San Clemente a Casauria Abbey Church

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Exterior view of the abbey church

The Abbey Church of San Clemente a Casauria is located in the Italian municipality of Castiglione a Casauria ( Province of Pescara ) in Abruzzo .

San Clemente a Casauria Abbey Church

Exterior view

The monastery was donated by Ludwig II in 871 out of gratitude after his release from captivity in Lombardy. On May 27, 872, the relics of St. Clement were brought to the monastery. In the years 910 and 911 the monastery was destroyed by a Saracen attack and in 916 it was rebuilt with a fortification. In 1076 it was destroyed again during a Norman attack. This church is one of the most famous architectural monuments in the whole of Abruzzo. Nevertheless, it is not easy for the visitor to find. The original church was built in 1176–1182. Stylistically it belongs to the transition phase between Romanesque and Gothic. The church has one of the oldest porches in Italy. The building material is travertine .

Here at this point there was probably an ancient temple called "casa aurea" - because of the precious material that was used. We are extremely well informed about the history of the origins of the church because the "Brother Johannes Berardus" wrote the chronicle of S. Clemente together with a "Magister Rusticus" .

In 1348 there was a major earthquake. Only the church was rebuilt, not the other buildings. The church was restored in the 1920s.

  • Portal porch

  • Church portal

  • View of the pulpit, on the left the Easter candlestick

  • Detail view of the pulpit

  • View of the ciborium

Bronze portal

It dates from the end of the 12th century. The two-part bronze door is unique in the whole of Abruzzo. Originally it consisted of twelve rows of six representations each - put together on a square base. Since its inception, however, it has been badly damaged, mainly by thieves, and numerous panels had to be replaced with wooden copies. In addition to the decorative forms, the fields mainly show those forts that once depended on Casauria.

pulpit

It was made between 1176 and 1181. The lectern is decorated with the depiction of the evangelist symbols of John and Mark. The other two evangelists must originally have been represented at the lectern on the opposite side.

Easter candlesticks

They originated in the late 13th century. The Easter candle was consecrated on the Saturday before Easter, displayed on a splendid candelabra and lit at important masses during Easter. In this candlestick, a total of twelve candles could originally be accommodated in addition to the Easter candle.

The ciborium dates from the 14th century.

literature

  • Roger Willemsen : The Abruzzo. The mountains in the heart of Italy. Art, culture and history. Cologne 1990, p. 105, figs. 24–30

Web links

Commons : San Clemente a Casauria Abbey  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Ferdinand Chalandon : Histoire de la domination normande en Italie et en Sicile (Tome I - part: "Les Normands dans les Abruzzes")
  2. ↑ L. Gatto: Ugo Maumouzet conte di Manoppello, Norman d'Abruzzo. In: AA.AA., Studi sul medioevo cristiano offerti a R. Morghen, Roma 1974, pp. 355-375.

Coordinates: 42 ° 14 ′ 2 "  N , 13 ° 55 ′ 48"  E