San Pellegrino (Giornico)
The church of San Pellegrino is secluded in a chestnut forest on the former Gotthard fringe path (today the “Strada bassa” hiking trail) near the Altirolo part of the village near Giornico in Leventina in the Swiss canton of Ticino . It is considered the church with the richest paintings of the late 16th century in the canton.
History and construction
Nothing is known about the origins of the church. It is consecrated to St. Peregrinus Laziosi , the consecration took place in 1345. Originally, San Pellegrino had a portico through which the road to Chironico ran .
San Pellegrino is an elongated, east-facing building with a three-sided choir closure. A polygonal chapel dedicated to the Madonna was added to the left of the choir in 1591. The tower with a gable roof stands on the south side. In 1589 the church was generously extended to the east; this part was restored in 1966/67.
On the east side of the valley, the coat of arms of the Leventina is depicted on the right, on the left the coat of arms of the Canton of Uri , which ruled the Leventina from 1480 to 1798. Both coats of arms are exaggerated by a representation of Mary. The work dates from around 1589.
Coat of arms canton Uri
Madonna above the coat of arms
Coat of arms of the Leventina
Interior
The western part is separated from the eastern part by a massive grid. A bar bears the inscription "DIVO PELLEGRINO CONFESSORI BENEFACTORES DICABANT" (for example, "To the holy confessor Pellegrinus consecrated <this> the donors (benefactors)")
In the closed western part, two ship bays - due to the rising terrain, they are not on the same level - are covered with cross vaults. The nave is divided by a buttress arch .
The paintings are by Giovanni Battista Tarilli and Domenico Caresano from Cureglia . A monumental Last Judgment from 1589 is depicted on the eastern rear wall. Large apostle figures are depicted between the windows, interrupted by empty niches with illusion paintings. Excellent Renaissance paintings have been preserved on the side walls of the western nave.
The high altar dates from the first half of the 17th century and shows a painting of St. Pellegrinus. The carved Pellegrinus figure in a northern altar niche dates from around 1600. The square wooden pulpit decorated with inlays was created in the 17th century.
photos
inner space
Last judgment on the back wall
North face
South wall
Side chapel
literature
- Art guide through Switzerland , published by the Society for Swiss Art History, Volume 2, Bern 2005, p. 469
Web links
Coordinates: 46 ° 24 '42.8 " N , 8 ° 51' 44.7" E ; CH1903: 709 469 / 141053