San Giovanni is a

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

-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 let ...

church located in

Appignano Appignano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Macerata in the Italian region Marche, located about southwest of Ancona and about northwest of Macerata. Appignano borders the following municipalities: Cingoli, Filottrano, Macerata, ...

, province of Macerata, in the region of Marche, Italy.

History

The original church of Appignano was built in the 15th century. The town walls were built in 1443 by Alessandro Sforza when he took possession of the city. The apse of the church was at one time one of the corner towers of the fortification. The church was enlarged in the 14th century, erecting a

gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

bell tower whose belfry has lobed arches. It was here that the apse was extended into the city tower. In the 16th century this church joined with that of the pieve of San Giovanni and San Pietro. The main altarpiece depicts an ''Enthroned Madonna and Child with Saints Peter, John, Catherine of Alexandria, and two donors'' (circa 1519-1534) by Giorgio da Tolentino. In the 18th century, an inventory identified seven altars, including altars dedicated to ''St Lucy Virgin and Martyr'', to ''St James'', to ''St Vincent Ferrer'', to ''St Bartholemew Apostle'', to ''The Rosary'', and to ''St Joseph''. The altar of St Joseph (San Giuseppe) had an altarpiece depicting the ''Marriage of the Virgin'' (circa 1630). In 1750, the interior underwent a major refurbishment, leaving a single nave with three chapels on each side. The façade portal in stone has a rounded pediment and a Baroque cartouche. In 1931 the interior was frescoed by Tommaso Gentili (1868-1963) of

Osimo Osimo is a town and ''comune'' of the Marche region of Italy, in the province of Ancona. The municipality covers a hilly area located approximately south of the port city of Ancona and the Adriatic Sea. , Osimo had a total population of 35,037. ...

; depicting in the apse events of the life of John the Baptist: a ''Baptism of Christ'', ''Preaching'' , and his ''Decapitation''. The choir ceiling has a depiction of a dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit in stucco, while the spandrels have cherubs holding festoons. The nave ceiling has ''The Redeemer'' image surrounded by the four evangelists. Above the windows are medallions with busts of saints.Province of Macerata
tourism entry on church.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giovanni Appignano 15th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Gothic architecture in le Marche