Among the villas and gardens of the English quarter, in Via Regina Vittoria, rises a small bell tower with a red dome: this is Bordighera’s former Anglican church, the church of All Saints built in 1873 for the large British community that spent the winter in town.
Today it is a cultural centre run by the town council: you can go in during exhibitions, concerts and talks, and even from outside, with its stone façade and arched portico set in greenery, it tells the story of cosmopolitan 19th-century Bordighera very well.
The church of Bordighera’s English
In the second half of the 19th century many English people chose Bordighera for the winter, from October to May. At first the community gathered for services in hotels, such as the Hotel d’Angleterre, and then in the private chapel of Villa Rosa, the residence of Mrs Walker Fanshawe.
In 1873 Mrs Fanshawe donated part of her park to build a proper church, dedicated to All Saints. Charles Henry Lowe, of the Giardini Lowe, also contributed to the fundraising. As the community grew, the church was enlarged in 1883 and in 1900, when the side aisles, the vestry and the organ room were added.
It was not only a place of worship: the chaplain received members of the community for tea on Thursday afternoons, and the chaplains included Clarence Bicknell, the naturalist and scholar who gave his name to the museum on the Via Romana.
What to see
The façade and the bell tower
The exterior is in local stone, in the neo-Gothic idiom typical of English churches of the period. In front of the entrance is a portico with three arches; above, a row of windows with leaded glass. The square bell tower ends in a small red dome that can be recognised from afar, among the palms of the quarter.
The three-aisled interior
Inside, the space is divided into three aisles by pointed arches, with mullioned windows: the plan is the result of the late 19th-century extensions. Today the large hall hosts exhibitions and concerts, which make the most of its acoustics and light.
The garden and Villa Rosa
The church stands amid greenery, on what used to be the park of Villa Rosa. The church, the gardens and the villa are protected by the Soprintendenza as part of Liguria’s architectural and landscape heritage.
Today: exhibitions, concerts and talks
Once religious services ended, the building was bought and restored by the town of Bordighera, which turned it into a multi-purpose cultural centre: art and photography exhibitions, concerts, talks and shows. In 2022 restoration work was carried out on the exterior and the bell tower, and the historian Gisella Merello devoted a book to the church, La chiesa anglicana di All Saints a Bordighera.
Tips for your visit
- When to go: the interior can be visited during exhibitions and events. Check the upcoming events or ask at the IAT tourist office, a few steps away.
- Accessibility: according to the town council, the building is accessible to people with reduced mobility.
- Combine it with: the Waldensian Church, the Giardini Lowe, the Biblioteca Civica Internazionale and the Museo Bicknell: together they tell the story of English Bordighera. You will find them all on the itinerary Among villas and gardens.
Frequently asked questions
When was Bordighera’s Anglican church built?
In 1873, on land donated by Mrs Walker Fanshawe for the English community. It was later enlarged in 1883 and 1900.
Can you visit the interior?
Yes, during the exhibitions, concerts and talks held at the cultural centre. For dates, contact the town council’s tourism office (+39 0184 272230) or the IAT tourist office.
Are services still held there?
No. The building is no longer a place of worship: it is owned by the town council and used as a cultural centre.
Where is it?
At Via Regina Vittoria 4, in the quarter of the English villas, a few steps from the IAT tourist office and the seafront.
