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The Basilica of San Michele Maggiore is a Roman Catholic church in Pavia, region of Lombardy, Italy. The building, dating to the 11-12th centuries, is a well-preserved example of the Lombard-Romanesque architecture, Romanesque style.
The nave has four spans. The aisles have matronaeum, matronaea with statical function. The four chapels in correspondence of the second and four spans of the aisles are a later addition. under the apse, which has a large 16th-century fresco, is the high altar (1383) housing the remains of Sts. Ennodius and Eleucadius. The presbytery (architecture), presbytery has fragments of a notable pavement mosaic with the Labours of the Months and mythological themes. In the transept there is a two meter high crucifix, coated in silver leaf and commissioned by the abbess of the monastery of Santa Maria Teodote Raingarda in the second half of the 10th century. The crucifix was moved to this basilica after the suppression of the monastery in 1799.
Altar of the Virgin: the altarpiece, depicting the Virgin between Saints Rocco and Sebastian was executed by Guglielmo Caccia in 1601. In the left arm of the transept there is the altar of Santa Lucia, whose altarpiece, depicting the martyrdom of the saint, is also the work of Guglielmo Caccia and the baroque altar of Sant'Anna, rich in Baroque stucco, which houses a painting representing the Virgin and Child, St Joseph and St Anne by the Novarese painter Pietro da Pietri, Pietro Antonio de Pietri. The crypt, with a nave and two aisles, is located immediately under the altar: it houses beautifully decorated capitals and the monument of the Blessed Martino Salimbene (1491).
The inscription in the center circle was added in the 19th century by the prominent philologist Tommaso Vallauri, a professor at the University of Turin:
Official website
{{portal bar, Catholicism, Italy Roman Catholic churches in Pavia, Michele Maggiore 12th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Romanesque architecture in Pavia Basilica churches in Lombardy Romanesque architecture in Italy
The Basilica of San Michele Maggiore is a Roman Catholic church in Pavia, region of Lombardy, Italy. The building, dating to the 11-12th centuries, is a well-preserved example of the Lombard-Romanesque architecture, Romanesque style.
History
Archeological evidence, such as Ostrogoths, Ostrogoth silverware found at the site in 1968, suggests the site may have housed a early Christian basilica dating to the fifth century. The silverware is now preserved in the Pavia Civic Museums. Between 662 and 671, a church was built at the desire of King Grimoald, King of the Lombards, Grimoald. Dedicated to St Michael, it was built on the location of the Lombards, Lombard Palace chapel. This church was destroyed by a fire in 1004, and only the lower part of the bell tower dates to the 7th-century church. The construction of the current crypt, choir and transept was begun in the late 11th century and was completed by 1130. The vaults of the nave, originally with two grossly squared groin-vaulted spans, were replaced in 1489 by the design of master architect Agostino de Candia in four rectangular spans, and the structure was created by his father the renown Pavia master builder, master mason Iacopo da Candia. The basilica was the seat of numerous important events, including the coronations of Berengar I of Italy, Berengar I (888), Guy III of Spoleto, Guy III (889), Louis the Blind, Louis III (900), Rudolph II of Burgundy, Rudolph II (922), Hugh of Italy, Hugh (926), Berengar II of Italy, Berengar II and his son Adalbert of Italy, Adalbert (950), Arduin of Ivrea, Arduin (1002), Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor, Henry II (1004) and Frederick Barbarossa (1155).
