Basilica della Ghiara
Encyclopedia
The Tempio della Beata Vergine della Ghiara(Temple of the Blessed Virgin of Ghiara), also known as Basilica della Madonna della Ghiara is a church in Reggio Emilia
, northern Italy
. The building is the property of the comune
(municipality) of the city.
, which had occurred in the year 1596. The place soon became the goal of pilgrimages and, thanks to the offerings of the faithful, it was possible to build a new temple into which the votive fresco was moved.
The cornerstone was laid on June 6, 1597 by the bishop Claudio Rangone, in the presence of Duke Alfonso II d'Este and Duchess Margherita Gonzaga
. Part of the former convent and church were demolished in order to make way for the new structure. The plan was by the local architect and sculptor Francesco Pacchioni, who also designed the dome and the interior stucco
es. The church was consecrated on May 12, 1619.
The façade has Doric
columns on the lower part and Ionic
columns on the upper one. It is built of laterite
, with white Veronese marble insets. The central portal has a marble bas-relief portraying the Vergine della Ghiara, (1642). The side portals were executed in 1631.
The interior is in Late Renaissance style, with rich decorations in gold, marbles, as well as large frescoes of the Carracci
school covering the domes and the vaults. These depicts stories of women of the Old Testament. The ceiling painted by Alessandro Tiarini
is considered his masterwork. The dome frescoes are by Lionello Spada (1616). Other works in the church are by Guercino and Giovanni Battista Magnani
.
Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia is an affluent city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune of the Province of Reggio Emilia....
, northern 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...
. The building is the property of the comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
(municipality) of the city.
History
The church was built in response to an alleged miracle associated with a local votive image of the Madonna, painted by Lelio OrsiLelio Orsi
Lelio Orsi was an Italian Renaissance painter of the Reggio Emilia school. He was born and died in Novellara, and much of his work was completed in Reggio. He appears to have studied under such as Giovanni Giarola, a pupil of Antonio da Correggio...
, which had occurred in the year 1596. The place soon became the goal of pilgrimages and, thanks to the offerings of the faithful, it was possible to build a new temple into which the votive fresco was moved.
The cornerstone was laid on June 6, 1597 by the bishop Claudio Rangone, in the presence of Duke Alfonso II d'Este and Duchess Margherita Gonzaga
Margherita Gonzaga d'Este
Margherita Gonzaga d'Este, Duchess of Ferrara was an Italian noblewoman, the daughter of William I, Duke of Mantua and Eleonora of Austria, and the sister of Vincent I, Duke of Mantua and Anna Caterina Gonzaga. She was the wife of Alfonso II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara and Modena, whom she married...
. Part of the former convent and church were demolished in order to make way for the new structure. The plan was by the local architect and sculptor Francesco Pacchioni, who also designed the dome and the interior stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
es. The church was consecrated on May 12, 1619.
Overview
The plan of the church is on the Greek cross, with, at the centre, a dome surmounted by a lantern. Four smaller domes, not visible from outside, are at the inner angle of the cross.The façade has Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
columns on the lower part and Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
columns on the upper one. It is built of laterite
Laterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
, with white Veronese marble insets. The central portal has a marble bas-relief portraying the Vergine della Ghiara, (1642). The side portals were executed in 1631.
The interior is in Late Renaissance style, with rich decorations in gold, marbles, as well as large frescoes of the Carracci
Accademia degli Incamminati
The Accademia degli Incamminati was one of the first art academies in Italy. It was originally created around 1580 in Bologna as the Accademia dei Desiderosi and was sometimes known as the Accademia dei Carracci after its founders the Carracci cousins , with Annibale heading the institution thanks...
school covering the domes and the vaults. These depicts stories of women of the Old Testament. The ceiling painted by Alessandro Tiarini
Alessandro Tiarini
Alessandro Tiarini was an Italian Baroque painter of the Bolognese School.He was born in Bologna. His mother died when he was a child, and he was raised by an aunt, and early on they tried, unsuccessfully to guide him towards becoming a cleric...
is considered his masterwork. The dome frescoes are by Lionello Spada (1616). Other works in the church are by Guercino and Giovanni Battista Magnani
Giovanni Battista Magnani
Giovanni Battista Magnani was an Italian architect working entirely in Parma in the first half of the 17th century. He was the most successful of a family of masons and architects that included his father Nicostrato and his son Carlo....
.