Santa Maria di Castello is a church and religious complex in

Genoa Genoa ( ; it, Genova ; lij, Zêna ). is the capital of the Italian region of Liguria and the List of cities in Italy, sixth-largest city in Italy. In 2015, 594,733 people lived within the city's administrative limits. As of the 2011 Italian ce ...

, Italy. Administrated for a long time by the Dominicans, it is located in the ''Castello'' hill of the city, where in the

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 ...

a bishop's fortified castle existed. The church is flanked by the large Tower of the Embriaci. The church, in Romanesque style, was erected before 900 AD. It houses many artworks commissioned by the main noble families of Genoa, by artists such as

Francesco Maria Schiaffino Francesco Maria Schiaffino (1688 – 3 January 1763) was an Italian sculptor of the Rococo or late- Baroque, mainly active in his native city of Genoa. Born into a family of sculptors, including his older brother Bernardo Schiaffino. In ...

, Lorenzo Fasolo,

Alessandro Gherardini Alessandro Gherardini (16 November 1655 – 1726) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Florence. He was the pupil of the painter Alessandro Rosi. In Florence, he painted a ''Crucifixion'' for the Monastery of the A ...

, Giuseppe Palmieri,

Francesco Boccaccino Francesco Boccaccino (c. 1680–1750) was an Italian painter of the Baroque. He was born at Cremona. He studied at Rome, first under Giacinto Brandi, and afterwards worked in the studio of Carlo Maratta. The Cremonese Antonio Beltrami Antonio Belt ...

, Pier Francesco Sacchi,

Bernardo Castello Bernardo Castello (or Castelli) (1557–1629) was an Italian painter of the late-Mannerist style, active mainly in Genoa and Liguria. He is mainly known as a portrait and historical painter.He needs to be distinguished from Giovanni Battista Ca ...

Aurelio Lomi Aurelio Lomi (29 February 1556 – 1622) was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance and early- Baroque periods, active mainly in his native town of Pisa, Tuscany. __NOTOC__ Biography He may have initially been trained by his father, Giovann ...

and Tommaso Orsolino. Notable are the

fresco Fresco (plural ''frescos'' or ''frescoes'') is a technique of mural painting executed upon freshly laid ("wet") lime plaster. Water is used as the vehicle for the dry-powder pigment to merge with the plaster, and with the setting of the plaste ...

es with ''Stories of David'' and the painted majolicas from the 16th century Genoese school. The high altar is decorated by a marble group of the "Assumption" by

Domenico Parodi Domenico Parodi (1672 – 19 December 1742, in Genoa) was an Italian painter, as well as a sculptor and architect, of the late-Baroque. He was the son of the famous Genoese sculptor Filippo Parodi and the older brother of the Baroque painter Gi ...

(late 17th century), while the chapel to the left of the presbytery has a ''Santa Rosa da Lima'' by

Domenico Piola Domenico Piola (1627 – 8 April 1703) was a Genoese painter of the Baroque period. He was the leading artist in Genoa in the second half of the 17th century, working on ceiling frescoes for many Genoese churches and palaces and canvas paintin ...

and a marble cover by

Taddeo Carlone Taddeo Carlone (died 25 March 1613) was a Swiss-Italian sculptor and architect. His father, Giovanni, was a sculptor from Como. A native of Rovio, in Ticino, he moved with his father to Genoa. Taddeo's brother Giuseppe was a sculptor with his ...

. The fourth chapel in the left aisle has a ''Madonna del Rosario'' by the workshop of

Anton Maria Maragliano Anton Maria Maragliano (18 September 1664 – 7 March 1739) was an Italian sculptor of the Baroque period, known primarily for his wooden statues. He was born in Genoa, where he led an important workshop. He is called also Maraggiano by some ...

, while the first chapel has a painting attributed to

Giovanni Battista Paggi Giovanni Battista Paggi (27 February 1554 – 12 March 1627) was an Italian painter, sculptor, and writer. His style spans the Late-Renaissance and early- Baroque. Life He was born in Genoa into the well-to-do family of his father Pellegrino. ...

(early 17th century). The baptistery has a polyptych from Lombard masters of the 15th century. The main portal is in Tuscan style (mid-15th century), and is surmounted by a Gothic lunette of the 14th century with a "Crucifixion". The

loggia In architecture, a loggia ( , usually , ) is a covered exterior gallery or corridor, usually on an upper level, but sometimes on the ground level of a building. The outer wall is open to the elements, usually supported by a series of columns ...

facing the second

cloister A cloister (from Latin ''claustrum'', "enclosure") is a covered walk, open gallery, or open arcade running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth. The attachment of a cloister to a cathedral or church, commonly against a ...

has frescoes of ''Saints'', a ''Madonna'' and, on the first floor, an ''Annunciation'' by Giusto d'Alemagna (1451). In the upper floor has a statue of "St. Catherina of Alexandria" and a marble tabernacle attributed to

Domenico Gagini Domenico Gagini ( Bissone, c. 1425–30 - Palermo, 29–30 September 1492) was a Swiss-Italian sculptor who was active in Northern as well as Southern Italy.Hanno-Walter Kruft. "Gagini." Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online. Oxford University P ...

(15th century).

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Maria Di Castello Maria Castello Dominican monasteries in Italy Romanesque architecture in Genoa

See also

External links