San Paolo Maggiore, also known as San Paolo Decollato, is a Baroque-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 ...

basilica church located on Via Carbonari #18 in

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language, 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 1 ...

, 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.

History

The church was commissioned between 1606 and 1611 by the

Barnabites , image = Barnabites.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = One version of the Barnabite logo. "P.A." refers to Paul the Apostle and the three hills symbolize the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. , a ...

from the architect Ambrogio Magenta or Mazenta. Patronage for this church was mainly derived from the Prince Virgilio Spada, brother of Cardinal Bernardino Spada. The Barnabites, also known as the ''Clerics Regular of St Paul'', named this church as ''Maggiore'' to distinguish it from two other San Paolo's in Bologna. Between 1634 and 1636 the facade was built to designs by Ercole Fichi. The facade, in brick and stone, has statues of ''St Peter'' and ''Paul'', respectively by

Domenico Maria Mirandola Domenico is an Italian given name for males and may refer to: People * Domenico Alfani, Italian painter * Domenico Allegri, Italian composer * Domenico Alvaro, Italian mobster * Domenico Ambrogi, Italian painter * Domenico Auria, Italian arch ...

and G. Cruventi. During the Napoleonic invasion, the Barnabites were suppressed, and the church was made a parish church in 1819. Closed again later, it was reconsecrated in 1878. In 1959 it was restored to the Barnabites, and two years later raised to the designation of

Minor Basilica In the Catholic Church, a basilica is a designation given by the Pope to a church building. Basilicas are distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches. The building need not be a basilica in the architectural sense (a rectangular ...

by pope John XIII. Inside the building, the vaults were frescoed with scenes of the ''St Paul in the Areopagus of Athens'' by Antonio and

Giuseppe Rolli Giuseppe Maria Rolli or Roli (1645 – 17 November 1727) is an Italian painter and engraver active during the Baroque period, mainly in his native Bologna. Biography He was sent by his father to work along with Giuseppe Antonio Caccioli and late ...

. Antonio died after a fall from a scaffold, and the work was completed by his brother. The cupola, apse, sacristy and two chapels in the transept were frescored with quadratura by Pietro Farina, and figures by

Giuseppe Antonio Caccioli Giuseppe Antonio Caccioli (October 18, 1672 – July 20, 1740) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Biography Giuseppe Antonio Caccioli was born in Bologna. When he was three, his father the painter Giovanni Battista Caccioli died ...

The main altar (1643-1650) features a dramatic marble sculptural group ''Beheading of St Paul'' (sculpted in Rome in 1634, but not in place till 1644) by

Alessandro Algardi Alessandro Algardi (July 31, 1598 – June 10, 1654) was an Italian high- Baroque sculptor active almost exclusively in Rome, where for the latter decades of his life, he was, along with Francesco Borromini and Pietro da Cortona, one of the maj ...

. Algardi also completed the bronze plaques on the altar. His works were commissioned by the Prince Spada. The architectural setting of the altar, described by some as a Baldacchino, has Corinthian columns and a protruding portico is based on a design attributed to the architect Borromini. The church altars have masterpieces by

Guercino Giovanni Francesco Barbieri (February 8, 1591 – December 22, 1666),Miller, 1964 better known as Guercino, or il Guercino , was an Italian Baroque painter and draftsman from Cento in the Emilia region, who was active in Rome and Bologna. The vi ...

and

Giuseppe Maria Crespi Giuseppe Maria Crespi (March 14, 1665 – July 16, 1747), nicknamed Lo Spagnuolo ("The Spaniard"), was an Italian late Baroque painter of the Bolognese School. His eclectic output includes religious paintings and portraits, but he is now most ...

. In the second chapel is a canvas depicting ''Paradise'' by

Lodovico Carracci Ludovico (or Lodovico) Carracci (21 April 1555 – 13 November 1619) was an Italian, early- Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker born in Bologna. His works are characterized by a strong mood invoked by broad gestures and flickering light ...

. Nicolo Tornioli painted a ''Cain Killing Abel'' and ''Jacob wrestling with angel'' for the church. In the third chapel has a ''Nativity'' and ''Adoration of the Magi'' by

Giacomo Cavedoni Giacomo Cavedone (also called ''Giacomo Cavedoni'') (1577–1660) was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School. Life He belonged to the generation of Carracci-inspired or trained painters that included Giovanni Andrea Donducci (Maste ...

, with a ''Flight to Egypt'', ''Circumcision'', and ''Jesus among the Doctors'' in the ceiling. The fourth chapel has a ''St Gregory shows God the Father to the Souls in Purgatory'' by

. The wooden choir stalls are highly decorated with engravings. The eighth chapel has a ''Communion of St Jerome'' 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 ...

. The ninth chapel has a ''Baptism of Jesus'', ''Birth'', and ''Death of St John'' the Baptist by

.Guida storico-statistica monumentale dell'Italia
(1857) page 287.

Gallery

Alessandro algardi, decollazione di san paolo, 1641-44.JPG, ''Beheading of St Paul'' by Algardi Ludovico carracci, immacolata concezione, detta il paradiso, 1616, 01.JPG, Paradise by Carracci Giacomo cavedoni, adorazione dei pastori, 1612.JPG, Adoration of the Shepherds by Cavedoni

References

{{Coord, 44.491271, 11.339908, type:landmark_region:IT, display=title Roman Catholic churches completed in 1636 Basilica churches in Bologna 1636 establishments in Italy