Lodi Cathedral
The Cathedral of Lodi and the Assumption Cathedral ( Italian Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta ) is a church in the Lombard city of Lodi . The cathedral of the diocese of the same name was built in the Romanesque style at the beginning of the 12th century . It leads the patronage of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and bears the title of a minor basilica .
It is one of the largest churches in Lombardy and the oldest monument in Lodi. The first stone of the building was actually symbolically laid on August 3, 1158, the day the city was founded. The church has been recognized as an Italian national monument since 1940. In March 1970 Pope Paul VI raised she was given the dignity of a minor basilica.
history
The cathedral, built in Romanesque style, is one of the largest churches in Lombardy. The foundation stone was laid at the same time as the city was founded in 1158. For the first phase of construction, up to 1163, many materials from the buildings of ancient Laus Pompeia were probably used. The crypt was solemnly consecrated with the laying of the relics of St. Bassianus on November 4, 1163 in the presence of Emperor Friedrich I Barbarossa. A second phase of construction was between 1170 and 1180, but the facade was not completed until 1284. At the beginning of the 16th century, the apostolic administrator of the diocese, Claude de Seyssel , promoted restoration and modernization work. The most visible sign was the installation of the two lattice windows and the new rose window in the facade. In the 18th century, the baroque architect Francesco Croce changed the original appearance of the building until the church was consecrated again in 1764, but this was extensively withdrawn during restorations between 1958 and 1965.
architecture
The Romanesque, asymmetrical brick facade shows a Gothic prothyrum in the gable , which rests on thin columns supported by stone lions. Also noteworthy are the large central rose window and two Renaissance double windows , reminiscent of those of the Certosa di Pavia and probably from the school of Giovanni Antonio Amadeo. There is also a shrine that houses a bronze statue of San Bassiano, a copy of the original gilded copper statue from 1284 that is inside. The massive bell tower, which was built between 1538 and 1554 according to a project by the architect Callisto Piazza from Lodi, remained unfinished for reasons of military security. Between the building and the Episcopal Palace is the court of the canons , the remains of the ancient cloister from 1484, built by Giovanni Battagio and decorated with columns and terracotta decorations. From the cathedral there is an entrance to the rich diocesan museum of sacred art.
inner space
In the form of a basilica built Cathedral has three naves , separated by the cylindrical arches on terracotta pillars and cross vaults are covered. The side aisles are surmounted by galleries that open to the central nave with double arched windows. The last yoke and the apse are raised and form the choir with the baroque high altar made of polychrome marble. After the Second Vatican Council, a sarcophagus made of Verona marble was placed as an altar next to the community.
The interior of the cathedral is home to notable works of art, such as a polyptych by Callisto Piazza depicting the child murder of Bethlehem , a second polyptych by Alberto Piazza da Lodi depicting the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a Last Judgment from the 15th century. There is also a painting by Giulio Cesare Procaccini depicting the Madonna of the Snow appearing to Pope Liberius . In addition, the large vault of the apse is adorned with a mosaic by Aligi Sassu.
On the floor in the apse, behind the baroque altar, is the organ , built in 1835 by the Serassi brothers , which was later equipped with a new wooden case in a modern style. The instrument is completely mechanical and has two manuals and a pedal for 54 stops.
crypt
The large crypt, the entrance of which contains a 12th century bas-relief depicting the Last Supper, is the oldest part of the cathedral. In the center is the altar from 1856, which keeps the remains of Saint Bassiano in a silver reliquary by Antonio Cassani. To the left of the high altar is the altar of Saint Alberto Quadrelli, Bishop of Lodi from 1168 to 1173. The bodies of both saints were reassembled and covered in 1994. In the left apse there is also a 15th century group of sculptures depicting mourning over the dead Christ with figures in tears, popularly known as "Caragnòn del Dòmm".
Web links
- Chiesa di Santa Maria Assunta on BeWeB (Italian)
Individual evidence
- ^ Basilica Cattedrale della Vergine Assunta on gcatholic.org
- ^ A b Vittorio Bottini, Alessandro Caretta e Luigi Samarati: Lodi - Guida artistica illustrata , Lodi, Edizioni Lodigraf, 1979. p. 35.
- ↑ a b c d Beatrice Ambreck, Atlante della nuova Provincia di Lodi , Lodi, Il Giorno, 1996. p. 142.
- ^ Regio decreto November 21, 1940, n. 1746. Retrieved February 21, 2020 (Italian).
Coordinates: 45 ° 18 ′ 51.7 " N , 9 ° 30 ′ 11.1" E