The most beautiful churches cathedrals basilicas and chapels Italy

Basilica built on the foundations of an ancient temple dedicated to Diane, it probably dates from Life or th century. Its three naves end on three semi-circular apses. Non-homogeneous pavement mainly in cosmédine mosaic (th century). Admire the numerous frescoes of Byzantine influence, illustrating episodes of the Bible.

Very beautiful frescoes cover almost entirely an exterior wall of the chapel. They represent Virtue, the ride of Vices and the punishments of Hell. The frescoes painted in the famous chapel of Saint-André in the Ramats, in the hamlet of Chiomonte, belong to the same school.

At the exit of the village, going to the fort, a small chapel decorated with painted frescoes.

The construction of the Basilica of Our Lady of Humility began in 1495 to celebrate a miraculous event: while internal struggles raged in the city, some of the faithful saw tears on the fresco of the Virgin Mary nursing the Child Jesus (now preserved in the Rospigliosi Chapel). A huge church was then built, with a Renaissance dome (the third largest in Italy, after St. Peter's in Rome and Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence), on the very site of the miracle. The text of the time reports about the miraculous image as follows: "In the year of the Lord 1490, on Saturday, July 17, this image was seen pouring sweat, or liquor, from his Holy Head, which like clear water sprang clearly from its source, and from each part of the forehead miraculously irrigated his clothes. Because of this novelty, the church was attended with great devotion by some of them; once the miracle was seen, they began to ring the bells. "But the construction of the basilica took a long time, more than fifty years precisely, and was interrupted several times for financial reasons or because of internal vicissitudes, such as the fierce struggle between the Panciatichi and Cancellieri families who were fighting for political power. Today, the basilica is the most important Renaissance building in Pistoia, and its large dome is visible from all over the city.

Parish church at the beginning of the Romanesque era, completely rebuilt in 1862. Inside, precious baroque furniture from the Mélezet School.

Parish church built in Gothic style in the th century, it was expanded and modified in the th century. Inside, columns are decorated with wooden motifs decorated with floral motifs, some statues of the 1545 th and th centuries, and a marble baptismal of.

The most important church of Alassio dedicated to Saint Ambroise, solemnly celebrated on December 7, rises on the homonymous square. The building dating back to the fifteenth century was built on the remains of a church in the Xe. The black stone portal of 1507 and the xiith century bell tower are masterpieces of local religious art. The baroque interior that deserves the attention is decorated with works by great ligorides such as Giovanni Andrea De Ferrari and Giulio Benso.

Erected in the 9th century, the cathedral was restructured on several occasions, in the 13th century and during the following centuries. It presents a very heterogeneous style. The unfinished facade, partially covered with marble, is surmounted by a curious octagonal tower, with a niche containing a 15th-century gilded bronze Virgin and Child. Statues of Adam and Eve in the tympanum surmounting the central portal. Inside there are several funerary monuments by Benedetto and Prospero Spani and the Assunzione dei Santi de Guercino.

The church is built on the oratory of the Order of the Servants of Mary, founded by seven young monks to whom Mary appeared in 1235. Then, as the ultimate renunciation of the world, they founded the monastery of Monte Senario in Fiesole. Michelozzo built the first cloister in the middle of the 15th century. The main body of the church, begun in 1440 by Michelozzo and Pagno Portigiani, was then modified by Alberti who created the powerful platform that can be seen on the right side. From the sober facade, decorated with the arms of Pope Leo X de Medici and the frescoes of the young Pontormo, you can access three different settings: on the right the chapel of the Puccio of San Sebastiano, on the left the vast cloister of the Dead decorated with frescoes by Andrea del Sarto, in the centre the first cloister (chiostrino dei Voti), decorated with frescos by the masters of Florentine mannerist painting from the early 16th century: Rosso Fiorentini, Pontormo, Franciabigio and Andrea del Sarto who, with the Birth of the Virgin, painted the most faithful portrait of his wife Lucrezia del Fede, unfortunately unfaithful according to Vasari.

The interior, designed by Alberti, but later covered with a sumptuous baroque decoration, consists of a nave covered with a large dome. The remarkable Baroque ceiling is by Giambelli according to a drawing by Volterrano (17th century). Many works of art are preserved in the side chapels: frescoes by Andrea del Castagno, an Assumption by Perugino, a Resurrection by Bronzino, sculptures by Giambologna and, in the transept, a marble Deposition by Baccio Bandinelli whose self-portrait can be seen in Nicodemo's face. On the left is a small marble temple designed by Michelozzo in honour of the fresco of the Annunciation, which is now venerated and displayed to the faithful every 25 March, the day of the Annunciation (Florentine New Year's Day for several centuries). According to legend, the anonymous artist of the 14th century who executed the Birth of the Virgin fell asleep after making the angel, but his sleep was disturbed by the fear of not being able to paint a Virgin of better quality than the angel already painted. When he woke up, he was surprised to find the fresco completed by a supernatural hand. The miraculous virtues attributed to painting by popular tradition since then have led young wives to go to the Annunziata church after their wedding to offer the Virgin of the small temple their bouquet of flowers.