Santa Maria di Castello
Encyclopedia
Santa Maria di Castello is a church and religious complex in Genoa
, Italy
. Administrated by the Dominicans, it is located in the Castello hill of the city, where was an Roman
castrum (fortress) existed. The church is flanked by the large Tower of the Embriaci.
The church, in Romanesque
style, was erected before 900 AD. It houses numerous artworks commissioned by the main noble families of Genoa, by artists such as Francesco Maria Schiaffino
, Lorenzo Fasolo, Alessandro Gherardini
, Giuseppe Palmieri
, Francesco Boccaccino
, Pier Francesco Sacchi, Bernardo Castello
, Aurelio Lomi
and Tommaso Orsolino. Notable are the frescoes with Stories of David and the painted majolicas
from the 16th century Genoese school.
The high altar is decorated by a marble group of the "Assumption" by Domenico Parodi (late 17th century), while the chapel to the left of the presbytery
has a Santa Rosa da Lima by Domenico Piola
and a marble cover by Taddeo Carlone
. The fourth chapel in the left aisle has a Madonna del Rosario by the workshop of Anton Maria Maragliano
, while the first chapel has a painting attributed to Giovan Battista Paggi (early 17th century).
The baptistery has a polyptych from Lombard masters of the 15th century. The main portal is in Tuscan style (mid-15th century), and is surmounted by a Gothic lunette of the 14th century with a "Crucifixion".
The loggia facing the second cloister has frescoes of Saints, a Madonna and, on the first floor, an Annunciation by Giusto d'Alemagna from 1451. In the upper floor has a statue of "St. Catherina of Alexandria" and a marble tabernacle attributed to Domenico Gagini
(15th century).
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, 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...
. Administrated by the Dominicans, it is located in the Castello hill of the city, where was an Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
castrum (fortress) existed. The church is flanked by the large Tower of the Embriaci.
The church, in Romanesque
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,...
style, was erected before 900 AD. It houses numerous artworks commissioned by the main noble families of Genoa, by artists such as Francesco Maria Schiaffino
Francesco Maria Schiaffino
Francesco Maria Schiaffino was an Italian sculptor of the Rococo or late-Baroque, mainly active in his native city of Genoa....
, Lorenzo Fasolo, Alessandro Gherardini
Alessandro Gherardini
Alessandro Gherardini was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Florence.He was the pupil of the painter Alessandro Rossi. Among his pupils was Sebastiano Galeotti. In Florence, he painted a Crucifixion for the Monastery of the Augustines adjacent to Santa Maria dei Candeli;...
, Giuseppe Palmieri
Giuseppe Palmieri
Giuseppe Palmieri was an Italian painter of the late Baroque period.Palmieri was born in Genoa. Orphaned as a baby, he came into the care of an uncle. As a boy, after his uncle died, he was apprenticed to an unidentified Tuscan painter, with whom he travelled through Italy, including a long stay...
, Francesco Boccaccino
Francesco Boccaccino
Francesco Boccaccino was an Italian painter of the Baroque. He was born at Cremona. He studied at Rome, first under Giacinto Brandi, and afterwards worked in the studio of Carlo Maratta. The Cremonese Antonio Beltrami was one of Boccaccino's pupils.-References:...
, Pier Francesco Sacchi, Bernardo Castello
Bernardo Castello
Bernardo Castello was an Italian painter of the late-Mannerist style, active mainly in Genoa and Liguria. He is mainly known as a portrait and historical painter.-Biography:...
, Aurelio Lomi
Aurelio Lomi
Aurelio Lomi was an Italian painter of the late-Renaissance and early-Baroque periods, active mainly in his native town of Pisa, Tuscany.He may have initially been trained by his father, Giovanni Battista Lomi, but soon he...
and Tommaso Orsolino. Notable are the frescoes with Stories of David and the painted majolicas
Maiolica
Maiolica is Italian tin-glazed pottery dating from the Renaissance. It is decorated in bright colours on a white background, frequently depicting historical and legendary scenes.-Name:...
from the 16th century Genoese school.
The high altar is decorated by a marble group of the "Assumption" by Domenico Parodi (late 17th century), while the chapel to the left of 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....
has a Santa Rosa da Lima by Domenico Piola
Domenico Piola
Domenico Piola was a Genoese painter of the Baroque period. His family studio was highly prolific.-Biography:Piola was an Italian painter, draughtsman, printmaker and designer...
and a marble cover by Taddeo Carlone
Taddeo Carlone
Taddeo Carlone was a Swiss-Italian sculptor and architect.A native of Rovio, in Ticino, he moved with his family to Genoa. He became the head of an important family of artists, including his sons Giovanni Battista and Giovanni, who were noted painters.He died in 1613 and is buried in Genoa at the...
. The fourth chapel in the left aisle has a Madonna del Rosario by the workshop of Anton Maria Maragliano
Anton Maria Maragliano
Anton Maria Maragliano was an Italian sculptor of the Baroque period, known primarily for his wooden statues...
, while the first chapel has a painting attributed to Giovan Battista Paggi (early 17th century).
The baptistery has a polyptych from Lombard masters of the 15th century. The main portal is in Tuscan style (mid-15th century), and is surmounted by a Gothic lunette of the 14th century with a "Crucifixion".
The loggia facing the second cloister has frescoes of Saints, a Madonna and, on the first floor, an Annunciation by Giusto d'Alemagna from 1451. In the upper floor has a statue of "St. Catherina of Alexandria" and a marble tabernacle attributed to Domenico Gagini
Domenico Gagini
Domenico Gagini was an Italian sculptor. He was the son of Pietro Gagini. The Gagini were a family of sculptors and painters working during the Middle Ages and Renaissance...
(15th century).