"This Abandoned Spanish Church Was Transformed Into A Skaters' Haven"

huffingtonpost.com

A church that used to be a spiritual center for the working class in northern Spain has been repurposed for a completely different kind of community.

After sitting abandoned for decades, a church in the Spanish town of Llanera has been converted into a skating park, complete with a fresh coat of brightly colored paint.

Madrid artist Okuda San Miguel, who covered the church's walls and ceilings with his work, said in a video interview that he believes this piece may be one of the most important in his career. He was intrigued by the challenge of using the same classic blank canvas -- the interior of a church -- that artists throughout history have used to create masterpieces.

"It’s like my personal Sistine Chapel,” San Miguel, 35, told the arts website Restos De Cultura earlier this month.