The Sanctuary of the Madonna del Baraccano is a

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...

style,

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

church, located at Piazza del Baraccano 2 at the southern edge of the formerly walled central

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

, region of

Emilia-Romagna egl, Emigliàn (man) egl, Emiglièna (woman) rgn, Rumagnòl (man) rgn, Rumagnòla (woman) it, Emiliano (man) it, Emiliana (woman) or it, Romagnolo (man) it, Romagnola (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title ...

, Italy. The church was built at the site of city wall, where a Madonna image was painted, hence called ''Madonna of the Barricade''. Presently much at the site is undergoing restoration after the May 2012 earthquake.

History

In 1401, during a siege of Bologna by

Gian Galeazzo Visconti Gian Galeazzo Visconti (16 October 1351 – 3 September 1402), was the first duke of Milan (1395) and ruled the late-medieval city just before the dawn of the Renaissance. He also ruled Lombardy jointly with his uncle Bernabò. He was the foundi ...

, an elderly woman was spied kneeling in prayer next to the wall where a Madonna image was present. Suspecting she was voicing secrets through a small gap in the wall, she was arrested, and the town leader, Bente Bentivoglio had a wall built interior to the wall to seal the site. When that wall collapsed soon after construction, Bentivoglio interpreted this as a miracle, had the old woman freed. In 1438 an oratory had been built. By 1497, Giovanni Bentivoglio II had Francesco Cossa repaint the image, (original by

Lippo di Dalmasio Filippo Scannabecchi (1352 – c. 1410), known as Lippo di Dalmasio, was an Italian painter from Bologna, a son of Dalmasio Scannabecchi. Biography His father was Dalmasio Scannabecchi (sometimes referred to as ''pseudo-Dalmasio''), a Bologne ...

), and built a portico to shelter the image. In 1524, The church was built with its tympanum with a terracota virgin by

Alfonso Lombardi Alfonso Lombardi (c. 1497–1537), also known as Lombardi da Lucca, Alfonso da Ferrara and as Alfonso Lombardo, was an Italian sculptor and medalist who was born in Ferrara, Italy in 1497, and died in Bologna in 1537. He was very active in Bolo ...

. The porticoed forecourt was added in 1550, and the cupola was added in 1682 on a design by A. Barelli. The interior has an altar to the right with a ''Procession of St Gregory Magnus'' by

Cesare Aretusi Cesare Aretusi (1 September 1549 – 4 October 1612) was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance period. He was born in Modena and trained with Bartolomeo Ramenghi (Bagnacavallo). Known primarily as a portrait painter, Aretusi also paint ...

and Giovanni Battista Fiorini. To the right of the main altar is the frescoed ''Enthroned Madonna with Angels'' (1472) by

Francesco del Cossa Francesco del Cossa (c. 1430 – c. 1477) was an Italian Renaissance painter of the School of Ferrara, who after 1470 worked in Bologna. Cossa is best known for his frescoes, especially his collaboration with Cosimo Tura on a cycle of the mont ...

. A silhouette of the praying woman can be seen. To the left of the altar is a ''Holy Family'' by

Lavinia Fontana Lavinia Fontana (August 24, 1552 – August 11, 1614) was a Bologna, Bolognese Mannerism, Mannerist painter active in Bologna and Rome. She is best known for her successful portraiture, but also worked in the genres of mythology and religious pai ...

and a ''San Carlo Borromeo'' by

Lucio Massari Lucio Massari (22 January 1569 – 3 November 1633) was an Italian painter of the School of Bologna. He can be described as painting during both Mannerist and early-Baroque periods. Life and work He was born in Bologna, where he initially a ...

. In the next chapel is a ''Disputa of St Catherine'' (1551) by

Prospero Fontana Prospero Fontana (1512–1597) was a Bolognese painter of late Renaissance and Mannerist art. He is perhaps best known for his frescoes and architectural detailing. The speed in which he completed paintings earned him commissions where he wo ...

. There are also works of

Federico Zuccari Federico Zuccaro, also known as Federico Zuccari (c. 1540/1541August 6, 1609), was an Italian Mannerist painter and architect, active both in Italy and abroad. Biography Zuccaro was born at Sant'Angelo in Vado, near Urbino (Marche). His docum ...

and Giovanni Marchesi. Adjacent to the church there was a convent and hospice for prostitutes.Bianchini entrance.

References

Roman Catholic churches in Bologna Renaissance architecture in Bologna 16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Magdalene asylums Roman Catholic churches completed in 1524 {{Italy-RC-church-stub