Major church in Bologna, Italy
The
Basilica of San Domenico
is one of the major churches in
Bologna
, Italy. The remains of
Saint Dominic
, founder of the Order of Preachers (
Dominicans
), are buried inside the exquisite shrine
Arca di San Domenico
, made by
Nicola Pisano
and his workshop,
Arnolfo di Cambio
and with later additions by
Niccolo dell'Arca
and the young
Michelangelo
.
History
[
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]
Dominic Guzman, on arriving in Bologna in January 1218, was impressed by the vitality of the city and quickly recognized the importance of this university town to his evangelizing mission. A convent was established at the Mascarella church by the Blessed Reginald of Orleans. As this convent soon became too small for their increasing number, the preaching Brothers moved in 1219 to the small church of San Nicolo of the Vineyards at the outskirts of Bologna. St. Dominic settled in this church and held here the first two General Chapters of the order (1220 and 1221). Saint Dominic died in this church on 6 August 1221. He was buried behind the altar of San Nicolo.
Between 1219 and 1243 the Dominicans bought all surrounding plots of land around the church. After the death of Saint Dominic, the church of San Nicolo was expanded and a new monastic complex was built between 1228 and 1240. The apsidal area of the church was demolished and the nave was extended and grew into the Basilica of Saint-Dominic, This church became the prototype of many other Dominican churches throughout the world.
The big basilica was divided in two parts:
- the front part, called “internal church”, was the church of the brothers. It was built in a protogothic style with a nave, two aisles and ogival vaults.
- the church for the faithful, called “external church”, with the simple columns and the trussed flat roof of the old church.
Both churches were divided by a ramp. The church was consecrated by Pope Innocent IV on 17 October 1251. On this occasion the crucifix by
Giunta Pisano
was shown for the first time to the faithful.
The church was enlarged and the two sections were modified in many ways in the course of the next centuries. New side chapels were built, the majority in the 15th century. A Roman-Gothic
bell tower
was added in 1313 (recently restored). The dividing wall between the two churches was finally demolished in the beginning of the 17th century. The choir was at the same time moved behind the altar. Between 1728 and 1732 the interior of the church was completely renewed by the architect
Carlo Francesco Dotti
, sponsored by the Dominican pope
Benedict XIII
, into its present-day Baroque style.
Early on the church began receiving many works of art from the faithful. This has grown into the present-day vast collection of exceptional art treasures created by some the greatest Italian artists, including
Nicola Pisano
,
Arnolfo di Cambio
,
Niccolo dell'Arca
,
Michelangelo
,
Iacopo da Bologna
,
Guido Reni
,
Guercino
and
Filippino Lippi
.
Arca
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The remains of the saint were moved in 1233 from its place behind the altar to a simple marble
sarcophagus
, situated on the floor in the right aisle of the church for the faithful. Since most of the pilgrims, who came in great numbers to see the grave, were not able to see this shrine, hidden by so many people standing in front of it, the need was felt for a new shrine. The shrine was designed by
Nicola Pisano
in 1264.
[1]
In 1267 the remains of Saint Dominic were then moved from the simple sarcophagus into the new shrine, decorated with the main episodes from the life of the Saint. While the Dominicans picked the artist, the project was funded as a civic monument with a special tax.
[2]
In the 15th century
Niccolo dell'Arca
added a canopy
[3]
Work would continue on this shrine for almost five centuries.
Square and facade
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The square in front of the church is paved with pebbles, as it was in medieval times. The square was used by the faithful to listen to the sermon from the preacher from the pulpit on the left corner of the church. It was also the original cemetery.
[4]
The column in the middle of the square is a brickwork column with the bronze statue of St Dominic (1627) and on the back of the square a column in marble, bricks and copper of the
Madonna of the Rosary
, after a design by
Guido Reni
(1632), commemorating the end of the
plague
in the city.
Behind the first column stands the tomb of Rolandino de’ Passeggeri by Giovanni (1305) and on the left, adjoining a house, the tomb of Egidio Foscarari (1289), enriched with an ancient
Byzantine
marble arch with relief works from the 9th century.
The
Romanesque
facade dates from 1240 and was restored in 1910 by the architect Raffaele Faccioli. In the center is a large, embroidered
rose window
. The
lunette
above the portal contains a copy (1921) of
St Dominic blessing Bologna
by
Lucia Casalini-Torelli
(1677?1762).
On the left side of the facade is the Lodovico Ghisilardi chapel in
Renaissance style
. It was built as an example of
Vitruvian
classicism by the architect
Baldassarre Peruzzi
around 1530.
