Basilica of San Saturnino
Encyclopedia
The Basilica of San Saturnino is a Palaeo-Christian church in Cagliari
, southern Sardinia
, Italy.
, who, according to the Passio sancti Saturni (a medieval document telling the saint's story), had been martyred in 304.
In 1089 the giudice of Cagliari
, Constantine II of Cagliari
, donated the complex, including also a monastery, was given by to the Benedictine
s of the Abbey of St. Victor of Marseille
. In the occasion the church was restored in Provençal-Romanesque style
. The renewed basilica was consecrated in 1119.
In 1324, during the siege of the quarter of Castello (held by the Pisans) by the Aragonese
, the monastery was damaged. In 1363 King Peter IV of Aragon
gave the site to the Knights of Sant Jordi d'Alfama. In the following centuries the complex decayed. In 1614 the area was excavated in search of the relics of Cagliari's early martyrs, later brought in the city's Cathedral
. In 1669 some material from San Saturnino were re-used for the Baroque renovation of the latter church.
In 1714 the church was re-dedicated to Sts. Cosmas and Damian. In 1943 the church was damaged by Allied bombings. After World War II
it was restored. In 1978-1996 the church remained closed for restorations. It was reconsecrated in 2004.
and a semi-spherical dome; all the four arms had a nave and two aisles. The current church consists of the dome-covered area (dating to the 5th-6th centuries) and the eastern arm, with a nave and two aisles, which ends with a semicircular apse
.
The western façade, partly ruined, is divided into three sectors. The side ones have portals with architrave
s, surmounted by round lunette
s. The current church's entrance is in the area of the former western arm, and features modern additions from the 20th century restoration.
The eastern arm is externally decorated with Lombard band
s, while the apse has lost the original cover with limestone
from Bonaria. The arm has a nave and two aisles, the former with barrel vault
, the latter with cross vaults.
Cagliari
Cagliari is the capital of the island of Sardinia, a region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name Casteddu literally means castle. It has about 156,000 inhabitants, or about 480,000 including the outlying townships : Elmas, Assemini, Capoterra, Selargius, Sestu, Monserrato, Quartucciu, Quartu...
, southern Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, Italy.
History
The church is mentioned for the first time in the early 6th century. This church had been likely erected near the burial place of St. Saturninus of CagliariSaturninus of Cagliari
Saint Saturninus of Cagliari is venerated as the patron saint of Cagliari. According to Christian tradition, Saturninus was a local martyr –that is, he was killed at Cagliari by order of governor Barbarus...
, who, according to the Passio sancti Saturni (a medieval document telling the saint's story), had been martyred in 304.
In 1089 the giudice of Cagliari
Giudicato of Cagliari
The Giudicato of Cagliari was one of the four Sardinian giudicati of the Middle Ages. It covered the entire south and central east portion of the island and was composed of thirteen subdivisions called curatoriae. To its north and west lay Arborea and north and on the east lay Gallura and Logudoro...
, Constantine II of Cagliari
Constantine II of Cagliari
Constantine II was the giudice of Cagliari . He was called de Pluminus after his capital city....
, donated the complex, including also a monastery, was given by to the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
s of the Abbey of St. Victor of Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
. In the occasion the church was restored in Provençal-Romanesque style
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
. The renewed basilica was consecrated in 1119.
Kingdom of Aragon
The Kingdom of Aragon was a medieval and early modern kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, in Spain...
, the monastery was damaged. In 1363 King Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV, , called el Cerimoniós or el del punyalet , was the King of Aragon, King of Sardinia and Corsica , King of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona Peter IV, (Balaguer, September 5, 1319 – Barcelona, January 6, 1387), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious") or el del punyalet ("the one...
gave the site to the Knights of Sant Jordi d'Alfama. In the following centuries the complex decayed. In 1614 the area was excavated in search of the relics of Cagliari's early martyrs, later brought in the city's Cathedral
Cagliari Cathedral
The Cathedra of Cagliari is a church in Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy.The church was built in the 13th century in Pisane-Romanesque style, obtaining the cathedral status in 1258. In the 17th and 18th centuries it was renovated along Baroque lines...
. In 1669 some material from San Saturnino were re-used for the Baroque renovation of the latter church.
In 1714 the church was re-dedicated to Sts. Cosmas and Damian. In 1943 the church was damaged by Allied bombings. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
it was restored. In 1978-1996 the church remained closed for restorations. It was reconsecrated in 2004.
Description
The church is located within a walled area including a Palaeo-Christian necropolis, which is still being excavated. Today only part of the original basilica, which was on the Greek cross plan with a transeptTransept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
and a semi-spherical dome; all the four arms had a nave and two aisles. The current church consists of the dome-covered area (dating to the 5th-6th centuries) and the eastern arm, with a nave and two aisles, which ends with a semicircular apse
Apse
In architecture, the apse is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical vault or semi-dome...
.
The western façade, partly ruined, is divided into three sectors. The side ones have portals with architrave
Architrave
An architrave is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns. It is an architectural element in Classical architecture.-Classical architecture:...
s, surmounted by round lunette
Lunette
In architecture, a lunette is a half-moon shaped space, either filled with recessed masonry or void. A lunette is formed when a horizontal cornice transects a round-headed arch at the level of the imposts, where the arch springs. If a door is set within a round-headed arch, the space within the...
s. The current church's entrance is in the area of the former western arm, and features modern additions from the 20th century restoration.
The eastern arm is externally decorated with Lombard band
Lombard band
A Lombard band is a decorative blind arcade, usually exterior, often used during the Romanesque and Gothic periods of architecture.Lombard bands are believed to have been first used during the First Romanesque Period of the early 11th Century. At that time, they were the most common architectural...
s, while the apse has lost the original cover with limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
from Bonaria. The arm has a nave and two aisles, the former with barrel vault
Barrel vault
A barrel vault, also known as a tunnel vault or a wagon vault, is an architectural element formed by the extrusion of a single curve along a given distance. The curves are typically circular in shape, lending a semi-cylindrical appearance to the total design...
, the latter with cross vaults.