Italians in montreal
History of little italy montreal.
Church of the Madonna della Difesa
Church building in Quebec, Canada
The Church of the Madonna della Difesa (Italian: Chiesa della Madonna della Difesa, French: Église de Notre-Dame-de-la-Défense) is a Catholic church in the neighbourhood of Little Italy in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Little italy montreal wikipedia
It was built by Italian immigrants to the city, specifically those from Molise, to commemorate the apparition of the Madonna in La Difesa, in Casacalenda, Molise. It was designed by Roch Montbriant and Canadian artist Guido Nincheri.
It is Romanesque in style and laid out in a Greek-cross floorplan. It was inaugurated in 1919.
Circus montrealIt is famous for its large cupola and brick façade, and especially its frescos by Guido Nincheri.
A particularly well-known fresco depicts Benito Mussolini on a horse; painted before World War II, it commemorates his signing of the Lateran Accords.
A statue in front of the church commemorates "victims of all wars."
Designated a National Historic Site of Canada