Basilica of San Petronio
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The Basilica of San Petronio is a
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 ...
and church of the
Archdiocese of Bologna The Archdiocese of Bologna is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Northern Italy. The cathedra is in the cathedral church of San Pietro, Bologna. The current archbishop is Cardinal Matteo Zup ...
located 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 ...
,
Emilia Romagna Emilia-Romagna (, , both also ; ; egl, Emégglia-Rumâgna or ''Emîlia-Rumâgna''; rgn, Emélia-Rumâgna) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy, situated in the north of the country, comprising the historical regions ...
, northern
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
. It dominates
Piazza Maggiore Piazza Maggiore (''Piâza Mażåur'' in the Bolognese language) is a central square in Bologna, region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The appearance in the 21st century, generally reflects the layout from the 15th century. The Northwest corner opens i ...
. The basilica is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, Saint Petronius, who was the bishop of Bologna in the fifth century. Construction began in 1390 and its main facade has remained unfinished since. The building was transferred from the city to the diocese in 1929; the basilica was finally consecrated in 1954. It has been the seat of the relics of Bologna's patron saint only since 2000; until then they were preserved in the Santo Stefano church of
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 ...
.


History


Construction

In 1388, the ''Consiglio Generale dei Seicento'' prepared the construction of the church as a civic temple. To make room for the church, the adjacent Curia of Sancti Ambrosii was demolished, together with the majority of one of the city's burgs, including at least eight churches and towers. The first stone of construction was laid on 7 June 1390 under the supervision of architect
Antonio di Vincenzo Antonio di Vincenzo (1350 − 1401/1402) was an Italian architect, active mainly in his native Bologna in a Gothic style. In 1384, he designed the Palazzo della Mercanzia (Loggia of Merchants) in Bologna, which is built in brick and terracotta ...
. Works lasted for several centuries: after the completion of the first version of the facade, in 1393 the first pair of side chapels were begun. The series were completed only in 1479. The third bay was built in 1441–1446. Its construction was delayed by the cardinal Baldassarre Cossa, who sold the construction material of the basilica and kept the money. In 1514, Arduino degli Arriguzzi was chosen as the architect to construct the dome. His proposal included a large dome resting upon the width between the side aisles, which necessitated larger transepts and apses. The project was considered too complicated, and after building the first two pillars and two triangular pylons for the dome, the work was halted. According to legend, Pope Pius IV halted the "megalomaniac dream" and instead encouraged the construction of the
Archiginnasio of Bologna The Archiginnasio of Bologna is one of the most important buildings in the city of Bologna; once the main building of the University of Bologna, it currently houses the Archiginnasio Municipal Library and the Anatomical Theatre. In the heart of ...
.


