Acqui Cathedral
Encyclopedia
Acqui Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral
in the city of Acqui Terme
, in the province of Alessandria
and the region of Piedmont
, Italy
. It is the seat of the Bishop of Acqui.
structure there still remain visible the apses, the transept, and the crypt
, which underlies both the transept and the choir. The remainder has been subject to further work in later centuries.
The terracotta bell tower was finished in 1479. The main entrance in marble, by Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte, dates from 1481, and the rose window
above it from around the same date, while the portico is 17th century. The interior was re-fitted in Baroque
woodwork, and was decorated with frescos and stucco work from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
Next door are the canons
' cloisters of the late 15th century, and some Roman
ruins.
The 19th century pulpit and the Baroque altar of Saint Guido in the transept are worthy of note.
The most important work of art in the cathedral by far however is the triptych
of the Madonna di Montserrat, the Annunciation
to the Virgin of Montserrat
, the work of the 15th century Spanish
painter Bartolomé Bermejo
, in the chapter house
.
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
in the city of Acqui Terme
Acqui Terme
Acqui Terme is a city and comune of Piedmont, northern Italy, in the province of Alessandria. It is c. 35 km SSW of Alessandria...
, in the province of Alessandria
Province of Alessandria
The Province of Alessandria is an Italian province, with a population of some 430,000, which forms the southeastern part of the region of Piedmont. The provincial capital is the city of Alessandria....
and the region of Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. It is the seat of the Bishop of Acqui.
History and description
While the bishopric has been established since at least the 4th century, the present cathedral building was begun under bishop Primo (989-1018) and was consecrated in 1067 by bishop Guido, later Saint Guido. The ground plan is in the shape of a Latin cross, and there are five aisles (but until the 18th century, only three), terminating in three semi-circular apses. Of the RomanesqueRomanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
structure there still remain visible the apses, the transept, and the crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
, which underlies both the transept and the choir. The remainder has been subject to further work in later centuries.
The terracotta bell tower was finished in 1479. The main entrance in marble, by Giovanni Antonio Pilacorte, dates from 1481, and the rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
above it from around the same date, while the portico is 17th century. The interior was re-fitted in Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
woodwork, and was decorated with frescos and stucco work from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
Next door are the canons
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
' cloisters of the late 15th century, and some Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
ruins.
Works of art
The most important work of art in the cathedral by far however is the triptych
Triptych
A triptych , from tri-= "three" + ptysso= "to fold") is a work of art which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and can be folded shut or displayed open. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all multi-panel works...
of the Madonna di Montserrat, the Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
to the Virgin of Montserrat
Virgin of Montserrat
The Virgin of Montserrat is a statue of the Virgin Mary and infant Christ venerated at the Santa Maria de Montserrat monastery in the Montserrat mountain in Catalonia....
, the work of the 15th century Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
painter Bartolomé Bermejo
Bartolomé Bermejo
Bartolomé Bermejo was a Spanish painter who adopted Flemish painting techniques and conventions.-Biography:Bermejo, whose real name was Bartolomé de Cárdenas, was born in Córdoba...
, in the chapter house
Chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room attached to a cathedral or collegiate church in which meetings are held. They can also be found in medieval monasteries....
.