Pieve di San Pietro a Gropina

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The facade of San Pietro

The Pieve di San Pietro a Gropina is a small church near the Tuscan community of Loro Ciuffenna . Known for its medieval capitals and pulpit , it has been named a national monument .

location

The church is located about 1.3 kilometers southeast of Loro Ciuffenna. It can be reached via the Frazione Gropina street named after this district and - via a small side street - via Sette Ponti Levante .

She has the first part of the name in her former function as Pieve , the patronage is that of Simon Petrus , Italian : San Pietro .

Building history

A first church building at this point, a small chapel , was built in the 4th century. It was followed in the 8th century by a monastery church that was built by Benedictines . This followed the donation of the land to the in Modena location nonantola abbey by Charlemagne in the year 780. Both buildings were excavated foundation remains. According to one opinion, the current church building was erected before 1191, according to another, possibly not until the beginning of the 13th century. The campanile attached to the church dates from 1232.

Exterior

The three-axis facade is extremely simple. Above the portal there is a papal coat of arms with the heraldic symbols of the Medici , the six palle . A small biforic window is inserted above this , the middle column being missing. A round window also gives some jewelry. The lateral axes are broken through by arched windows.

The external design of the apse is more important than the facade . It is decorated with blind arcades and has a dwarf gallery at the top . The decoration with blind arcades is comparable to that of the Pieve di San Pietro a Romena and other churches in Casentino , whereas the dwarf gallery is more reminiscent of northern Italian churches, for example in Lucca or Pisa .

Interior

View into the central nave with the pulpit

The church is laid out as a basilica and accordingly has three naves with a raised central nave. The church is only domed in the foremost transverse axis in the side aisles, otherwise the wooden roof structure is freely visible. The arcade arches are supported by pillars , some of which are not regularly placed, with strong entasis . The second pillars in front of the apse have been replaced by pillars on both sides .

Forms of capital

The different types of capital are of interest. They differ in quality and subject matter depending on the side. The capitals on the left side, looking towards the apse, are much finer than those on the right side, it is assumed that the rather roughly chiseled, rather popular right capitals were only made by local stonemasons. The right side contains various animal representations, such as fighting animals on the foremost three capitals, but also vines and other, rather archaic-looking figures. Due to the depictions of animals, there could be a stylistic influence of the Modena Cathedral . The capitals on the left, on the other hand, deal with Christian themes, such as Samson's fight with the lion (cf. ( Ri 14.6  EU )) and a representation of Christ in the mandorla . Various demons are also carved.

pulpit

The pulpit on the right-hand side on the fourth column was placed under a pair of knotted columns as a base. It is made in a semicircle and, in addition to the ornamental moldings, also contains attached bas-reliefs with depictions and a. of Seraphim and a two-tailed siren . Art history does not agree on how the middle group of figures under the lectern is to be interpreted: one opinion wants to recognize Christ with the dove and lion , another representations of evangelist symbols , in the sequence from above the eagle of John , angel of Matthew and the lion of Markus .

apse

The apse adopts the decorative arches on the outside, but goes a little further. The arcade arches rest here on small full columns that are set up on two levels, which creates a diaphanous effect.

literature

Web links

Commons : Pieve di San Pietro (Gropina)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Schomann: Kunstdenkmäler in der Toskana , p. 408.
  2. ^ Zimmermanns: Toscana - The hill country and the historic city centers , p. 344.
  3. ↑ Schomann: Kunstdenkmäler in der Toskana , p. 408.
  4. ^ Zimmermanns: Toscana - The hill country and the historic city centers , p. 344.
  5. ↑ Schomann: Kunstdenkmäler in der Toskana , p. 408.
  6. ↑ Zimmermanns: Toscana - The Hill Country and the Historic City Centers , p. 345.
  7. ↑ Zimmermanns: Toscana - The Hill Country and the Historic City Centers , p. 345.
  8. ↑ Schomann: Kunstdenkmäler in der Toskana , p. 408.
  9. ↑ Zimmermanns: Toscana - The Hill Country and the Historic City Centers , p. 345.
  10. ↑ Schomann: Kunstdenkmäler in der Toskana , p. 408.

Coordinates: 43 ° 34 ′ 53.2 "  N , 11 ° 38 ′ 18.4"  E