Architecture


Exterior

The basilica is a large church measuring 132 metres long, 66 metres wide, and 47 metres tall, and is described as the "most imposing" church in Bologna. The façade was designed by Domenico da Varignana and started in 1538 by Giacomo Ranuzzi. However, it remains unfinished. The main doorway (''Porta Magna'') was decorated by
Jacopo della Quercia Jacopo della Quercia (, ; 20 October 1438), also known as Jacopo di Pietro d'Agnolo di Guarnieri, was an Italian sculptor of the Renaissance, a contemporary of Brunelleschi, Ghiberti and Donatello. He is considered a precursor of Michelangelo ...
of
Siena Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena. The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centur ...
with scenes from the Old Testament on the
pillars A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression member. ...
, eighteen prophets on the
archivolt An archivolt (or voussure) is an ornamental moulding or band following the curve on the underside of an arch. It is composed of bands of ornamental mouldings (or other architectural elements) surrounding an arched opening, corresponding to the ...
, scenes from the New Testament on the architrave, and a
Madonna and Child In art, a Madonna () is a representation of Mary, either alone or with her child Jesus. These images are central icons for both the Catholic and Orthodox churches. The word is (archaic). The Madonna and Child type is very prevalent i ...
, Saint Ambrose and Saint Petronius on the tympanum. It is flanked by two side doors, with Alfonso Lombardi's ''Resurrection'' on the left and Amico Aspertini's ''Deposition'' on the right. The central nave covering and apse shooting were completed in 1663, designed by Girolamo Rainaldi and directed by Francesco Martini. The lower naves are enclosed by rectilinear walls. The first two windows were designed by Antonio with the assistance of Francesco di Simone, Domenico da Milano,
Pagno di Lapo Portigiani Pagno di Lapo Portigiani (1408 — 1470) was an Italian Renaissance decorative sculptor, a minor follower of Donatello who worked on numerous occasions in projects designed and supervised by Michelozzo. Biography Pagno di Lapo was born at Fiesol ...
and Antonio di Simone. The bell tower was designed by Giovanni da Brensa and built between 1481 and 1487. In 2017, the proposal for completing the facade by Inter-Esse Studio was awarded the first place in the international competition of wall was held by CODE – Competitions for Designers and Con-fine Art. Jacopo della Quercia Jacopo della Quercia (, ; 20 October 1438), also known as Jacopo di Pietro d'Agnolo di Guarnieri, was an Italian sculptor of the Renaissance, a contemporary of Brunelleschi, Ghiberti and Donatello. He is considered a precursor of Michelangelo ...
, photographed by
Paolo Monti Paolo Monti (11 August 1908 – 29 November 1982) was an Italian photographer, known for his architectural photography. In his early period, Monti experimented with abstractionism as well as with effects such as blurring and diffraction. In 19 ...
"> Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico (Bologna, 1980) - BEIC 6353871.jpg, ''Original sin'' Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico - BEIC 6366114.jpg, ''Fall of man'' Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico (Bologna, 1980) - BEIC 6353870.jpg, ''Noah's Ark'' Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico (Bologna, 1980) - BEIC 6353873.jpg, ''Binding of Isaac'' Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico (Bologna, 1979) - BEIC 6353697.jpg, ''Prophets'' on the archivolt Paolo Monti - Servizio fotografico (Bologna, 1979) - BEIC 6353701.jpg, ''Massacre of the Innocents''


Interior

The interior houses a ''Madonna with Saints'' by Lorenzo Costa the Younger, and a ''Pietà'' by
Amico Aspertini Amico Aspertini, also called Amerigo Aspertini, was an Italian Renaissance painter and sculptor whose complex, eccentric, and eclectic style anticipates Mannerism. He is considered one of the leading exponents of the Bolognese School of paintin ...
.


Main altar

The altar contains a 15th-century wooden crucifix. At the back, a fresco of the ''Madonna with St. Petronio'' by
Marcantonio Franceschini Marcantonio Franceschini (; 1648 – 24 December 1729) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mostly in his native Bologna. He was the father and teacher of Giacomo Franceschini.''The picture collector's manual'' by James R. Hob ...
and
Luigi Quaini Luigi Quaini (1643–1717) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Biography He was born in Ravenna, and first learned the art of architectural perspective painting from his father, Francesco Quaini, a pupil of Agostino Mitelli. After ...
, cartoons by Cignani (1672). The ciborium of the main altar was built in 1547 by
Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola ( , , ; 1 October 15077 July 1573), often simply called Vignola, was one of the great Italian architects of 16th century Mannerism. His two great masterpieces are the Villa Farnese at Caprarola and the Jesuits' Churc ...
. The fifteenth-century wooden choir was completed by Agostino de 'Marchi. The vaulting and decoration of the central nave is by Girolamo Rainaldi, who completed them in 1646–1658.


