Sant'Ambrogio (Chironico)
The oratory Sant'Ambrogio is located in the old town center of the village Chironico above Lavorgo in the Valle Leventina of the Swiss canton of Ticino . It is one of the oldest buildings in the valley. The church is dedicated to Ambrose of Milan .
history
The small geostete oratorio with the two apses is first mentioned in 1224. In contrast to other two apsidial Ticino churches such as Sam Remigio in Corzoneso, Sant 'Ambrogio was not built in two or more stages, but was built in one go. As archaeological excavations on the occasion of the restoration work between 1940 and 1963 suggest, the building probably dates back to the 10th century. The age of the current building is difficult to determine. The structure of the blind arcades on the apses points to the 14th century.
As an inscription in the south apse indicates, the church was rebuilt for the first time in 1338, at that time the room was completely painted for the first time by a Petrus Paulus Socus from Menaggio .
Further alterations followed over the centuries. It was last significantly changed in 1897: the walls of the nave were raised, the ceiling renewed and the bell tower connected to the facade. The restoration restored the church to its original state as far as possible.
photos
The almost eleven meters long and almost square interior, which opens slightly to the east, is covered with a new wooden ceiling. In the apse on the south side the beheading of John the Baptist is depicted, above it Christ with the symbols of the evangelists , remains of an Annunciation scene and a Madonna in a protective cloak . The frescoes in the north apse were made around 1400. They show, surrounded by angels, the coronation of the Virgin Mary in the mandorla , divine justice in the form of an angel weighing human deeds, San Lorenzo and Santo Stefano. In the middle of the apse a crucifixion group. The representations are impaired by baroque windows that were later closed again. Around 1537 a vertex painting with a Last Judgment and a votive picture was created in the south apse, which shows the Madonna between John the Baptist and St. Ambrose.
The depictions on the north wall show damaged scenes from the lives of Saints Ambrose, Anna and Joachim, allegorical depictions of faith and the ages of man. In both apses there is a brick altar .
Coronation of Mary
Johannes, Maria, Ambrosius
Christ
literature
- Vera Segre: The Church of S. Ambrogio in Chironico / La chiesa di S. Ambrogio a Chironico. Art guide through Switzerland . Published by the Society for Swiss Art History, Volume 2, Bern 2005; P. 470.
- Vera Segre: The Church of S. Ambrogio in Chironico. (Swiss Art Guide, No. 813, Series 82). Ed. Society for Swiss Art History GSK. Bern 2007, ISBN 978-3-85782-813-3 .
Web links
Coordinates: 46 ° 25 '23.6 " N , 8 ° 50' 38.1" E ; CH1903: 708,024 / 142285