Abbazia della Vangadizza, cloister view (Badia Polesine)

Vangadizza Abbey (Italian: ''Abbazia della Vangadizza'') is a former

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

abbey in the modern ''

comune The (; plural: ) is a local administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions ('' regioni'') and provinces (''province''). The can also ...

'' of

Badia Polesine Badia Polesine is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Rovigo in the Italian region Veneto, located about southwest of Venice and about west of Rovigo. It is part of the upper Polesine, and is bounded by the Adige river, which separates ...

, northern Italy. It was an independent state from the early

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

until the 14th century.

History

The creation of the abbey is generally connected with the large donations from marquis Aimeric of Mantua, in the 950s, followed by others from

Hugh of Tuscany Hugh ( la, Ugo, Hugo; 953/4 – 21 December 1001), called the Great, was the Margrave of Tuscany from 969 until his death in 1001, and the Duke of Spoleto and Margrave of Camerino from 989 to 996 (as "Hugh II"). He was known for his restoration ...

a few years later. The abbey is mentioned as still in construction in a document from 993. It became an independent fief in 996 and, around 1000, the abbey received the status of

diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, pro ...

directly subject to the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

. The independence was confirmed by emperor

Frederick Barbarossa Frederick Barbarossa (December 1122 – 10 June 1190), also known as Frederick I (german: link=no, Friedrich I, it, Federico I), was the Holy Roman Emperor from 1155 until his death 35 years later. He was elected King of Germany in Frankfurt on ...

in 1177 and by Pope

Celestine III Pope Celestine III ( la, Caelestinus III; c. 1106 – 8 January 1198), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 30 March or 10 April 1191 to his death in 1198. He had a tense relationship with several monarchs, ...

in 1196. In 1213 the abbey adhered to the

Camaldolese order The Camaldolese Hermits of Mount Corona ( la, Congregatio Eremitarum Camaldulensium Montis Coronae), commonly called Camaldolese is a monastic order of Pontifical Right for men founded by Saint Romuald. Their name is derived from the Holy Hermita ...

, dedicating itself in particular to cultural activities: it amassed a large library and included a school of philosophy, theology, chant, arts and sciences, although it got progressively detached from the care of the territory and from its colonists, which had been the base of its richness in the previous centuries. In the early 15th century the abbey lost its temporal rights, and was put under the ''

in commendam In canon law, commendam (or ''in commendam'') was a form of transferring an ecclesiastical benefice ''in trust'' to the ''custody'' of a patron. The phrase ''in commendam'' was originally applied to the provisional occupation of an ecclesiastical ...

'' status, i.e. under the control of external ecclesiastics. Its

lay abbot Lay abbot ( la, abbatocomes, abbas laicus, abbas miles, ) is a name used to designate a layman on whom a king or someone in authority bestowed an abbey as a reward for services rendered; he had charge of the estate belonging to it, and was entitle ...

s include Pietro Ottoboni, the future

Pope Alexander VIII Pope Alexander VIII ( it, Alessandro VIII; 22 April 1610 – 1 February 1691), born Pietro Vito Ottoboni, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 October 1689 to his death in February 1691. He is to date the las ...

. A seminary was founded in 1747. The

Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...

suppressed it on 11 April 1789 and seized its asset; the diocese was also suppressed in 1792, its twelve parishes being moved to the

diocese of Adria The Italian Catholic Diocese of Adria-Rovigo ( la, Dioecesis Adriensis-Rhodigiensis), in the Triveneto, has existed under this name since 1986. It is a Latin suffragan to the Patriarchate of Venice.Romanesque- Gothic structure. The base of the bell tower include antique elements, such a bas-relief with a

Maenad In Greek mythology, maenads (; grc, μαινάδες ) were the female followers of Dionysus and the most significant members of the Thiasus, the god's retinue. Their name literally translates as "raving ones". Maenads were known as Bassarids, ...

, dating from the 1st century AD. Other sights include the 13th century portico-courtyard, with

Verona marble Red Verona marble is a variety of limestone rock which takes its name from Verona in Northern Italy. It includes internal skeletons of ammonites and belemnoidea rostra in a fecal pellets matrix. It has been quarried from Red Ammonitic ''facies' ...

columns, and a 15th-century chapel dedicated to the Holy Virgin. The apse has frescoes by Filippo Zaniberti (early 17th century), depicting the ''Miracles of the Virgin''. The square in front the church houses two sarcophagi of members of the

Este family The House of Este ( , , ) is a European dynasty of North Italian origin whose members ruled parts of Italy and Germany for many centuries. The original House of Este's elder branch, which is known as the House of Welf, included dukes of Bavaria ...

, including the tomb of

Albert Azzo II, Margrave of Milan Alberto Azzo II (997 or July 10, 1009, in Modena – August 20, 1097, in Modena), Margrave of Milan, and Liguria, Count of Gavello, Padua, Rovigo, Lunigiana, Monselice, and Montagnana, was a powerful nobleman in the Holy Roman Empire. He is consi ...

, and that of

Azzo VI of Este Azzo VI (1170 – November 1212), also known as Azzolino, was an Italian nobleman and condottiero. He held the title of Marquis of Este (''marchio Eystensis'') from the death of his father, Azzo V (1190) until his death. Biography He was heavi ...

References

Sources

External links

Page at the Badia Polesine official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vangadizza 10th-century churches in Italy Vangadizza Romanesque architecture in Veneto Gothic architecture in Veneto Burial sites of the House of Este Christian monasteries established in the 10th century