Within thick woods in the north of Italy Il Convento Della Chiesa Blu stands in silence yet unassuming at first glance however, the pulling power of this location for curious photographers like myself lies in the beauty inside. 

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The exterior is a mix of styles and has a faded worn look to it suggesting inactivity here for many years and luckily finding a way inside was not that difficult. This Institute was founded sometime in the 1930s by the Cavalier of the Crown of Italy Antonio Ghirardelli and its initial function was that of a seminary and later on a private middle school with boarding school were added. Later on in1984 the Jesuit fathers left the convent and from 1986 to 1997 the buildings became a Police school. A later use for this site was as a refugee sanctuary for Albanians. In 2001 the site was sold by the Curia to a company that intended to renovate the buildings for use as a nursing home, however, bankruptcy prevented this from happening. In recent years, various auctions to sell the site have [roved fruitless and to this day the whole complex remains abandoned and rapidly deteriorating as it succumbs to the elements.

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​The true magic of this vast complex lies inside the church and it is there we headed first as we wandered through the silent corridors of the convent. 

In comparison to some churches throughout Italy, this blue church is modern in comparison yet that doesn't hide its magical appearance. The church has a single nave with two side chapels and an apse. At the centre of the interior is a suspended large gilded wooden crucifix, on which a Byzantine-style Christ is painted, hanging above the altar and suspended using three chains.

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The interior of the church radiates with a brilliant blue light which is one of the main reasons people come here to photograph it from all over the world. 

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The use of colours to conjure up this magical - almost mythical - light has intentionally been set in place. The blue of the recesses in the apse combined with the gold inside the nave along with the lights of the Gothic-style windows conjures up this brilliant light, shimmering with blue tones. The contrast between the cooler blues and the warmer golden tones creates something quite spectacular. The vanity of the gold of the nave (earthly life) is tempered by the blue of the unknown and the fear of death (the passage to the afterlife) to which we are all destined.

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Once we finished in the church we wandered around the rest of the complex. Staircases connecting floors covered in dust and silent from activity although rather bare, still hold photogenic appeal. On the ground floor there are large kitchens and dining rooms that are a reminder of the activity that once occurred here when the building was functioning and in use. ​​​​