|
 |
 |
 »
CHIESA di SAN BARTOLOMEO (CHURCH OF SAINT BARTHOLEMEW)
The Church of Saint Bartholomew in Montechiaro dates
from the 14th century; the ogival arches visible in the north
wall and the buttresses still gracing the external side walls
are evidence of this.
In addition to the aforementioned medieval arches, recent
work has brought to light suggestions of the ancient cylindrical
columns which divided the church into three naves, and some
specimens of wainscoting adorn the perimeter walls.
Behind a number of paintings of the Stations of the Cross
are some medieval artefacts, which probably extended to all
the walls, with portrayals of biblical episodes.
An artistic 18th century walnut choir with carved panels is
located behind the altar; at the centre of the choir is a
large canvas depicting the coronation of Our Lady with Saints,
by the Moncalvo School of painters.
|
|
 »
CHIESA di S.MARIA ASSUNTA in PISENZANA (CHURCH OF OUR
LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION in PISENZANA)
Already parish church
before the foundation of Montechiaro, it was the parish church
of Pisenzana. Certainly very antique, perhaps protoromanesque
in the lower part where the curved space is marked by responds
recalling the Byzantine tradition handed down and extended by
the primitive Romanesque architecture.
The cresting with hanging archlets, still existing today, passes
above the responds without having any reference to them. This
cornice keeps the characteristics of the Asti Romanesque architecture
with shaped corbels and ornate with antropomorphical graffiti
and geometric decorations to support the hanging archlets and
an ornamentation in rhomboid brick to “lighten”
the construction. What remains of the ancient church is very
little, but historically important to date Christian development
in the area. The surrounding area was a cemetery until 1894.
|
|
 »
CHIESA CONFRATERNITA della
SS. ANNUNZIATA (CONFRATERNITY CHURCH of OUR LADY)
Arisen in 1500
by wish of the municipality, it was built with the end part
on the walls and the sacristy above a semi cylindrical tower.
It is possible that it had its own façade originally,
but this was later removed when the choir of the confraternity
was built above the vault which connects the current pseudo
façade with the north nave of Saint Bartholomew. The
choir of the confraternity faces from above onto the only nave
of the small church. The confraternity holds rich furnishings
with a polychrome altar, impressive work by Francesco Solari,
dating from 1760, with ancona painted in oil on canvas, portraying
Our Lady, by a Piedmontese artist. There are wooden chandeliers
of beautiful workmanship, processional lamps, two pastoral staffs
with ends in embossed silver depicting the Annunciation and
an exquisite sacristy cabinet of the 18TH century. A niche,
in the Church, holds the “carriage” of Our Lady
of Sorrows, which was brought in procession. |
|
| Other places of interest in
Montechiaro: click here |
|
