Porto Cervo, Stella Maris Church

Porto Cervo, Stella Maris Church. Photo by Alberto Maisto, 2009, from Sardegna DL

The church of Stella Maris, built between 1968 and 1969 on a design by the architect Michele Busiri Vici, represents a contemporary reinterpretation of the “Mediterranean style”, inspired by Sardinian architectural traditions. The project reworks typical elements of rural churches in Sardinia, such as the porch with a wooden roof supported by megalithic granite blocks. The concave façade is accompanied by a curvilinear crown that hides the sloping roof. The bell tower, with an elliptical shape, contains the baptistery and marks the entrance to the side aisle, consisting of three cylindrical volumes. The complex has a traditional roof with terracotta tiles and wrought iron details.
The interior of the building is divided into two naves: the main one, with three bays and a lowered vault, and the side aisle, separated by rounded arches. The details recall the architecture of Michele Busiri Vici, with granite floors, holy water fountains made from shells and metal chandeliers designed by the architect himself. In the background, a system of liturgical spaces organizes the area, with a main door framed by a confessional, holy water fountain and staircase for access to the choir. The baptistery is located next to the side aisle.
The side portal, made of bronze, the work of the Bolognese sculptor Luciano Minguzzi, former author of the fifth door of the Milan Cathedral (1965) and later of the Gate of Good and Evil for St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican (1970), adds a significant artistic element, connecting the church to tradition and the local context. Despite its small size, the building fully expresses the architect's vision, with soft shapes and local materials such as granite and white plaster, in harmony with the general aesthetics adopted by the “Costa Smeralda” consortium.

History of studies
A review of studies can be found in the bibliography relating to the fact sheet in the volume of the “History of Art in Sardinia” on nineteenth-century architecture (2001).

Bibliography
F. Masala, Architettura dall'Unità d'Italia alla fine del '900. Nuoro, Ilisso, 2001, scheda 167.