Side chapels

The nave contains twenty-two side chapels: # Chapel of St. Abbondio, formerly of the Dieci di Balia – restored in neo-Gothic style in 1865. In this chapel, in the year 1530, Emperor
Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infa ...
was crowned by
Pope Clement VII Pope Clement VII ( la, Clemens VII; it, Clemente VII; born Giulio de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the ...
. # Chapel of St. Petronio, once of the Cospi and Aldrovandi families, designed by
Alfonso Torreggiani Alfonso Torreggiani (1682–1764) was an Italian architect of the Rococo period, principally associated with Bologna. Life Torregiani was born in Budrio. An apprentice of Giuseppe Antonio Torri, he became intensely active in the city of Bol ...
, designed to contain the relic of the head of San Petronio. # Chapel of St. Ivo, Formerly of the family of San Brigida dei Foscherari: it has statues of ''Angelo Piò'' and the paintings of the ''Madonna of St. Luke and Saints Emidio and Ivo'' by
Gaetano Gandolfi Gaetano Gandolfi (31 August 1734 – 20 June 1802) was an Italian painter of the late Baroque and early Neoclassic period, active in Bologna. Career Gaetano was born in San Matteo della Decima, near Bologna, to a family of artists. Ubaldo ...
and ''Apparition of the Virgin to St. Francesca Romana'' by
Alessandro Tiarini Alessandro Tiarini (20 March 1577 – 8 February 1668) was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School. Biography Alessandro Tiarini was born in Bologna. His mother died when he was a child, and he was raised by an aunt. Early on his f ...
(1615). On the pillar, two clocks, one of the first made in Italy with the correction of the pendulum (1758). # Chapel of the Magi, once of Bolognini family: its marble Gothic balustrade designed by
Antonio di Vincenzo Antonio di Vincenzo (1350 − 1401/1402) was an Italian architect, active mainly in his native Bologna in a Gothic style. In 1384, he designed the Palazzo della Mercanzia (Loggia of Merchants) in Bologna, which is built in brick and terracotta ...
(1400); the ''Triptych'' wooden altar with twenty-seven figures carved and painted by Jacopo di Paolo. The walls were painted by Giovanni di Pietro Falloppi/ Giovanni da Modena with a cycle depicting the ''Episodes in the life of San Petronio'', the back wall, right wall, ''Stories of the Three Kings''; the left wall, at the top, ''The Last Judgment'' with the ''Coronation of the Virgin'' in oval, and the controversial ''Heaven and Hell'',
Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian people, Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', origin ...
's depiction of the places, with a gigantic figure of
Lucifer Lucifer is one of various figures in folklore associated with the planet Venus. The entity's name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil. Modern scholarship generally translates the term in the relevant Bible passa ...
. # Chapel of St. Sebastian, once of Vaselli family. # Chapel of St. Vincent Ferrer, formerly of the Griffoni, and Cospi-Ranuzzi families: bronze monument of Cardinal
Giacomo Lercaro Giacomo Lercaro (28 October 1891 – 18 October 1976) was an Italian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Archbishop of Ravenna from 1947 to 1952, and Archbishop of Bologna from 1952 to 1968. Pope Pius XII made him a cardinal ...
made by
Giacomo Manzù Giacomo Manzù, pseudonym of Giacomo Manzoni (22 December 1908 – 17 January 1991), was an Italian sculptor. Biography Manzù was born in Bergamo. His father was a shoemaker. Other than a few evening art classes, he was self-taught in s ...
(1954). # Chapel of St. James, formerly of the Rossi and Baciocchi families: the ''Madonna Enthroned on the altar'' was painted by
Lorenzo Costa Lorenzo Costa (1460 – 5 March 1535) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance. Biography He was born at Ferrara, but moved to Bologna by his early twenties, and was probably influenced by the Bolognese School. However, many artists worked in ...
(1492), to the same author attributed the designs of the stained glass. Funeral monument containing the remains of Prince Felix Baciocchi and his wife
Elisa Bonaparte Maria Anna Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi Levoy (French: ''Marie Anne Elisa Bonaparte''; 3 January 1777 – 7 August 1820), better known as Elisa Bonaparte, was an imperial French princess and sister of Napoleon Bonaparte. She was Princess of Lucca ...
(1845). # Chapel of St. Rocco, formerly of the Ranuzzi family: it contains a ''Saint Roch with a Donor'' by
Parmigianino Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola (11 January 150324 August 1540), also known as Francesco Mazzola or, more commonly, as Parmigianino (, , ; "the little one from Parma"), was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker active in Florence, Rome, B ...
(1527). # Chapel of St. Michael formerly of the Barbazzi and Manzoli families: it houses a painting of ''Archangel Michael defeating the Fallen Angels'' by
Denys Calvaert Denis (or Denys or Denijs) Calvaert (; around 154016 April 1619) was an Antwerp-born Flemish painter, who lived in Italy for most of his life, where he was known as Dionisio Fiammingo () or simply Il Fiammingo ("the Fleming"). Calvaert was a pro ...
(1582). #Chapel of St. Rosalie, formerly of the Sixteen of the Senate, now the Town Hall: canvas of ''Glory of Santa Barbara'' by Tiarini. # Chapel of St. Bernardino stands before the fifteenth-century organ case by Lorenzo da Prato, the chapel was painted in 1531 by Aspertini with ''Four Stories of St. Petronius''. # Chapel of the Relics, formerly of Zambeccari family. # Chapel of St. Peter Martyr, formerly the Society of Beccari, with marble railing by Francesco di Simone (late fifteenth century); # Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua, formerly of Saraceni and Cospi families: the statue of ''St. Anthony of Padua'' attributed to Jacopo Sansovino. # Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, formerly of the Malvezzi Campeggi, rebuilt in the nineteenth. # Chapel of the Immaculate, formerly of Fantuzzi family: art nouveau decorations by
Achille Casanova Achille Casanova (2 October 1941 – 17 July 2016) was a Swiss journalist and politician. He held the office of Vice-Chancellor of Switzerland between 1981 and 2005, and during this time became the first official spokesman for the Swiss Federal Co ...
. # Chapel of St. Jerome, formerly of the Castelli: the ''St. Jerome'' altar attributed to
Lorenzo Costa Lorenzo Costa (1460 – 5 March 1535) was an Italian painter of the Renaissance. Biography He was born at Ferrara, but moved to Bologna by his early twenties, and was probably influenced by the Bolognese School. However, many artists worked in ...
. # Chapel of St. Lorenzo, formerly of the Garganelli, Ratta and Pallotti families: the Pieta was painted by Aspertini. # Chapel of the Cross, formerly of the Notai: with devotional frescoes depicting ''Saints'' by Francesco Lola, Giovanni Pietro Falloppi and Pietro Lianori (XV). The window was made by Blessed Fra Giacomo di Ulm designed by Michele di Matteo da Bologna. # Chapel of St. Ambrose, formerly of the Marsili, with a fresco in the style of Vivarini (mid-15th century). # Chapel of St. Bridget, formerly of the Pepoli: polyptych by Tomas Garelli (1477). # Chapel of Our Lady of Peace:'' Madonna'' in Istrian stone by Giovanni Ferabech (1394).


