BASILICA DI SAN PIETRO
The largest Catholic church in the world, St. Peter's Basilica is a ...Read more
CATTEDRALE SANTA MARIA DEL FIORE
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BASILICA DI SAN MARCO
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TIME OF AGREEMENT
Read moreThe temple of the Concorde, elegant, harmonious and solemn, is one of the most perfect and best preserved Hellenistic temples in the world! Founded in 340 BC, it consists of calcarénite, a rock formed by an amalgam of limestone sand. But we must imagine that, originally, this Doric style temple was entirely covered with white stucco, both outside and inside. Some elements were polychrome, like the frise alternant alternant and triglyphes which overcame the columns, and its roof was covered with marble tiles. Today we are far from its original colourful aspect!
Its classical architecture consists of an peristyle of 34 elegant columns with cannelés drums, i. e. 13 columns on the lengths and 6 on the smallest sides, which rise over a four-degree the. The architects of the ancient world used techniques of trompe to strengthen the monumental aspect of the building. If the temple approaches its verticality we think it is perfect, looking closer to you can see that the columns are slimmer in their upper parts (on long sides), so the impression is that they are larger. To compensate, columns of smaller sides are slightly tilted towards the interior of the temple. A successful optical illusion!
According to the classical tradition, its plan consists of three internal spaces, the cella, the most important piece which often served as sanctuary, the pronaos, entrance vestibule, and the opisthodome, the posterior part of the temple where the offerings or sacred objects could be preserved. Note that the interior does not visit. However, you can guess its internal architecture by turning around.
Today we do not know who this temple was dedicated to. He owes his name to archaeologist Tommaso Fazello who was inspired by a Latin inscription, Concordia, found in the vicinity of the temple, which has no connection with the temple. However, two statues were found inside the place of worship, which caused the hypothesis of its attribution to the Dioscures, Castor and Pollux! Unfortunately, we lack historical elements to be able to assert this.
Why is the temple of Concorde so well Preserved? It is thanks to Bishop Grégoire who, in the th century. D.C., transformed the Doric temple into Christian basilica, which saved him from a certain destruction by Christians. Grégoire destroyed both pagan idols from Eber and Raps found in the temple before dedicating it to the apostles Peter and Paul. The architecture of the temple was modified by a series of arcades that enriched the cella, strengthening the conservation of the temple of La Concorde. In the west wall, burials were dug to form a christian necropolis. There were also tombs in arcosolium (circulaires niches surmounted by an arc). It was only after the restoration of 1788 that the temple regained its ancient form after having removed the internal additions from the christian era. Since then, the temple has undergone several restorations.
In front of the temple of La Concorde, a contemporary artist installed a beautiful sculpture depicting Icarus from the Sky. Son of the famous architect and inventor Maze, he wanted to escape from the maze with wax wings made by his father before flying too close to the sun… and to burn the wings! At night, the temple of the Concorde is lit and repère by far, sitting majestically on the Valley of Temples.
VALLEY OF THE TEMPLES - PARCO ARCHEOLOGICO
Famous Valley of the Temples of Agrigento classified as a World Heritage ...Read more
CAPPELLA SISTINA
The most famous of the wonders of the Vatican museums, especially for the ...Read more
ORATORIO DI SANTA MARIA ASSUNTA
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CHIESA DI SAN GIOVANNI BATTISTA
Church with decorative elements reflecting the speciality of the region ...Read more
CHURCH OF SANTA LUCIA AL BORGHETTO
Read moreA Gothic building of the 1889 th century, restructured in the th century and completely restored in. Its unique nave and roof roof are worth a visit. Not far from there is the Romanesque parish of San Pietro in Bussola.
CHIESA E CHIOSTRO SAN FRANCESCO
Church whose first foundations date back to 1114, with the representation ...Read more
SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE
The most important monument of Bergamo preserving a Romanesque structure.Read more
SACRO ASSEMBLY
Vast religious complex, listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site in Varese.Read more
CATTEDRALE DI PALERMO
One of the most beautiful jewels of Sicily for its majestic medieval ...Read more
ABBAZIA DI SAN FRUTTUOSO
Abbey nestled in a small cove, at the water's edge.Read more
CATTEDRALE SANTA MARIA ASSUNTA
Read moreThe Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption is one of the oldest Gothic churches in Italy. A true stone book, it is also one of the most beautiful creations of Italian Romano-Gothic art, the construction of which lasted almost two centuries (12th and 14th centuries), a symbol of Siena's wealth and prosperity.
Most of its sumptuous façade,built between 1284 and 1299, is the work of Giovanni Pisano, although the bas-relief on the south side of the Pardon Gate is by Donatello (the original is in the Museum of the Work). The facade is composed of white, black and red marble, its three portals and colonnades are decorated with fine sculptures. The horizontal effect of the white and black marble stripes characterizes its bell tower dating from 1313.
The interioris remarkable with its height under the ceiling. At your feet, the coloured marble floor, finely worked and divided into 56 sacred and profane scenes, is exceptional. Unfortunately, it is not possible to see all of them at the same time because a part is covered to preserve them. The finesse of the whole, created between 1372 and 1547, is prodigious. When the German composer Richard Wagner visited the cathedral, he was "moved to tears by this show," his wife Cosima told in a letter written in 1880, and the choir and high altar are byBaldassarre Peruzzi (1506). In the right transept, we can see a Baroque chapel attributed to Bernini, while the left transept houses the splendid pulpit with porphyry columns and green marble of Nicola Pisano, a marvel of Gothic sculpture, as well as works by Donatello (such as the bronze statue of Saint John the Baptist). There is also Michelangelo's Saint Paul (1502), probably a self-portrait.
The crypt, opened to the public in 2002, located under the duomo's pulpit, is a total surprise. There are frescoes from 1270-1275 in a remarkably preserved state. This cycle of paintings was made dry (pittura a secco) by several artists such as Guido da Siena, Dietisalvi di Speme, Guido di Graziano and Rinaldo da Siena. 180 m² of scenes including the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. Access is from the back of the main entrance of the cathedral, through the San Giovanni Baptistery.
Against the left side of the cathedral, the Libreria Piccolomini, built in 1495 by Cardinal Francesco Piccolomini Todeschini (future Pope Pius III), should not be missed.
DUOMO DI MONTREALE - MONREALE CATHEDRAL
Two powerful quadrangular towers with a splendid interior and a Treasury ...Read more
BASILICA DI SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE
One of the great basilicas called "patriarchal" of Rome.Read more
CATTEDRALE METROPOLITANA DI SAN PIETRO
Cathedral dating back to the year 1000 and named Metropolitana in 1582Read more
CUPOLA DI SAN PIETRO
Cupola offering a beautiful view of the Vatican City in Rome.Read more