Interior
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Nave
[
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The church consists of a central
nave
, two lateral aisles, several side chapels, a
transept
, a
choir
and an
apse
. The interior was completely renewed in
Baroque
style with refined elegance and well-balanced proportions by the architect
Carlo Francesco Dotti
(1678?1759).
In the lunettes above the
Ionic
columns along the nave we can see 10 paintings, depicting episodes (true and untrue) in the history of the church. The first two are by
Giuseppe Pedretti
(1696?1778), the others by
Vittorio Bigari
(1692?1776).
Chapels on the right side
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- St. Rose of Lima
: the painting above the altar, portraying the
Ecstasy of the Saint
, is by
Cesare Gennari
. The altar-piece
Virgin appearing to St. Hyacinth
by
Ludovico Carracci
(now in the Louvre), used to stand here.
- St. Vincent Ferrer
: the painting above the altar (
St. Vincent brings a young boy back to life
) is by
Donato Creti
(1731). On both sides of the chapel are two painting, representing the
Miracles of the Saint
, by
Giuseppe Pedretti
. The elegant stucco angels are by
Angelo Pio
(1690?1769), one of the best artists of his time.
- St Antoninus of Florence
: The painting above the altar (
The Lord and the Blessed Virgin Appearing to St. Antoninus and St. Francis
) is by
Pietro Facini
(1562?1602), while the paintings on the side walls (
Blessed Matteo Carreri
and
Blessed Stefania
) are by
Pietro Dardani
(1728?1808).
- St. Andrew the Apostle : paintings of the
Coming Martyrdom of the Apostle
,
Blessed Imelda
and
Blessed Giovanna
are by
Antonio Rossi
(1700?1753)
- Madonna of Fevers: above the altar is the painting
Sant’Emidio
by
Filippo Gargalli
(1750?1835). The painting
Slaughter of the Innocents
by
Guido Reni
, now in Bologna’s
Pinacoteca Nazionale
, was once hung in this chapel.
- St Dominic’s chapel: this is the main chapel of the church. It has a square plan and a semi-circular apse, where the remains of the saint rest in the splendid
Arca di San Domenico
under the cupola which contains three
Michelangelo
sculptures,
Angel
,
St. Proclus
, and
St. Petronius
. The chapel was built by the Bolognese architect
Floriano Ambrosini
, replacing the old gothic chapel from 1413, to match the splendour of the other existing chapels. It was decorated between 1614 and 1616 by important painters of the
Bolognese School
,
Tiarini
(1577?1688),
Mario Righetti
,
Lionello Spada
,
Mastelletta
, culminating in the fresco on the cupola of the apse
St Dominic’s Glory
, a masterpiece by
Reni
, painted between 1613 and 1615. The
Theological
and
The Cardinal Virtues
in the niches of the apse were painted by
Giovanni Todeschi
between 1617 and 1631. The bust in white marble by
Carlo Pini
(1946) represents
the real face of Saint Dominic
, modeled on the precise measurements performed on the saint’s skull.
- Chapel of St Pius V : the altar-piece is by
Felice Torelli
.
- Chapel of St Hyacinth of Poland : with the painting
A Miracle of the Saint
by
Antonio Muzzi
.
- Chapel of St Catherine of Siena: with
St Catherine’s Mystic Communion
by
Francesco Brizzi
(1546?1625) above the altar.
- Chapel of St Catherine Virgin and Martyr: the painting above the altar,
Mystical Marriage of St Catherine
, is an important panel and one of the last works by
Filippino Lippi
(1501?1503).
Chapels on the left side
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- Chapel of St. Louis Bertrand : contains two canvases: (on the right)
Blessed Pietro Geremia
by
Alessandro Tiarini
and (on the left)
St. Albert the Great
by
Clemente Bevilacqua
(died 1754)
- Chapel of the Holy Blood has some important paintings : (on the right)
Annunciation
by
Denis Calvaert
(1540?1619), (above the central altar)
St. Michael Archangel
by
Giacomo Francia
(1484?1557), (on the left)
St Martin de Porres
by
Renzo Magnanini
, (in the big lunette)
The Disputation of St Catherine Virgin and Martyr
by
Prospero Fontana
- Chapel of Blessed Benedict XI with the painting
The Blessed is taken to Heaven
by
Felice Torelli
(1667?1748)
- Rosary Chapel is the most prominent chapel on this side of the church. The vivacious fresco on the vault (the
Assumption
) and in the apse (
Heaven and Earth praising the Madonna of the Rosary
) were painted between 1655 and 1657 by
Angelo Michele Colonna
(1600?1687) and by
Agostino Mitelli
(1609?1660). The two choir stalls were designed by the architect
Carlo Francesco Dotti
in 1736 after the redesigning of the interior of the church. The altar was designed by the Bolognese architect
Floriano Ambrosini
(1557?1621). But the most important paintings in this large chapel are the famous
Mysteries of the Rosary
, finished in 1601. The most prominent artist of their time worked on the decoration :
Lodovico Carracci
(
the Annunciation and the Visitation
),
Bartolomeo Cesi
(the
Nativity
),
Denis Calvaert
(
Presentation of Jesus in the Temple
), the female artist
Lavinia Fontana
(
Jesus among the Doctors
and the
Coronation of the Virgin
),
Bartolomeo Cesi
(
Christ in the garden
),
Ludovico Carracci
(the
Scourging
and
Christ falling under the Cross
),
Bartolomeo Cesi
(the
Crowning with Thorns
, the
Crucifixion
and
Pentecost
),
Guido Reni
(the
Resurrection
),
Domenichino
(the
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin
).
