The resurrection of Italy's deconsecrated churches - in pictures

All over Italy, thousands of deconsecrated churches are now cinemas, banks, nightclubs, hotels, store rooms, concert halls and wine shops. In estate-agent speak, they are sought-after properties: high ceilings, good central locations, period detail and historical interest. One is a pizzeria, “La Chiesina” (the church), its formerly sacred walls now a mustard yellow, a wood-fired oven in place of an altar, waiters instead of choirboys. In a country where pizza is worshipped as much as God, it’s a fitting tribute to this former church in Viareggio, deconsecrated in 1977. → Photograph: Andrea Di Martino/Picturetank/Eyevine

In another, a former church in Matera is now a hotel and spa, with cave-like underground rooms. Elsewhere, in L’Aquila, a church has been converted into a theatre, → Photograph: Andrea Di Martino/Picturetank/Eyevine

while in Milan, the former church of Santa Teresa, built in 1694, is masquerading as a multimedia library, fitted out with glass balconies, chrome office chairs, and super-fast broadband. Divine inspiration also included. → Photograph: Andrea Di Martino/Picturetank/Eyevine

In Salerno, a church dating from 1,000AD is now a museum attached to a medical school. No new lease of life is too obscure: → Photograph: Andrea Di Martino/Picturetank/Eyevine

the former Madonna della Neve church in Como was deconsecrated in 1959 and turned into a thriving car repair business. It’s a setting straight out of The Italian Job. → Photograph: Andrea Di Martino/Picturetank/Eyevine

Churches are deconsecrated for several reasons. Damage to the building can render it dangerous, local populations or parish structures can change, or people can simply stop going to church. A few years ago, Italy was shocked by a study that showed Sunday Mass attendance was nearly 50% lower than thought – this in a country with traditionally the highest number of church-goers in western Europe. In Britain, attendance is falling year on year, coupled with a rise in the number of churches converted into over-priced homes and apartments. At least in Italy, they show a little imagination. Photograph: Andrea Di Martino/Picturetank/Eyevine