Rotonda di San Lorenzo
The Rotonda di San Lorenzo is a Romanesque central building from the late 11th century in the heart of the northern Italian city of Mantua . The rotunda stands just a few meters south of the Palazzo della Ragione, built in the 13th century .
Building history
According to unsecured oral tradition, construction began in 1083 at the instigation of Margravine Mathilde von Tuszien (also known as Mathilde von Canossa ); like almost all round buildings of the Middle Ages, it stands in the tradition of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem . The fact that the church is about 1.50 meters below the ground level of the neighboring Palazzo della Ragione , built only about 150 years later , suggests that the building was built on the foundations of an ancient building (probably a round temple ). After structural changes by Leon Battista Alberti and Giulio Romano , which were probably unsuccessful , the church was closed for ritual purposes in 1579 because it was in a state of disrepair. In the following centuries the building, which was used as a storage room, fell into disrepair and was not reconstructed until 1908–1911. In 1926 the church was placed in the care of the Dominican Order ; since then it has been open to the public again as a parish church.
architecture
Exterior construction
The lower part of the church structure, divided by 16 services, is built from bricks both inside and outside and has a smaller central tower. Both components end below the eaves with a circumferential arched frieze , above which a small tooth-cut frieze appears - the extent to which these things correspond to the original findings can no longer be precisely clarified.
inner space
The interior of the church structure is formed by 14 brick round pillars (without a capital , but with battlement plates ) and two reused ancient columns ( Spolia ) with capitals on both sides of the east-facing apse . The reconstruction of the gallery zone largely stems from the restorers' imagination. Both components are covered with trapezoidal groin vaults, which are also made of brick and are covered by belt arches ; The vaults on the ground floor are plastered - some remains of medieval frescoes can still be seen.
See also
The Rotonda di San Tomè in Almenno San Bartolomeo , Province of Bergamo, served as a model for the reconstruction of the church .
Web links
- Rotonda di San Lorenzo, Mantua - photos + brief information
- Rotonda di San Lorenzo, Mantua - photos + brief information (Italian)
Coordinates: 45 ° 9 ′ 29.3 " N , 10 ° 47 ′ 41.1" E