Église Madonna della Difesa

Lonely Planet review

Our Lady of Protection Church was built in 1919 according to the drawings of Florence-born Guido Nincheri (1885-1973), who spent the next two decades working on every last detail of the decor of the Roman-Byzantine structure. Most famous of all, the artist painted the church's remarkable frescoes, including one of Mussolini on horseback with a bevy of generals in the background.

The work honored the formal recognition by Rome of the pope's sovereignty over Vatican City in 1929 and was unveiled only a few years later as Hitler came to power. During WWII, Nincheri and others who had worked on the building were interned by the Canadian authorities. To this day, the fresco remains rather controversial but is still able to be viewed above the high marble altar.