Basilica of Sant'Abbondio facts for kids
The Basilica of Sant'Abbondio is an old and beautiful church in Como, Italy. It was built a long time ago, in the 11th century, in a style called Romanesque. This church is a Catholic basilica, which means it's an important church with special rights granted by the Pope. It's a great example of ancient architecture and history.
Contents
History of Sant'Abbondio Basilica
This church was built on top of an even older church from the 400s. That first church was dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul. A bishop named St. Amantius ordered it to be built. He wanted it to hold special items, called relics, connected to Peter and Paul.
How the Basilica Got Its Name
Later, around the 800s, the church was named after Bishop Abundius. He had been buried there many years before. For a long time, until 1007, the Basilica was where the bishop of Como had his main office.
Rebuilding in Romanesque Style
In 1013, Bishop Alberic moved his office to a different location inside Como. The Basilica was then given to a group of monks called the Benedictines. Between 1050 and 1095, these monks took down the old 5th-century church. They rebuilt it in the Romanesque style, which is known for its strong, rounded arches and thick walls. In 1095, the new church was officially opened by Pope Urban II.
Restoring the Basilica's Ancient Look
Starting in 1863, a big project began to restore the Basilica. Serafino Balestra, a teacher, led this work. He wanted to bring back the original Romanesque look of the church. This meant removing parts that had been added in the 1500s.
One important part of the restoration was rebuilding a bell tower. The northern bell tower had fallen down in 1784. Balestra had it rebuilt to look just like the other bell tower, even though there were no old pictures of it. During this work, they also found the foundations of the very first church from the 400s. Balestra marked these old foundations with marble slabs, which you can still see on the floor today.
Features of the Basilica
The Basilica of Sant'Abbondio has two tall bell towers. They stand at the ends of the side aisles, near the middle of the church. The front of the church, called the façade, looks simple. It used to have a covered walkway in front of it. The façade has seven windows and a main entrance.
Art and Relics Inside
You can see beautiful decorations on the outside of the choir's windows. There are also Romanesque bas-reliefs, which are sculptures carved into flat surfaces. Inside the apse, which is the rounded end of the church, there are amazing frescoes from the mid-1300s. These are paintings done directly onto the walls. Under the main altar, you can find the relics of Bishop Abundius.
Modern Use of the Basilica
In 1974, the city of Como bought the Basilica. Since then, they have continued to restore and improve it. Today, the Basilica is home to the Faculty of Law for the University of Insubria. This means students study law in this historic building.
