The Church of the Santissima Annunciata or Annunziata is a 14th-century Roman Catholic religious structure located on Via Zaburri in the town of

Riccia ''Riccia'' is a genus of liverworts in the order Marchantiales. Description These plants are small and thalloid, i.e. not differentiated into root, stem and leaf. Depending on species, the thallus may be strap-shaped and about 0.5 to 4 m ...

Province of Campobasso The province of Campobasso (; ) is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Molise region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Campobasso. It covers an area of and has a total population of 223,871 (2017). There are 84 ''comuni'' (: ''comune'') in ...

in the region of

Molise Molise ( , ; ; , ) is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. Until 1963, it formed part of the region of Abruzzi e Molise together with Abruzzo. The split, which did not become effective until 1970, makes Molise the newest region in Ital ...

, Italy.

History

The church was built in 1378 with a Gothic style portal with ogival arch. The columns retain capitals with animal and floral decorations as is typical of

Romanesque architecture Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of medieval Europe that was predominant in the 11th and 12th centuries. The style eventually developed into the Gothic style with the shape of the arches providing a simple distinction: the Ro ...

. The portal has a symbol of the Paschal lamb. Documents cite foundation of the Church by a confraternity which appears to have assembled from foreigners, mainly from Slavic regions from across the Adriatic, who had moved into the region. On the left of the church rises a belltower with a clock. The tower was rebuilt in 1890 to replace the previous one dating from 1787, which had been damaged by an earthquake in 1805. The interior has a number of paintings, including a main altarpiece depicting an ''Annunciation'' by an unknown artist; a ''Deposition'' by

Adamo Rossi Adamo Rossi (March 5, 1821 in Petrignano – February 22, 1891 in Perugia) was an Italian clergyman, revolutionary patriot, scholar and librarian. Career After studying at the archdiocesan seminary of Perugia, Rossi took part in the First Italian ...

. The baptismal font in the sacristy dates from 1507. The main altar was reconsecrated in July 1715 by Cardinal Orsini. On the walls of the choir are four oval medallions depicting the Sacramento. St. Augustine, both Assunte; They are embroidered in silk and somewhat spoiled. The church once had an organ, adorned with artistic details in wood and gold tooling, built in 1578 by the architect Master Saverio Fiore, but when a roof fall took place in 1843, the organ was irreplaceably destroyed.Berengario G. Amorosa, page 172.

History

References

See also