La Verna
The La Verna monastery is located on the Alverna elevation on the southwest slope of Monte Penna north of Chiusi della Verna at 1128 meters.
history
In 1213, Count Orlando Catani von Chiusi gave Monte Alverna to Francis of Assisi and the Order of the Minorites . A year later, St. Francis came to this place for the first time. Only the Santa Maria degli Angeli chapel and several simple huts were built during his life. This is where Francis is said to have received Christ's wounds in 1224 .
basilica
The basilica of St. Francis, commonly called Chiesa Maggiore, was built from 1348 to 1509. In 1348 Count Tarlato financed the building of the church. It was completed with funds from the Consuls dell'arte della Lana from Florence and inaugurated on April 22, 1509. On August 22, 1921, the church was elevated to a minor basilica .
Fifteen glazed terracotta panels from the Florentine artist family della Robbia can be seen on La Verna. In the side chapels of the basilica you can find the oldest work by Andrea della Robbia , the Annunciation of the Lord , created in 1476 , and as other works the Nativity and the Ascension of Christ . The two saints on the sides of the high altar, which represent Francis of Assisi and Anthony of Padua , are also attributed to della Robbia. At the altar to the right of the entrance area is the terracotta panel Maria, Refuge for sinners , which could also have been made by this artist. This plaque was in neighboring Vallesanta until 1874.
In the middle of the choir stalls with walnut seats, built in 1495 , is the large reading desk from 1509, decorated with carvings and inlays.
Under the high altar are the remains of John of La Verna in a carved coffin, who lived on the mountain as a hermit after 1289 . The reliquary chapel is located behind a wrought iron grille . In 1939 Count Ginori had the Chapel of the Most Holy Sacrament built under the old organ case.
The organ , which consists of 90 registers and 5500 pipes , has been restored, renewed and expanded several times. The old organ case is from the 15th century and today contains the echo organ with twelve registers. The large organ was inaugurated in 1926 and comes from the Tamburini company from Crema.
Chapels
Santa Maria degli Angeli
The chapel of Our Lady of the Angels, also known as Chiesina ("little church"), dates back to the time of St. Francis. According to legend, Mary appeared to St. Francis and described the location and extent of the first church in La Verna. The patronage is the same as that of the portiuncula near Assisi , where Francis often stayed.
The first part of the chapel, which today includes the choir and altar, was built in 1216–18. After 1250 the chapel was enlarged by the part that today extends from the entrance door to the iron grille. The chapel was inaugurated on August 20, 1260. In 1923/24 extensive restoration work took place.
The terracotta relief on the high altar, created by Andrea della Robbia in the 15th century, depicts the Assumption of Mary into heaven . To the left of the open cenotaph , Pope Gregory the Great and Saint Thomas can be seen receiving the belt of Mary. On the right are the hll. Depicted Francis of Assisi and Bonaventure . The two colored glazed terracottas on the front of the small iron grating are by Giovanni della Robbia , the son of Andrea della Robbia. Depicted are the descent from the cross and the birth of Christ.
The town's founder, Count Orlando, is buried under the ground. A bell cast by Leonhard Pisano in 1257 hangs in the turret.
Santa Maria degli Angeli
Assumption of Mary by Andrea della Robbia
Nativity by Giovanni della Robbia
Chapel of the Birds
The chapel is built on the site of an oak tree on which, according to the Fioretti, the birds of the forest settled on the first arrival of Francis of Assisi and greeted him by singing and flapping their wings. The chapel was built on the site of the old oak in 1602.
Chapel of St. Mary Magdalene
This is also called the “first chapel of St. Francis "called. The first hut built by Count Orlando for Francis is said to have stood here, the altar stone of which served the saint as a table. Countess Caterina Tarlati had the chapel built at the end of the 15th century. Above is the Chapel of St. Peter of Alcantara . Below is the Sasso spicco .
Corridoio delle Stimmate
There are several chapels along the 78-meter-long corridor from the basilica to the Chapel of the Wounds, known as the Corridoio delle Stimmate (" Corridor of the Stigmata"). The corridor was built in order to be able to carry out the daily procession to the Chapel of the Wounds in any weather. The chapel of the Pietà is at the beginning of the corridor. In it you can find the Robbian terracotta panel with Christ's Descent from the Cross.
In the middle of the corridor you will find the so-called “Bed of St. Francis ”, a damp and cold grotto.
Shortly before the end of the Corridoio delle Stimmate is the Capella Loddi. It was commissioned in 1581 by Loddo Loddi, a nobleman from Chiusi. This is where the first cemetery was located. In addition to a wooden cross from the 14th century, there are remains of frescoes from the 15th century.
At the end of the corridor you first enter the Kreuzkapelle via a staircase. This is also called the “second cell of St. Francis ”. Here the saint stayed in 1224 before the stigma. A terracotta statue by Johannes Collina-Graziani from 1886 can be seen above the altar. Depicted is St. Francis with the wounds, an open gospel on a skull and a falcon on a tree stump.
Around the area of the Chapel of St. The oratorios of St. Bonaventure and Anthony of Padua and via the so-called "abyss" the chapel of St. Sebastian . In 1480 the bones of the friars from the old cemetery were brought to the latter and more brothers were buried in the following centuries.
Chapel of the Holy Wounds
Behind the Kreuzkapelle lies the Chapel of the Holy Wounds . Construction began in 1263 by Count Simone from Battifolle. Above the entrance door with its two wings is a 13th-century representation of the reception of the stigmata, carved in marble .
On the central wall is the depiction of the Crucifixion, a terracotta panel by Andrea della Robbia. The crucified one can be seen with four groups of weeping angels surrounding him. Before the cross are the hells. Francis with the wounds, Mary, John and Jerome striking himself with a stone on his chest .
In the middle of the chapel you can see the rock on which the stimulation of St. Francis is said to have occurred. There are choir stalls from the 14th century on the side walls. The carvings on the backs of the choir stalls depict saints, blessed, popes and famous men.
More chapels
The Chapel del Faggio or the Chapel of Blessed John from 1518 is still located on the monastery grounds, the Capella della Penna from 1580 on Monte Penna and the Chapel of the Dead in the cemetery. In this there is a fresco of Jesus' Descent from the Cross by Baccio M. Bacci.
monastery
The cloister of the monastery with a draw well dates from the 14th century. In the St. The cloister consecrated to Clare hangs the wooden relief The Perfect Franciscan Happiness by the sculptor Hildegard Hendrichs from 1955. In 1518 the eight meter wide refectory was built and in 1717 it was extended by nine meters to 39 meters. The terracotta figure of Our Lady with the Goldfinch by Andrea della Robbia can be seen above the entrance. Ferdinando Folchi painted the Last Supper on the back wall in 1873 .
See also
literature
- Christoph Hennig: Toscana. Cologne: Du Mont, 1996. ISBN 3-7701-3626-8
- Emanuele Repetti: ALVERNIA, VERNIA (Petra Verna). In: Dizionario Geografico Fisico Storico della Toscana (1833–1846), online edition of the University of Siena (pdf, Italian)
- Tuscany. Munich: Polyglott-Verlag, 6th edition 1982/83. ISBN 3-493-60861-6
- Brochure: The Sanctuary of La Verna. BN Marconi, Genova.
Web links
- Santuario Francescano La Verna Official website of the "Santuario della Verna"
Coordinates: 43 ° 42 ′ 26 " N , 11 ° 55 ′ 51" E