The Tempio della Beata Vergine della Ghiara (Temple of the Blessed Virgin of Ghiara), also known as Basilica della Madonna della Ghiara, is a church in

Reggio Emilia Reggio nell'Emilia ( egl, Rèz; la, Regium Lepidi), usually referred to as Reggio Emilia, or simply Reggio by its inhabitants, and known until 1861 as Reggio di Lombardia, is a city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has abou ...

, northern Italy. The building is the property of the '' comune'' (municipality) of the city.

History

The church was built in response to an alleged miracle, occurring in 1596, associated with a local votive image of the

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

which had been painted by

Lelio Orsi Lelio Orsi (1508/1511 – 1587), also known as Lelio da Novellara, was a Mannerist painter and architect of the Reggio Emilia school in northern Italy. He was born and died in Novellara, and much of his work was completed in Reggio. He appears ...

. The image soon became a place of pilgrimage, and the offerings of the faithful led to the construction of a new temple into which the votive fresco was moved. The cornerstone was laid on June 6, 1597 by the bishop Claudio Rangone, in the presence of Duke

Alfonso II d'Este Alfonso II d'Este (24 November 1533 – 27 October 1597) was Duke of Ferrara from 1559 to 1597. He was a member of the House of Este. Biography He was the elder son of Ercole II d'Este and Renée de France, the daughter of Louis XII of France an ...

and Duchess Margherita Gonzaga. Part of the former convent and church were demolished in order to make way for the new structure. The plan was by the local architect and sculptor Francesco Pacchioni, who also designed the dome and the interior

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

es. The church was consecrated on May 12, 1619. Ghiara cupola affreschi reggio emilia

Overview

The plan of the church is on the Greek cross, with, at the centre, a dome surmounted by a lantern. Four smaller domes, not visible from outside, are at the inner angle of the cross. The façade has

Doric Doric may refer to: * Doric, of or relating to the Dorians of ancient Greece ** Doric Greek, the dialects of the Dorians * Doric order, a style of ancient Greek architecture * Doric mode, a synonym of Dorian mode * Doric dialect (Scotland) * Doric ...

columns on the lower part and Ionic columns on the upper one. It is built of

laterite Laterite is both a soil and a rock type rich in iron and aluminium and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by ...

, with white

Veronese Veronese is the Italian word denoting someone or something from Verona, Italy and may refer to: * Veronese Riddle, a popular riddle in the Middle Ages * ''Veronese'' (moth), a moth genus in the family Crambidae * Monte Veronese, an Italian chees ...

marble insets. The central portal has a marble bas-relief portraying the ''Vergine della Ghiara'', (1642). The side portals were executed in 1631. The interior is in Late Renaissance style, with rich decorations in gold, marbles, as well as large frescoes of the Carracci school covering the domes and the vaults. These depicts stories of women of the Old Testament. The ceiling painted 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 fa ...

is considered his masterwork. The dome frescoes are by

Lionello Spada Leonello Spada (also called ''Lionello Spada'') (1576 – 17 May 1622) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active in Rome and his native city of Bologna, where he became known as one of the followers of Caravaggio. Biography He fi ...

(1616). The church has a nearly central plan. The arm of the church constituting the entry has ceiling frescoes (1645-1646) depicting ''Gentleness'' (Mansuetudine), ''Faith'', ''Adam and Eve evicted from Paradise'', ''Abraham served by Angels, Rebecca and Eleazar'' by

Luca Ferrari Luca Ferrari (February 17, 1605 – February 8, 1654) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period. Biography Also called ''Luca da Reggio''. He was reputedly initially a trainee of Alessandro Tiarini. Moschini identifies him as a pupil of Guido ...

. The walls have canvases depicting the ''Miracle of Domenico Crotti'' by Pier Martire Armani and the ''Miracle of Domenico Carattieri'' by

Pietro Desani Pietro Desani (November 18, 1595 – 1647) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label=Emilian language, Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia ...

. The first chapel on the right has cupola frescoes (1629-1630) depicting the eight virtues, and saints showing devotion to God. In the spandrels, are depictions of ''Isaiah'', ''Daniel'', ''Ezechiel'', and ''Jeremiah'', by

Camilo Gavasseti Camilo is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: Given name * Camilo Albornoz (born 2000), Argentine footballer * Camilo Cascolan (born 1964), Filipino law enforcement officer * Camilo Castelo Branco, Portuguese wr ...

