then took the cable car up to Alpe Foppa. The first thing we admired was, of course, the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli.
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Designed by the world-renowned architect Mario Botta, the Church of Santa Maria degli Angeli is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture, featuring paintings by Enzo Cucchi. A visit to the church is practically a must; the mighty stone fortress on the mountain spur is more than just a meditation space, offering the opportunity to interpret the surrounding landscape in a whole new way. The church is dedicated to Santa Maria degli Angeli. The building was constructed between 1992 and 1994 and follows a novel design approach for a place of worship. It is made of porphyry and stands on the edge of a slope, offering an extraordinary panoramic view. Enzo Cucchi's artistic design extends to the two main spaces: the ceiling of the passage, adorned by an elongated cypress tree, and the heart of the church. The apse, painted in intense blue, takes up the theme of the presented hands, complemented by a series of twenty-two panels with Marian motifs above the windows.
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The entire tour is superlative and captivates with its panoramic views. So plan for good weather.
In peak season, however, expect a lot of hiking traffic. So choose the right time.
On Monte Lema, you have to expect a crowded restaurant and unmotivated service. Therefore, it's not certain that you'll be able to quench your thirst before catching the cable car down to the valley. There's a queue there, too.
Once you've arrived safely down in Miglieglia, you may well have to wait longer for a bus back to "Rivera." We therefore recommend that you plan your tour carefully, find out about train and bus times, and allow enough time in reserve so that a missed train, bus, or train connection does not spoil your beautiful day.