The Collegiata di San Michele Arcangelo, translated as ''

Collegiate Church In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons, a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, headed by a dignitary bearing ...

of St Michael Archangel'', is a richly decorated,

Baroque The Baroque ( , , ) is a Western Style (visual arts), style of Baroque architecture, architecture, Baroque music, music, Baroque dance, dance, Baroque painting, painting, Baroque sculpture, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished from ...

style,

Roman Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...

church in

Solofra Solofra (Irpino, Solofrano: , ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Avellino, in the Campania region of Southern Italy. Geography The town is bordered by Aiello del Sabato, Calvanico (Province of Salerno, SA), Contrada (AV), Contrada, M ...

Province of Avellino The province of Avellino () is a province in the Campania Campania is an administrative Regions of Italy, region of Italy located in Southern Italy; most of it is in the south-western portion of the Italian Peninsula (with the Tyrrhenian Sea ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

History

The collegiata was instituted by the University of Solofra in 1522. The church building was completed in 1614, and proclaimed basilica in 1685. Over the centuries, it has required a number of reconstructions due to earthquakes. The bell-tower was built in 1564. The idiosyncratic facade, with three portals, has sculptures representing St Michael, the evangelists, and Fathers of the church; it faces the central square in town and the Palazzo Orsini. The interior is remarkable for a wooden roof with twenty one framed canvases painted by Giovanni Tommaso Guarino, and depicting events from the old testament, while the transept has a ceiling with scenes from the new testament painted by Giovanni Tommaso's brother,

Francesco Francesco, the Italian language, Italian (and original) version of the personal name "Francis (given name), Francis", is one of the List of most popular given names, most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name inclu ...

. Other works in the church include an ''Epiphany'' by Andrea Sabbatini and an ''Assumption of the Virgin, witnessed by the Saints'' by Giovanni de Mari. The main altarpiece is a ''Coronation of the Virgin'' (1594 by Giovanni Battista Lama. Below the main altarpiece is a gilded statue of St Michael Archangel. The church has an elaborated decorated and gilded front to the organ, and carved pulpit by the studio of Giovanni Antonio Scavo.In Campania website.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Michele Arcangelo Solofra Churches in the province of Avellino Buildings and structures in the Province of Avellino 17th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in Italy Roman Catholic churches completed in 1614 Baroque church buildings in Campania 1614 establishments in Italy