San Liberatore a Maiella is an abbey

Abbey

An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...

 in the territory of Serramonacesca

Serramonacesca

Serramonacesca is a comune and town in the province of Pescara in the Abruzzo region of Italy.The main point of interest is the medieval Abbey of San Liberatore a Maiella.-External links:*...

, in Abruzzo

Abruzzo

Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

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History

The origin of the abbey

Abbey

An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...

 is traditionally linked to Charlemagne

Charlemagne

Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...

, who is portrayed in a fresco fragment within the church. The 9th century edifice was rebuilt a first time from 1007 by the Benedictine monk St. Theobald. It is dedicated to St. Liberator.

The current edifice, however, is that rebuilt starting from 1080 by Desiderius, abbot of Montecassino.

The church remained in a decaying state until it was restored in 1967-1971.

Architecture

The abbey has a white façade with balanced volumes, flanked by a square-plan bell tower with three floors, having (starting from the lowest) single, double and triple mullioned windows. The façade has vertical relief in Lombard-Romanesque

First Romanesque

First Romanesque is the name due to Josep Puig i Cadafalch to refer to the Romanesque art developed in Catalonia since the late 10th century....

 styles.

The interior is on the basilica plan with a nave and two aisles, divided by seven round arcades with triangular piers.

The triumphal arches (the central one is now missing) led to the presbytery

Presbytery (architecture)

The presbytery is the name for an area in a church building which is reserved for the clergy.In the oldest church it is separated by short walls, by small columns and pilasters in the Renaissance ones; it can also be raised, being reachable by a few steps, usually with railings....

. The arches are supported by cruciform pilasters which end with notable decorations, in a style similar to that of the nave's walls. The ceiling has wooden trusses. In the left aisles are the former accesses to the cloister and the monastery residential quarters, represented by two decorated doors. One has in its tympanum the typical flower motif of the Abruzzese Romanesque style.

The nave's pavement has a rare pavement geometrical decoration which dates from c. 1200.

The apse has frescoes from various ages, once united but now, after their restoration, separated: the one portraying Theobald in from the 16th century, while the second, with traces of saints' figures, is from the 12th century.

The ambo has a square shape, and is similar to those in the San Clemente Abbey

San Clemente Abbey

The Abbey of San Clemente a Casauria is an abbey in the territory of Castiglione a Casauria, in the province of Pescara, Abruzzo, central Italy.-History:...

 of Casauria and in that of San Pelino at Corfinio

Corfinio

Corfinio is a comune and town in the Province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy....

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