Music

Bologna was a principal centre of Baroque music in Italy. The musical organisation had been officially instituted by
Pope Eugenius IV Pope Eugene IV ( la, Eugenius IV; it, Eugenio IV; 1383 – 23 February 1447), born Gabriele Condulmer, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 3 March 1431 to his death in February 1447. Condulmer was a Venetian, and ...
in 1436; the first regularly paid instrumentalists were added in the late sixteenth century, and in the seventeenth century San Petronio was renowned for its sacred instrumental and choral music, with its two great organs, completed in 1476 by Lorenzo da Prato and 1596 by Baldassarre Malamini, both still in remarkably original condition; the library remains a rich archival repository. Three successive ''maestri di cappella'' marked the great age of music at San Petronio:
Maurizio Cazzati Maurizio Cazzati (1 March 1616 – 28 September 1678) was a northern Italian composer of the seventeenth century. Biography Cazzati was born in Luzzara in the Duchy of Mantua. In spite of being almost unknown today, during his lifetime he served ...
(1657–71),
Giovanni Paolo Colonna Giovanni Paolo Colonna (16 June 1637 – 28 November 1695) was an Italian composer, teacher, organist and organ builder. In addition to being chapel-master and organist of San Petronio Basilica in Bologna, he served prominent members of the co ...
(1674–95) and Giacomo Antonio Perti (1696–1756). The current maestro, since 1996, is the harpsichordist Sergio Vartolo who has revitalised the cappella with a series of recordings for Naxos, Tactus, Brilliant Classics and Bongiovanni.