Young
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
played on the organ in this chapel, while he was studying with padre
Giovanni Battista Martini
in 1769.
- Vestibule of the side door contains the marble tomb of
Alessandro Tartagni
(1477) by
Francesco di Simone Ferrucci
da Fiesole (1437?1493).
- Chapel of St Joseph : the canvas above the altar is
Death of St. Joseph
and
St Anthony abbot
by
Giovanni Battista Bertusio
(died 1644), and the paintings on the left (
San Teresa di Gesu
) and on the right (
St Anthony of Padua
) are by
Giovanni Breviglieri
.
- Chapel of St. Peter the Martyr : the painting above the altar
Kneeling Saint
is by
Giuseppe Pedretti
, while the paintings on the left (
Sant’Agnese da Montepulciano
) and on the right (
St Catherine de Ricci
) are by
Pietro Dardani
(1728?1808)
- Chapel of St Raymond of Penafort contains the famous canvas the
Saint plowing the Waves on his Mantle
by
Ludovico Carracci
- Chapel of Blessed Ceslaus with the painting the
Blessed
by
Lucia Casalini-Torrelli
Right transept
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There is a small chapel on the right side of the altar with a painting by the Baroque artist
Bartolomeo Cesi
and a canvas by
Guercino
St. Thomas Aquinas writing the Holy Sacrament
(1662)
Left transept
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- Chapel of the Holy Cross: On the wall is a marble slab, carved in 1731 by
Giuseppe Maria Mazza
, commemorating the death in 1272 of King
Enzio of Sardinia
, son of
the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II
. He had been captured by the Bolognese
Guelph
forces in the
Battle of Fossalta
in 1249. The painting above the altar is
Christ being laid down
by
Pier Francesco Cavazza
(1667?1733), while on the right is the
Assumption of the Madonna
by
Vincenzo Spisanelli
(1595?1662).
- Chapel of St Michael the Archangel : Here on view is the imposing
Crucifixion
, the masterpiece by
Giunta Pisano
(mid-13th century). It is still much influenced by the Byzantine style and represents one of the best examples of 13th-century Italian painting. This crucifix has much influenced
Cimabue
, who would then slowly evolve into his own style. On the right side we find the marble monument, spanning the two chapels, dedicated to the Bolognese ruler
Taddeo Pepoli
(died 1347) (who added in 1340 a barrel span to the northern transept of this church). This monument was begun in the 14th century and only finished in the 16th century. The fresco on the left wall
St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Benedict
dates from the 14th century.
- Chapel of the Sacred heart: The papier-mache bust of Ven. Serafino Capponi, a theologian (died 1615) is on the left side of the altar. Beneath the altar is the urn with the relics of James Griesinger, the Blessed James from Ulm (died 1491), who added most of the stained-glass windows to this church (now destroyed). He is also depicted on canvas in this chapel by
Giacinto Bellini
(1612?1660). The fresco
Madonna with Child among the Saints
is by an unknown
Emilian
artist at the end of the 13th century. Facing King Enzo’s monument is a fragment of a 14th-century fresco
Face of St Thomas Aquinas
The choir
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This monumental choir was moved behind the high altar in the 17th century. The original altar was a masterpiece decorated with basreliefs and nine sculptures by
Giovanni di Balduccio
(1330), a pupil of
Giovanni Pisano
. Now only the statue of
St Peter the Martyr
still exists and is on display in the City Museum. The present high altar was made by
Alfonso Torreggiani
(died 1764). In the middle of the golden altar-piece at the back of the apse, is the
Adoration of the Magi
by
Bartolomeo Cesi
, flanked by paintings (on its left side) of
Saint Nicholas
of Bari and (on its right side) of
Saint Dominic
. Below is the
Miracle of the Bread
by
Vincenzo Spisanelli
.
