Santa Sofia (Benevento)

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Forecourt
Santa Sofia - ancient columns under the dome

The small Roman Catholic church of Santa Sofia on the eastern edge of the old town of Benevento is one of the most important legacies of the Longobards in southern Italy and as such part of the world cultural heritage The Longobards in Italy, places of power (568 to 774 AD) .

architecture

The church is a round building 28 m in diameter with originally a star-shaped outline. The central dome with three cantilever windows is supported by six columns that stand in a circle and possibly come from an ancient temple of Juno . Around these two columns and six square pillars form another circle. The two circles of columns and the outer walls support the triangular and quadrangular vault of the gallery.

The Corinthian capitals of the inner circle of columns and the tympanum of the Romanesque portal are special achievements of the sculpture .

Some frescos have been preserved.

history

Pillars of the inner circle, pillars and pillars of the outer circle

The church was built around 760 under the Lombard Duke Arichis II as part of a central sanctuary in Little Lombardy under the care of a Benedictine convent .

After the earthquakes of 1688 and 1702, Pope Benedict VIII had the church rebuilt and changed in the baroque style . In particular, he had the course of the outer walls circular.

During the most recent renovation in 1957, attempts were made to partially restore the star-like floor plan, but also to replace lost structural elements with modern ones.

Web links

Commons : Santa Sofia (Benevento)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Coordinates: 41 ° 7 '51.15 "  N , 14 ° 46' 52.52"  O