Architecture
San Michele Maggiore can be considered the prototype of other important medieval churches in Pavia such as San Pietro in Ciel d'Oro and San Teodoro, Pavia, San Teodoro. However, it differs from latter in the use of sandstone instead of bricks, and for its Latin cross layout with a nave and two aisles and a long transept. San Michele's transept, provided with a true façade, a false apse and a barrel vault, differs from the rest of the church and constitutes a nearly independent section of the edifice. Its length (38 m, compared to the 55 m of the whole basilica), contributes to this impression. At the crossing of nave and transept is the octagonal dome, a 30 m-high asymmetrical structure supported on squinches, in the Lombard-Romanesque style. It is reportedly the earliest example of this form in Lombardy. The façade is decorated by numerous sandstone sculptures, of religious or profane themes; they are however now much deteriorated. The façade has five double and two single mullioned windows and a cross, which are a 19th-century reconstruction of what was thought be the original scheme. Bas reliefs in horizontal bands portray human, animal and fantastic figures. Over the minor portals are portrayed St. Ennodius, bishop of Pavia, and St. Eleucadius, archbishop of Ravenna. In the lunettes are angels which, according to a caption sculpted there, have the role of ambassadors of the faithful's words into heaven.Bronze doors, coloured mosaics, geometric designs, bronze pilasters.
The nave has four spans. The aisles have matronaeum, matronaea with statical function. The four chapels in correspondence of the second and four spans of the aisles are a later addition. under the apse, which has a large 16th-century fresco, is the high altar (1383) housing the remains of Sts. Ennodius and Eleucadius. The presbytery (architecture), presbytery has fragments of a notable pavement mosaic with the Labours of the Months and mythological themes. In the transept there is a two meter high crucifix, coated in silver leaf and commissioned by the abbess of the monastery of Santa Maria Teodote Raingarda in the second half of the 10th century. The crucifix was moved to this basilica after the suppression of the monastery in 1799.
Altar of the Virgin: the altarpiece, depicting the Virgin between Saints Rocco and Sebastian was executed by Guglielmo Caccia in 1601. In the left arm of the transept there is the altar of Santa Lucia, whose altarpiece, depicting the martyrdom of the saint, is also the work of Guglielmo Caccia and the baroque altar of Sant'Anna, rich in Baroque stucco, which houses a painting representing the Virgin and Child, St Joseph and St Anne by the Novarese painter Pietro da Pietri, Pietro Antonio de Pietri. The crypt, with a nave and two aisles, is located immediately under the altar: it houses beautifully decorated capitals and the monument of the Blessed Martino Salimbene (1491).
The royal coronation ceremony
The presence of two portals, north and south of the basilica and the monumental transept of the same, a feature common to several German imperial churches but completely absent in the religious architecture of northern Italy, highlights the role of the basilica as the seat of royal coronations. The processions of the monarch's enthronement began in the small square in front of the northern portal (Piazzetta Azzani), which overlooks the Via Francigena and originally connected the basilica to the Royal Palace. Not surprisingly, the writing placed on the lintel of the portal invites you to pray to Christ for salvation using a term, vote, used in the Christian Middle Ages also for prayers addressed to the emperor's well-being. Also on the portal, a second inscription also appears around an angelic figure: ''hic est domus refughi atque consultationis'', with clear reference, in the ''domus refughi'' to the ''domus regi'' (the royal palace). Once inside the basilica, the procession moved towards the four black stones placed in the central nave, on which the throne was placed. During the month of May, when coronations generally took place, the light penetrates from the windows of the apse and of the lantern light up first the figure of the King-Year placed at the top of the mosaic of the labyrinth located on the main altar and then the beam of light, between 10.30 and 11.00 in the morning, extends over the five stones. The inscription in the center circle was added in the 19th century by the prominent philologist Tommaso Vallauri, a professor at the University of Turin:Regibus Coronam Ferream Solemni Ritu Accepturis Heic Solium Positum Fuisse Vetus Opinio TestaturAt the end of the ceremony, the procession left the southern door (facing via Capsoni), the Porta Speciosa, where the Traditio Legis is depicted, also a representation of Pope Gelasius I, Gelasius I's doctrine of the separation of powers in the Christian world: that of the Church and that of the Empire.
See also
* History of medieval Arabic and Western European domesReferences
External links
Official website
{{portal bar, Catholicism, Italy Roman Catholic churches in Pavia, Michele Maggiore 12th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Romanesque architecture in Pavia Basilica churches in Lombardy Romanesque architecture in Italy