The interior of the upper church was renovated in 1999. Within the previous structure, a kind of wooden shell was created, which on one hand contains all the new technological systems and on the other, radically redefines the perception of the internal space. Twenty-six arched laminated beams, 16 meters high, fixed to the floor with metal hinges and to the wall with hidden iron spacers, support the new cladding and at the same time give the nave a rhythm that emphasizes its length and height, much like the ribs of Gothic tradition once did. The vertical beech panel cladding follows the curved lines of the laminated beams and creates an enveloping profile, open upwards, reminiscent of hands joined in prayer. At the four ends, which close the cruciform layout of the temple, this cladding becomes straight, opening upwards with a large notch that allows the placement of the large pipe organ on one side of the transept, the display of new paintings, and the large wooden statue of Christ the Redeemer-Risen suspended at the center of the back wall. The gabled ceiling was also covered by hanging sections of vaults made of a wooden frame to which beech wood panels were attached, echoing the rhythm of the wall cladding. The final result is a vaguely oval shape that envelops and encloses the entire visual space, like the planking inside a ship’s hull: a sort of biblical ark. Above, the cruciform layout of the plan connects in the classical manner, through wooden pendentives, the square shape of the center to the circle of the dome, whose volume, however, was reduced by inserting a smaller inner dome fixed to the existing drum and made of laminated beams and concentric beech panels.Description: Six canvases by Mario Bogani of Fenegrò placed in the upper church of the religious complex, depicting scenes from the life of Saint John Bosco and the spread of the saint’s work by his disciples. Three depictions are in the right transept, two in the left (next to the large organ), and one at the back, on the counter-façade. Entered into use: in the year 1961 Image: Painting Description: Statue of Christ the Redeemer in the light of the Resurrection, placed at the center of the presbytery, the work of sculptor Corrado Piazza; Jesus was the one who called John Bosco to announce the Gospel to the world, especially to the young, hence the great devotion to this statue of Christ. Entered into use: in the year 1961 Image: Statue
Current conservation: In the sanctuary

The temple had already been vowed during the First World War, but the foundation stone was laid on June 11, 1961. At the age of nine, little Giovanni Bosco dreamed of the Virgin appearing to him in the meadow where the temple now stands, directing him toward his future vocation. This was the place where Giovannino was born in 1815 and had lived for two years. During the war, the construction of the temple was vowed, which began in 1957, with the demolition of the Biglione-Damevino farmhouse. The Don Bosco Temple, which stands on the native hill of Saint John Bosco, was desired by the Salesians at the end of the last world war. Little Giovanni, at just nine years old, had a dream that foretold his future vocation, set precisely in the meadow where the sanctuary was built. The chosen project was by engineer Enea Ronca. It consists of two superimposed churches. The foundation stone was laid in June 1961, and within a few years, the entire structure was completed. Initially, however, only the lower church was usable. In 1984, with some essential interventions, the upper church was also opened for worship. In 1999, thanks to the testamentary provisions of a benefactor, work began on its final arrangement, including a modern heating and air conditioning system and the optimal solution to the acoustic problem, made possible by modern technologies.

Frazione Morialdo, 30, 14022 Castelnuovo Don Bosco AT, Italy