. The altar has a ''Madonna and child with St Francis'' by

. The nave to the right of the center has a ceilings (1615-1616) frescoed with ''Abigail feeds David'', ''Judith and Holofernes'', ''Ester and Assuerus'' by

. The walls have canvases (1615) depicting ''Two Miracles attributed to the Maddona della Ghiara'', painted by

Michele Mattei Michele (), is an Italian male given name, akin to the English male name Michael. Michele (pronounced ), is also an English female given name that is derived from the French Michèle. It is a variant spelling of the more common (and identically ...

. The Altarpiece here depicts a Madonna by Giovanni Battista Magnani. In the second chapel of the right is a canvas of ''Madonna of Loreto and Saints Jerome and John the Baptist'' attributed Sebastiano Vercellesi. The second altar an ''Annuciation'' by Tiarini and the ceiling was frescoed (1642) with the Evangelists and the eight Religious Orders by

. The distal nave before the presbytery, the ceilings are frescoed with ''Deborah and Barak'', ''Samuel offered by mother to priest'', ''Abishag serves David'', and ''David and Harp'' (1619); as well as ''St Michael defeats devil'' and ''Solomon in throne'' (1625–29), all works by Tiarini. In the presbytery walls are paintings depicting a ''Resurrection of Laura di Correggio'' by

and a ''Miracle of Paolo Melli'' (1633) by

Sebastiano Vercellessi Sebastiano is both a masculine Italian given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: * Sebastiano Antonio Tanara (1650–1724), Italian cardinal * Sebastiano Baggio (1913–1993), Italian clergyman * Sebastiano Bianchi (16th cent ...

. In the apse is a ''Coronation of the Virgin'' (1625-1629) by Tiarini. The central cupola has frescoes depicting Alms, Faith, Hope, and Charity and the four patron saints of the city and four Servite Saints and eight persons of the Old Testament and the ''Apotheosis of the Madonna''; all by

. The

quadratura Illusionistic ceiling painting, which includes the techniques of perspective ''di sotto in sù'' and ''quadratura'', is the tradition in Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo art in which ''trompe-l'œil'', perspective tools such as foreshortening, an ...

was completed by

Tommaso Sandrini Tomasso Sandrino (1575–1631) (also Sandrini) was an Italian painter of quadratura in Northern Italy, active in his native Brescia. Among the church ceilings he helped fresco with quadrature are Sant Faustino, San Domenico, Chiesa del Carmine, ...

. In the left nave the ceiling frescoes depict (1647-1648) ''Rachel at the Well'', ''Gisele and Sisara'' and the ''Drowning of the Pharoah's army'', Purity and Virginity, all by

. On the city altar, erected by the Commune and designed by Giovanni Battista Magnani is a canvas (1624-1625) depicting ''Christ on cross consoled by Angels'' by Guercino. On the walls are canvases (1648) depicting the ''Miracle of Agramante Milani'' by Giulio Cesare Mattei (Son of Matteo) and the ''Miracle of Nicolo Lagoner'' by

Francesco Burani Francesco Burani was an Italian designer and engraver of the Baroque period. He was born at Reggio Emilia. He made an etching of ''Bacchus sitting with three Satyrs'' executed in the style of Jusepe Ribera Jusepe de Ribera (1591 – 1652) ...

. In the second chapel on left are altarpieces depicting '' San Filippo Benizzi'' (1673) by

Orazio Talami Orazio Talami (1624–September 15, 1705) was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Bologna and Reggio Emilia. Biography Talami was born and died in Reggio Emilia. He was a pupil of the painter Pietro Desani. He may ha ...

and ''San Giorgio lead to Martyrdom with St Catherine'' by Ludovico Carracci. In the cupola are frescoed (1622) the Doctors of the Church and with Beatitudes and ''Spiritual Power'' by

Carlo Bononi Carlo Bononi (1569? - 1632) was an Italian painter. From an 1876 book: '' Giulio Cromer, Carlo Bononi a pupil of Bastaruolo, and Alfonso Rivarola or Chenda, were the last artists of any eminence in Ferrara.'' Page 175 Biography Born and act ...

. In the first chapel on the left are depicted (1619) the ''Four Sibyls'', ''Four Virtues'', and ''Angels carrying the Symbols of the Passion'', by Tiarini. Emilia Romagna
by the Touring Club Italiano, page 436-437.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Basilica Della Ghiara Roman Catholic churches in Reggio Emilia Renaissance architecture in Emilia-Romagna 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Roman Catholic churches completed in 1619 1619 establishments in Italy