Cassini's Meridian Line

The church hosts also a marking in the form of a meridian line inlaid in the paving of the left aisle in 1655; it was calculated and designed by the astronomer
Giovanni Domenico Cassini Giovanni Domenico Cassini, also known as Jean-Dominique Cassini (8 June 1625 – 14 September 1712) was an Italian (naturalised French) mathematician, astronomer and engineer. Cassini was born in Perinaldo, near Imperia, at that time in the ...
, who was teaching astronomy at the
University A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...
. A meridian line does not indicate the time: instead, with its length of it is one of the largest astronomical instruments in the world, allowing measurements that were for the time uniquely precise. The sun light, entering through a hole placed at a height in the church wall, projects an elliptical image of the sun, which at local noon falls exactly on the meridian line and every day is different as to position and size. The position of the projected image along the line allows to determine accurately the daily altitude of the sun at noon, from which Cassini was able to calculate with unprecedented precision astronomical parameters such as the
obliquity of the ecliptic In astronomy, axial tilt, also known as obliquity, is the angle between an object's rotational axis and its orbital axis, which is the line perpendicular to its orbital plane; equivalently, it is the angle between its equatorial plane and o ...
, the duration of the
tropical year A tropical year or solar year (or tropical period) is the time that the Sun takes to return to the same position in the sky of a celestial body of the Solar System such as the Earth, completing a full cycle of seasons; for example, the time f ...
and the timing of
equinox A solar equinox is a moment in time when the Sun crosses the Earth's equator, which is to say, appears directly above the equator, rather than north or south of the equator. On the day of the equinox, the Sun appears to rise "due east" and se ...
es and
solstice A solstice is an event that occurs when the Sun appears to reach its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. Two solstices occur annually, around June 21 and December 21. In many countr ...
s. On the other hand, the size of the projected sun's image, and in particular its rate of variation during the year, allowed Cassini the first experimental verification of Kepler's laws of planetary motion. Cassini and Domenico Guglielmini published an illustrated account of how the meridian line was accomplished in 1695.


Terror threat

In 2002 five men were arrested on suspicion of planning to blow up the basilica. The men were alleged to have connection to Al Qaeda. Again in 2006, plans by Islamist terrorists to destroy the Basilica were thwarted by
Italian police Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...
. The terrorists claimed that a 15th-century fresco inside was insulting to Islam. The fresco, painted by Giovanni da Modena, depicts
Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the mo ...
in Hell being devoured by demons.News article
/ref>


See also

* Bolognese bell ringing, which was conceived and created in the Basilica's bell tower *
Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri The Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and of the Martyrs ( la, Beatissimae Virginis et omnium Angelorum et Martyrum, it, Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri) is a basilica and titular church in Rome, Italy, built inside the ruined ''frigida ...
, whose meridian line Pope Clement XI commissioned to rival Bologna's * Palazzo dei Banchi *
Palazzo d'Accursio 260px, Palazzo d'Accursio. Palazzo d'Accursio (or Palazzo Comunale) is a palace once formulated to house major administrative offices of the city of Bologna, region of Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It is located on the Piazza Maggiore, and is the city's ...
* Palazzo del Podestà, Bologna * Palazzo dei Notai


Notes


Sources

*


External links


Bologna racconta
(in Italian)

*High-resolution viewers for Giovanni da Modena'
Living Cross
an
Verdant Cross
by
Factum Foundation for Digital Technology in Conservation A brief (Old French from Latin "''brevis''", short) is a written legal document used in various legal adversarial systems that is presented to a court arguing why one party to a particular case should prevail. In England and Wales (and other Com ...
{{Authority control Roman Catholic churches completed in 1479 15th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Petronio 1390 establishments in Europe 14th-century establishments in Italy Unfinished buildings and structures Gothic architecture in Bologna Burial sites of the House of Bonaparte Monuments and historic places of Bologna Cultural depictions of Muhammad