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 a special history.
History of the Basilica
This church stands on the spot of an even older church. That first church was built in the 5th century by St. Amantius, who was a bishop. He built it to keep special items, called relics, of Sts. Peter and Paul. This first church was built about one kilometer outside the city walls.
The basilica was the main church for the bishop until the year 1007. A few years later, in 1013, Bishop Alberic moved the bishop's main church inside the city walls. Then, the Sant'Abbondio church was given to a group of monks called the Benedictines.
Between 1050 and 1095, the Benedictine monks rebuilt the church. They used the Romanesque style, which was popular at the time. The new church was named after Abundius, who was St. Amantius's successor. In 1863, during some repairs, people found parts of the older 5th-century church. You can still see where it was marked by black and pale marble stones on the floor.
The new basilica had a large main area called a nave and four smaller side areas called aisles. Pope Urban II officially opened and blessed the church on June 3, 1095.
What the Basilica Looks Like
The church has two tall bell towers. These towers are at the end 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 door.
The outside of the choir, which is where the singers sit, has interesting decorations around its windows. Inside, you can see old Romanesque stone carvings. In the apse, which is the curved part at the end of the church, there are beautiful paintings from the mid-14th century. Under the main altar, you can find the relics of St. Abundius.
Next to the church, there was a medieval monastery. This old building has been fixed up and is now used by a local university for law studies.