The 102 wooden choir stalls are an exquisite example of
Renaissance
carving by the Dominican friar
Damiano da Bergamo
. (1528?1530). Between 1541 and 1549 they were inlaid with
intaglia
by the same artist, using a series of drawings from a book by
Giacomo Barozzi da Vignola
, and carved by his brother Stefano da Bergamo. The work was finished by brother Bernardino da Bologna. These decorations display scenes from the Old Testament (on the right side) and from the New Testament (on the left side). Because of its extraordinary artistic value, this remarkable
marquetry
work was considered by its contemporaries as the eight wonder of the world. It is also noted in the
Vite
(IV,94) by
Giorgio Vasari
The museum
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The church's small museum houses many important works of art and a wide collection of precious
reliquaries
,
chalices
and
monstrances
.
A small selection :
- The reliquary of
Saint Louis IX
, king of France, is of special interest as a most elaborate example in Gothic style of an unknown French goldsmith at the end of the 13th century. It was a gift to this church by king
Philip IV of France
, following the canonization of Louis IX in 1297.
- The remains of a
terracotta
Pieta
(1495) by the architect, painter and sculptor
Baccio da Montelupo
(mentioned by Vasari in his
Vite
)
- A polychromed terracotta
Bust of Saint Dominic
by
Niccolo dell'Arca
(1474)
- The remains of a fresco of
Madonna with Child and Saint Dominic
by an unknown Bolognese artist (possibly
Cristoforo da Bologna
) (second half of the 14th century), this fresco is known among engineers and scientists for the detailed pattern of the water flow wake near the St Cristopher's heels that likely has inspired Theodore Von Karman in his
studies
- Madonna of the Velvet
, tempera on wood by
Lippo Dalmasio
(c. 1390)
- The
Paschal Lamb
, an oil painting on wood sometimes ascribed to
Giorgio Vasari
- Madonna with Child, Saint Dominic and Vincenzo Ferreri
(c. 1773), one of the best works of by
Ubaldo Gandolfi
(1728?1781)
- Several valuable intarsias by fra Damiano da Bergamo, such as
The Story of San Girolomo
, and geometrical figures.
The square-shaped convent next door is also worth visiting for its cloisters (14th, 15th and 16th centuries) with various tombstones and memorial tablets in its walls. The convent was confiscated by the state in 1866 and served as a military hospital during WWII. The gradual recovery of the premises made it possible to transfer young religious who were preparing for religious life to the convent of S. Domenico, which in 1962 was aggregated to the Theological Faculty of the
Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas
.
[5]
The chapter room displays a precious fresco of
Saint Dominic
from the 14th century. It is the oldest known image of the saint. On the ground floor of the old dormitory is St Dominic’s cell, so called because it is an original cell from his time and possibly the cell (or a similarly one) where he died. Some original letters of introduction and his canonization bull of 9 July 1234 are here on display. At the front of the library is a fresco
Madonna with benedictory Child
(by an unknown artist).
The three-aisled Renaissance library, the Biblioteca of San Domenico, planned like a basilica and built by
Gaspare Nadi
, dates back to 1469 and contains many precious books.
[6]
Part of the library complex is now the seat of the faculty of philosophy and theology, run by the Dominicans. Another part is used as a conference room with a wooden-paneled
coffer ceiling
. At its end hangs the Baroque painting
Ecstasy of St. Thomas Aquinas
by
Marcantonio Franceschini
.
Other burials
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References and sources
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]
- References
- ^
Moskowitz, Anita F.,
Nicola Pisano's Arca di San Domenico and Its Legacy
, 1993, Pennsylvania State University Press,
ISBN
9780271009469
- ^
Klebanoff, Randi. "Sacred Magnificence: Civic Intervention and the Arca of San Domenico in Bologna",
Renaissance Studies
, vol. 13, no. 4, 1999, pp. 412?29. JSTOR
- ^
"Basilica di San Domenico", Frommer's
- ^
"Piazza San Domenico, Bologna", CurateND
- ^
Piagno, Angelo. "La storia del convento nel Novecento", Convento Patriarcale San Domenico
- ^
Konstantinos Staikos (2012),
History of the Library in Western Civilization: From Petrarch to Michelangelo
, New Castle, DE: Oak Knoll Press,
ISBN
9781584561828
- Sources
- Alce, Venturino.
The Basilica of Saint-Dominic in Bologna
. Studio Domenicano.
ISBN
88-7094-298-8
.
- Museo della Basilica di S. Domenico
. Bologna: Tipoarte. 1997.
- Giubelli, Giorgio.
Illustrated Tourist Guide of Bologna
.
- Bologna, Monumental Art Guide
. Bologna: Italcards.
ISBN
88-7193-622-1
.
44°29′22″N
11°20′40″E
/
44.4895°N 11.3445°E
/
44.4895; 11.3445
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